The Oxford Handbook of Contextual Approaches to Human Resource Management Oxford Handbooks Series

In recent years scholars and practitioners have increasingly recognized that human resource management (HRM) has paid insufficient attention to the impact of context. While research has been devoted to examining the impact of national context on HRM systems, this literature has been largely separate from that focused on other levels of context affecting organizational choices in HRM strategies, such as the impact of the organizational environment, industry sector, occupation or workforce characteristics. In addition, research has tended to consider elements of context in isolation rather than considering its impact at different levels. The goal of The Oxford Handbook of Contextual Approaches to Human Resource Management is to provide a more holistic approach to developing a contextual understanding of HRM. This Handbook offers a comprehensive understanding of the influence of contextual characteristics on the design and implementation of HRM systems. Rather than focusing on a single level or approach to examining context, the Handbook provides both conceptual and empirical analyses of different elements of context using a range of different lenses and measures. In order to explore the influence of contextual factors at multiple levels, the volume assembles a range of detailed accounts of how context affects the design, implementation and impact of HRM activities.

Emma Parry is Professor of Human Resource Management and Head of the Changing World of Work Group at Cranfield School of Management. Her research interests focus on the impact of context on people management particularly national context, changing demographics, and technological advancement. Michael J. Morley is Professor of Management at the Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland. His research interests encompass international, comparative, and cross-cultural human resource management. Chris Brewster is Professor of International Human Resource Management at Henley Business School. His research is mainly in the areas of international and comparative human resource management. He has wide experience of practitioner and academic roles.