In search of HR research excellence

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We witnessed the most successfully concluded National HR Conference ever, with the theme ‘In Search of HR Excellence’. In line with that the annual volume of the research journal, ‘HR Perspectives’ was launched. Today’s column is a glimpse of it, which showcases local research in HR. Overview

It gave me a deep sense of satisfaction to be the Editor-in-Chief with the tremendous support by the two able Editors, Dr. Pavithra Kailasapathy and Dr. Arosha Adhikaram. ‘HR Perspectives’ volume 2013 is indeed a collective effort by the National Issues, Stakeholder Relations, Research and Publications (NISRRP) Committee of the Institute of Personnel Management (IPM). It was another concrete step forward with higher quality and quantity compared to last year. As we are aware, research on human resources falls into the broader category of management research, which in turn, is a part of the wider array of social research. Whilst positive initiatives are being taken, current situation with respect to research in Sri Lanka is far from a satisfactory level. We have an acute gap to bridge with regard to the current and desired levels of engaging in HR research. Hence, we need a rigorous drive in search of HR research excellence. Journey so far Last year, we took a small but a significant step in publishing the research of IPM students and members alike. It was the first revamped issue of ‘HRM Perspectives,’ containing articles that offered insights into human behaviour in organisations with social, cultural, economic, political and environmental aspects aptly blended with people management practices. We are indeed happy to make one solid step forward this year in presenting ‘HRM Perspectives 2013’ with improved quality and enhanced quantity. Like in the last issue, the authors with diverse backgrounds representing professionals from both public and private sectors have contributed to the informative and insightful nature of the magazine. As such, papers from academics and practitioners alike have been accommodated, in order to maintain healthy balance of depth and breadth. Several papers by IPM students also have been included in order to ensure the opportunity to showcase their contributions. We took steps to ensure strict adherence to the globally accepted APA referencing guidelines.

Loss of a stalwart The sudden demise of Professor Sudatta Ranasinghe deprived us of including another prolific paper to the journal. His research contribution to the Sri Lankan HR community is indeed commendable. In writing on his last publication, he stated as follows: “The students as well as practitioners of HR are convinced that there is a dearth of research-based literature on theory and practice of HR in the context of development challenges faced by Sri Lanka. In particular, issues pertaining to performance management and rewards, employer-employee relations, attraction and retention of competent people, carrier opportunities for women, employee motivation and commitment etc. which affect people’s productivity and organisational performance are not sufficiently researched and discussed.” According to the editorial, the ‘HRM Perspectives’ journal would pledge its readers that Professor Ranasinghe’s insightful intentions will be continued to fulfil at least in a limited manner. He was an inspirational icon to us at the Research and Publication Committee (RPC) of IPM in 2011-12 and the National Issues, Stakeholder Relations, Research and Publication Committee (NISRRP) of IPM in 2012-13. The wide assortment of papers you find in this issue, ranging from theoretical to practical aspects is a fitting tribute to him. Five fallacies of HR related research In expanding our discussion on HR related research further, it is worthwhile looking at why the apparent enthusiasm on research is not translated into enduring actions. It is interesting to note that most of the management programs do not contain a research component, and management research is perceived to be something extremely difficult and to be left to the experts to handle. Should that be the approach of management learners? I would say “no”. Why HR learners and practitioners are reluctant to embark on management research? I would propose that we need to debunk the fallacies associated with management research. Let me discuss five such fallacies. 1. Skill fallacy I have seen management learners being scared to engage in management research stating that they do not have necessary skills to do so. Refraining from management research due to skill shortage is a fallacy. Skills can be acquired in variety of ways. The same is true for management research skills. The starting point is an inquiring mindset. When you have a problem in focus as an unsolved puzzle, a logical step-by-step approach is needed in understanding the nature of it, and finding solutions for it. There are range of ways to strengthen the skills of doing management research including books, websites and short courses. It is encouraging to see that pioneering academic institution who started offering an MBA program to Sri Lanka is still maintaining a research rigour, making it a vital component in MBA education. 2. Scope fallacy Some tend to complain that the extent involved in a management research is so vast. Reluctance to embark on management research due to its scope is a fallacy. Scope is there for the researcher to decide. I have heard many a times from my senior colleagues that management researchers want to cover everything under sun and moon. Instead, they should clearly demarcate a boundary within which their investigation will be carried out. A beginner can start studying on his/her organisation or even a division of it. On the other hand, a veteran researcher will clearly identify the scope which is relevant to the nature of the problem under investigation. For an example, in a study of employee satisfaction, instead of covering all employees all over the world, a demarcation such as “middle level managers of private commercial banks in Sri Lanka” would be a more sensible scope. 3. Style fallacy There is no one universal approach to management research. Diverse patterns can be seen in moving beyond traditional number-crunching practices. Conviction that there is a universal style of doing management research is a fallacy. What I mean by style is essentially the approach to management research. It can be one of the following:

Study of an unexplored area, e.g. career aspirations of call centre operators
Challenge what is already known, e.g. motivational factors of sewing workers apparel industry
An existing problem formulated in a novel way, e.g. why plantation workers resist change
New interpretation to existing findings, e.g. revisiting culture study by Gert Hofstede (a famous Dutch anthropologist)
New evidence on a previous issue, e.g. productivity and employee satisfaction
New method/technique adopted, e.g. use of ‘grounded theory’ for local research
Replicate a study done elsewhere, e.g. study of organisational commitment
Synthesis of existing knowledge, e.g. Combining two studies on different aspects of stock market performance

Hence, it is clear that there is no universal style towards management research. The challenge is to select the style matching the nature of the investigation. 4. Structure fallacy Some management researchers insist on a formal structure in approaching research. The world is moving towards multiple structures. I saw how story-telling has influenced as a powerful way of narrating a management research, in the recent past. Reliance on one formal structure for all management research is a fallacy. In perusing through the fundamentals of management research, two key structures can be found. They are related to an exploration or an explanation. The twin terminology associated is deductive and inductive approaches. Deductive approach begins with an initial idea or conceptualisation of the problem in focus. It is applicable when substantial knowledge is already in existence. In contrast, the inductive approach begins with the observation of realities and then moving towards generalising the results. It is more suitable when available knowledge is insufficient to develop predictions. Each approach leads to a different structure of the management research. It is difficult to say, which is better out of the two. A more pragmatic approach will be to fine the best fit with regard to the nature of problem under investigation. 5. Source fallacy Some of the management researchers complain that they have no access to sources of information in formulating the problem. There is no one source but multiple of sources are available in order to gain knowledge. Refraining from management research due to source constraints is a fallacy. Way forward It is a challenging journey ahead. We saw the difficulties associated in compiling a comprehensive research volume. The above five fallacies prevented some prospective papers getting materialised. The editorial of the journal invite its readers to join in creating a renewed enthusiasm on HRM research. ‘HRM Perspectives’ will continue to provide a platform for practitioners to publish their work, whilst appeasing academics. The invitation is simple and specific. The need is to embark on the journey in search of HR research excellence. (Dr. Ajantha Dharmasiri works at the Postgraduate Institute of Management. He can be reached on [email protected] or www.ajanthadharmasiri.info.)

In search of HR research excellence

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