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Conceptual-Theoretical Research

Proposal applies in this research


investigation

Proposed Title
Systematic Literature Review on the
Changing Role of Human Resource
Management and its Associated HR
Functions in UK MNCs

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Section One
• Introduction

Research study is integral part to utilize knowledge both in primary and secondary
tenets and ways, this research will tackle on the systematic literature review about
human resource management and the awareness of such HR roles and changes as
incorporated into human resource functions from within UK multinational
companies. Human resource management is a type of management that works well
with people and how they are effective to the actual work process that adheres to
roles and functions in certain assumptions and how HR is changing its associated
functions such as those that deal with training and development. Human resource
role assume empowerment in UK MNCs resources and diverse roles to make known
of business practices and principles. Aside, systematic literature review presentation
will be important in research, to discuss comprehensively research approaches and
HR related perspectives, how HR roles are of effective stature. The integration of
concepts and theories framework, to gain salient knowledge of HRM domain and
MNCs in the UK, HR related change management.

• Statement of the Problem

The problem now in UK human resource nature is the lack of critique approach on
the changing HRM roles and the possible limitations of systematic literature review
concerning HR roles and functions. Studies do not focus on roles but of HR
performance as it can be that role context is at the top level before HR reaches to
award winning events and performance. Although there can be volumes of literature
studies dealing with human resource and its roles but there is limited research
encounter on ‘systematic literature review’ wherein certain research assessment
tool matters a lot for the completion of the study. Due to problems of systematic
assumption, HR related cases are not accessible as good material for fact finding,
case studies of HR roles and functions in UK based context was also of research
problem, and overall HRM tenets of its MNCs on people management side.

• Research Aim/s and Objectives

The core aim of research is to have a step by step process relevant to systematic
literature review of the changing roles of HRM and associated functions, UK based
MNCs contextualization. Research objectives, is to be able to present various
theories and concepts pertaining to human resource management, HR roles and its
changes as of today’s time and HR based functions as well. To have research
critique on several academically reviewed articles and journals and the application
of quality assessment criteria as basis of research critique for systematic literature
effectiveness. To engage in descriptive case research of various proponents in
relation to HRM changing roles and associated functions for UK MNCs adaptation.
• Research Questions

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Research questions are essential part of the research process, as this will imply a
solid connection towards secondary knowledge composed of peer reviewed studies
such as from academic centered journals and articles, also from documented
information and facts from books having contents about leadership and change. The
research questions serve as the initial organization flow of the study’s review of the
literature which leads to the creation of research methods and techniques and the
questions were the following:

- What is HRM in lieu to changing roles and associated functions of MNCs


human resource frontiers?
- What is HR related change management? Discuss perspectives based on UK
tenets and literature paradigm
- How effective is human resource management for UK MNCs adaptation?
Provide cases to certain MNCs operating in the region.
- What are some types of role changes in HRM of MNCs as well as functions
associated to the changes made? What are the role HR managers in terms of
enhancing such training and development and other HR salient ways? Cite
definite changing roles of HR for UK MNCs

• Hypothesis

Research hypothesis are deemed for the clearance of research design/approached


being utilized for this specific study and it will assume variables that could be in
place within the conceptual framework construction and the balance integration of
its application forming in theory based framework from within proponent recognized
information and research studies respectively.

Several hypotheses could be:


- There is similar systematic literature base of human resource management of
UK MNCs in such changing roles of HR and its associated functions
- There is different systematic literature base of human resource management
of UK MNCs in such changing roles of HR and its associated functions

Limitations and Assumptions

Research is limited to systematic literature review of HRM roles and functions but
not on concepts and theories in presentation and for simplicity consider the table
below to present certain limits and the assumptions can derive from the contents
thereunto
Item Inclusion criteria Exclusion criteria

Language English Other than English,


non-English

Full text, ms word Abstract ONLY and


Type of publication documents, WinZip several unknown file
and PDF formats types or within
secured, password
protected filenames

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Date of publication Within ten to fifteen More than fifteen
years years

Content Relative to keywords


such as (HRM, HR Not related to the
roles, functions, keywords given
MNC, UK)

Study group HR executives,


managers and staff
as well as other Not conforming to
relevant groups in the study group and
UK MNCs population way out of UK or EU
Study measure contexts
Measure of
systematic literature
of HRM changing
roles and its Methods or
associated functions measures not helpful
in UK MNCs, to human resource
descriptive case roles and functions
methods and for UK MNCs
assessments (for
example, qualitative
and quantitative
cues, analysis and
description)

HR based information with regards to adaptation and execution of shared services


as not all MNC business can transfer into a more precise HR function such as shared
service due to presence of HR roles and functions that are present, and not all HR
changing roles and function can transfer to use effective HRM programs toward MNC
in UK. Being suitable for Master studies since, research investigation allows first
hand critique of several reviewed articles and journals, the valuable time scale and
methodologies. Investigative study can undertake through search strategies coming
from databases recognizing most recently reviewed articles and journals and certain
books dealing to human resource perspectives. The academic issues can deal with
literature studies, incurring informative bases of imperative keywords namely:
shared service, traditional service, HR function, Asia Pacific. Literature assessment
and analysis plays an imperative role for having enough ideas and concepts,
resources in books and other publications bring research approach and paradigm
applicable for the study. The enabling of UK MNC’s to transpire HR changing roles as
well as associated function strategies to attract and develop human capital in
positive motion. HR services is at the core of achieving MNC excellence through
human resource roles, to critically review practical approaches upon transforming
roles into effective function based on the aims and objectives.

