A model for maximising electronic human resource management macro-level consequences: the role of actors

Abstract

The use of electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) has increased phenomenally in recent years, in order to achieve various positive consequences such as lower costs, improved relations amongst and between e-HRM actors, and even gaining a strategic role for the Human Resource (HR) function. Empirical research focusing on e-HRM consequences, has however, persistently shown unintended and contradictory findings between and within prior studies conducted in the Western context. Such contradictions are detrimental to the practice of e-HRM, since the implementation of the phenomenon can no longer be defended vis-a-vis the returns from its deployment. The goal of this study was to develop a model for maximising e-HRM macro-level consequences, in the context of actors. This study adopted a partially mixed sequential dominant status explanatory design wherein the first phase, a quantitative study, studied the effect of e-HRM use on employee performance, job satisfaction, and organisational politics and subsequently on macro-level consequences. The second phase, a qualitative study to contextualise the quantitative results, studied the unexpected and non-significant results from the quantitative study. That is, a survey and narrative inquiry were used as research strategies. The sample consisted of HR professionals, line managers and IT professionals. The results indicate that there is successful partial mediation linked to employee performance, job satisfaction and organisational politics. These variables act as independent mediators, each playing a role in explaining the effect of e-HRM use on e-HRM macro-level consequences. Job satisfaction however plays a greater contributing role than the other two variables. Employee performance and job satisfaction in serial mediation, subject to complementary HR interventions, contribute to the maximisation of intended e-HRM macro-level consequences. The contribution of the thesis is in the model that may inform and help minimise the occurrence of unintended consequences and maximise the occurrence of intended consequences. A model that has employee performance and job satisfaction as mediating variables, is recommended as the most fitting, to guarantee intended consequences. For this model to work, a number of recommendations are suggested, including aligning HRM strategies and e-HRM strategies for enhanced intended macro-level consequences. It is important to realise that employee perception of e-HRM use may be different from actual use. Future studies are encouraged to explore ways of measuring both actual and perceived e-HRM use.