Druker, J; White, G; Hegewisch, A and Mayne, L (1996) Between hard and soft HRM: Human resource management in the construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 14(5), pp. 405-416. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
The rapid change in the economic environment has not resulted in the development of sophisticated human resource management practices in the UK construction industry. There are similarities between personnel practice in construction and 'hard' models of HRM, particularly in relation to manual workers, but non-manual employment resembles more the conditions where 'soft' HRM might be expected. Focusing on the HRM levers developed by John Storey, HRM practices are examined in relation to the role of personnel departments, line management responsibility, performance management, and values and beliefs of personnel managers. The survey results suggest few signs of fundamental or far-reaching innovation in human resource management practice in the construction industry despite the changing shape of construction companies. There are some, though limited, signs of change in respect to expectations of training and employee development in the future.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | employee relations; human resource management; line management; people management; personnel management |
| Index terms: | employee relation, personnel, manager, survey, construction company, human resource management, construction industry, performance management, employment |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, management, performance measurement, psychology, organization, data collection methods, practitioner |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Human Resources, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here