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Section Two
• Literature Review

The foundation of organization involved in HR roles and functions and its MNC
success domains and that success in HR not just happen to be in operations
influence over various products and services but, business can’t fully exercise
overall stature of the business without HR roles as enclosed in the Corporate Social
Responsibility by Waldman (2006). The strategic role of human resources is related
changed of HR functions of service such as from traditional sense to shared service
tenets and be able to attempt to understand and deal with HR function and role
connectivity. The UK MNCs adapting to process of HRM changing roles are ideally
committed to safe, reliable and innovative HR oriented services from within changes
that are strategically known at the execution of HRM pathways (Gibb and Scott
1999). HR related responsibility amiably determines strategy in management upon
mapping role affective stance of such realm of HR environment success (Master and
Heresniak 2002). Thus, having effective HR bases for instance, HR manager has
moral obligation to pursue profit and engage in social responsibility only when there
is precise investment, leaders are driven by ample sales and profits and from having
good roles and functions, consider training and development assimilation (Pinkston
and Carroll 1996). The changing role of HR can adhere to the following conceptual
point why organization utilizes HR, is assumed from the process of globalization, the
encouraging factors for the spreading of HR practices, it is becoming increasingly
clear that effective leaders have to be chosen so that whatever change there can be
will allow deep success of MNC ways, there is ample need to understand leadership
as well as change antecedents of the known HR roles (Gunther 2005; Finkelstein and
Hambrick 1996), some areas of concern and the discretion of change values in
realizing valuable outcomes from within HR formation. HR functions can lead to
emphasis that managers utilize role change as one channel to keep good and wise
decisions, as presence of better HR decisions can be critical for having insights into
effective MNCs practices (Pant and Lachman 1998; Agle et al. 1999). Thus, noting
that HR role choices are to vary in ways adopted by UK MNCs from within research
paradigms and spontaneity as related to various change drivers of roles from such
perspectives formation (Wood 1991 p. 702).

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House et al. (1999); Waldman and Yammarino (1999) noted HR roles serves as
significant to HRM function, shaping of HRM values and certain behavior toward role
change. Human resource responsibilities have to be directed in identifiable
community group relevant to strategic roles of HRM for UK MNCs as imposed into
HRM effective functional standards (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001), for example Dell
UK valuing HR chain related ways and assessment, allowing HR changing roles to
have relevant factor for Dell to be effective from concepts, choices and change
process (McWilliams and Siegel 2001). Truly, today’s HRM for MNCs are pivotal to
center activities of business, process of role change linking to shareholders,
suppliers and employees. The need to lead from front, upon involving HRM leaders
into business operation, committed role change is good upon taking HR practices
into positive forwarding of human resource composition (McWilliams and Siegel
2006; House et al. 1999; Waldman and Yammarino 1999). Therefore, MNC
organizations utilize HRM roles in relation to functional cues and change
management with a positive evaluation of literature foundations and ideologies,
constructive human resource, strategic functional roles for HR effectiveness and
award winning realization.

Section Three
• Research Approach

The core effectiveness of systematic literature review is to guide in careful


assessment and analysis of eight studies on HRM roles and functions of UK MNCs
within ratios on relevant cases. The presence of Google scholar search as found
linking to keywords as noted. Search strategies involved search databases of
acquiring articles and journals fifteen years old up from around 1996 up to 2009
focus on case research (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill 2003; Yin 1998) to allow
precise literature review in a systematic manner. Further, several articles/journals
for systematic review are to be investigated on Science direct, Elsevier, Questia,
Emerald insight and others. The research materials reporting HRM and its changing
roles and associated functions for MNCs based on descriptive case study, as possible
reference (Creswell 1997; Buckingham and Saunders 2004).

• Methodology

Detailed yet systematic literature review in summation of total of eight academic


reviewed articles/journals, focusing research on HRM changing roles and associated
functions within UK based MNCs. The article journal search parameters will comprise
of studies noted from the year 1996 up to 2009. Search strategy will have reviewed
insights as well as abstract write ups found on each study presented, realizing
research investigations in meta-analysis focusing on human resource management
roles and functions. The selected articles/journals have to be further modified in
summation in ample information towards HRM roles and its associated function for
UK MNCs, the article/journal to be further inspected to obtain information relevant to
research focus of table with the following headings:

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Study (yr of publication)

Title

Authors

Study population

Type of Study

Year of study

Sample size

Journal

Systematic Literature Review of HRM changing roles

Quality assessment score (check list score)


Quality assessment score (sample size score)

There provides illustrative representation of data for grading, analysis and


interpretation.

