Oxford Handbook of Human Resource Management

(Steven Felgate) #1

engage in methodological practices that could be improved and that may result in
incorrect conclusions regarding theory and practice. Guest et al.’s ( 2003 ) summary
concluded that:


Despite the positive thrust of most published empiricalWndings, Wood ( 1999 ) among
others has noted that the quality of the research base supporting the relationship between
HR and performance is relatively weak.... questions remain about the measurement of
both HR and performance, and about the weight and relevance of tests of association and
causation. (p. 295 )


While there is often a (well-motivated) call for better theory in HR, it is just as
important to improve methodology. Some improvements require additional
resources (e.g. multiple raters, longitudinal data), but others do not (e.g. presenting
meaningful eVect size estimates and interpretation, testing forWt correctly, correct-
ing for random measurement error when the relevant reliability information is
available, using alternative estimators). If we are to draw policy inferences from our
research, we need to be as conWdent as possible in ourWndings and conclusions.
Keeping a focus on methodology is an important requirement to do so.


References


Alwin,D.H.( 1974 ). ‘Approaches to the Interpretation of Relationships in Multitrait
Multimethod Matrix.’ In H. L. Costner (ed.),Sociological Methodology,1973 74. San
Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Hauser,R.M.( 1975 ). ‘The Decomposition of EVects in Path Analysis.’American
Sociological Review, 40 :37 47.
Angrist, J. D., and Krueger,A.B.( 1991 ). ‘Does Compulsory School Attendance AVect
Schooling?’Quarterly Journal of Economics, 106 :979 1014.
Appelbaum, E., Bailey, T., Berg, P., and Kalleberg,A.( 2000 ).Manufacturing Advantage:
Why High Performance Systems Pay oV. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Bae, J., and Lawler,J.J.( 2000 ). ‘Organizational and HRM Strategies in Korea: Impact on
Firm Performance in an Emerging Economy.’Academy of Management Journal, 43 / 3 :
502 17.
Baron, R. M. and Kenny, D.A. ( 1986 ). ‘The Moderator Mediator Variable Distinction in
Social Psychological Research.’Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51 :1173 82.
Batt,R.( 2002 ). ‘Managing Customer Services: Human Resource Practices, Quit Rates, and
Sales Growth.’Academy of Management Journal, 45 :587 97.
Becker, B., and Gerhart,B.( 1996 ). ‘The Impact of Human Resource Management on
Organizational Performance: Progress and Prospects.’Academy of Management Journal,
39 :779 801.
Berk,R.( 1983 ). ‘An Introduction to Sample Selection Bias in Sociological Data.’American
Sociological Review, 48 :386 98.
Blalock,H.M.( 1961 ). ‘Evaluating the Relative Importance of Variables.’American
Sociological Review, 26 :866 74.


576 b a r r y g e r h a r t

Free download pdf