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Redefining the field of European human resource management: A battle between national mindsets and forces of business transition?
Author(s) -
Sparrow Paul R.,
Hiltrop JeanMarie
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
human resource management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.888
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-050X
pISSN - 0090-4848
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-050x(199722)36:2<201::aid-hrm3>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - politics , competition (biology) , field (mathematics) , battle , order (exchange) , human resource management , political science , economic system , state (computer science) , human resources , business , sociology , economics , computer science , law , ecology , history , mathematics , archaeology , finance , pure mathematics , biology , algorithm
This article examines the conflict between cultural heritage and the current forces of global competition in Europe. The nature of management in European organizations is in a state of transition, influenced by competing forces of economic, social, and political integration or disintegration. A review of European research is used to question the idealistic picture of the Single European Market as a unifying force that will simplify international human resource management in multinationals. Taking a comparative rather than international human resource management perspective, the paper identifies the factors that have created national patterns of HRM within Europe. A dynamic and comparative ‘force field framework’ of HRM is developed in order to understand the managerial frames of reference that are currently guiding the field. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.