QUALITY ASSESSMENT

The quality assessment can be based on critique, critiquing the eighteen articles or
journals based on the following above points mentioned. Quality assessment was
done using the sample size (A> 5000, B = 1000- 5000, C < 1000) and a modified
eight point quality rating system published by the US department of Health and
Human Resources, Agency For Healthcare Research and Quality (2003)
(http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/strengthsum.htm). The checklist included;
Study question, study population, comparability of subjects, and exposure to
intervention, outcome measurement, statistical analysis, results, and discussion.
Each point was scored and rescaled to 100 for clarity with 100 representing the
highest score. The methods are to be adopted because of differences in the
populations and settings from which results of research studies will be obtained.

The method for recruiting research participants will by asking them face to face to
voluntarily participate in the research process, sending them permission letters and
assure them of privacy as well as confidentially of profiles and other information,
criteria for selecting the research participants will be according to age and years of
work experience in the company and they should be HR based employees working
not less than six months of service and will full under age range of 25 years of age
and above regardless of their gender and status. A possible of around 100
respondents can be ideal in this dissertation study representing 10 percent part of
the whole population of 1000 (MNCs in UK). Case study research figures among
those qualitative methods that have been recognized as having gained acceptance
over last decade in such investigative field (Benbasat and Weber 1996; Klein and
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Myers 1999). The literature on research methods as appropriately indicated in
various studies imposed by Creswell and Yin such as for instance, Yin (1994)
captivates the use of case study methodology as one simple tool that bring in
accuracy in research in matter of inquiry as stated by Yin (1994) “case study implies
to empirical inquiry focusing contemporary phenomenon within real life context and
boundaries between phenomenon and its context are not clearly evident in a form of
single or multiple case studies as the method basis can be both qualitative and
quantitative in nature (p. 13). Data will be collected and analyzed through using
qualitative techniques such as pointing towards document analysis, interviews and
questionnaire survey. The primary data is to be collected from the respondents in
case situations, secondary data is to comprise of reference concerning research
subject, using of current information on chapters/sections in the study will be in
realization. For data analysis and procedures it is important to have complete
awareness and understanding of the research approach/design the study implies as
data analysis have relevance to research questions involved and thus, each of the
questions will be analyzed through content analysis pertaining to case study
analysis and several interviews. There present documentation of the types of data
analysis which have been used in various types of empirical research conducted by
the researcher over time and overall research will be documented. Conducting
empirical research without considering its reliability and validity is pointless,
because the researcher will not be able to generalize from the results as useful in
theory building and theory verification (Marshall and Rossman 1999; Paton 2002).

Section Four

Project Plan, Timetable Schedule and Resources

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Task 4:
Conduct
Task 3: draft of the
Task 1: Task 2: Do initial methodology
Prepare Set-up research : descriptive Task 5: Task 6:
Research appointme reviews case Analyze Research
Proposal nts with and research: data Data
Monthly Draft supervisor gather systematic gathered Analysis
Dates s and collective literature and
colleagues thoughts informatio
n

January
2010
January
2010
January
27,
2010
January
28,
2010
January
2010
Februar
y 2010
Februar
y 2010
Februar
y 2010
Februar
y 2010
Februar
y 2010
March
2010
March
2010
March
2010
March
2010

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Mont Mont
Plan of Research Activities h Month Month h
Janua Februa Marc
ry ry February/Ma h
2010 2010 rch 2010 2010
Search for Related Literature
Selection of the Topic
Definition of the Problem
Development of Objectives
Selection of Methodology
Check the availability of resources
Verify the accessibility of resources
Write the draft of the proposal
Prepare case study and survey schedule
Secure adviser’s approval
Do the needed revisions
Test research tool validity
Select the study sample
Conduct research proper
Administer research tools
Do the assessment techniques
Gather and analyze results
Do the necessary data presentation
Interpret findings
Preparation of the final report
Formulation of conclusions and
recommendations
Preparation of the table of content,
appendices
Editing and Final Formatting

Printing

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References

• Agle BR Mitchell RK and Sonnenfeld JA (1999) Who matters to CEOs? An


investigation of stakeholder attributes and salience, corporate performance
and CEO values, Academy of Management Journal 42(1): 507–525

• Benbasat I and Weber R (1996) Research Commentary: Rethinking Diversity in


Information System Research, Information Systems Research (7:4), pp. 389-
399

• Buckingham A and Saunders P (2004) The Survey Methods Workbook.


Cambridge: Polity Press

• Creswell JW (1997) Qualitative inquiry and research designs: Choosing among


five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

• Finkelstein S and Hambrick DC (1996) Strategic Leadership: Top Executives


and their Effects on Organizations, West Publishing: Minneapolis/St Paul.

• Gibb J and Scott N (1999) Strategic Awareness, Personal Commitment and the
Process of Planning in the Small Business, Journal of Management Studies
22(6), 597-631

• Gunther M (2005) Cops of the global village, Fortune 151: 158–166.

• House RJ Hanges PJ Ruiz-Quintanilla SA Dorfman PW Javidan M Dickson MW


and Gupta V (1999) Cultural Influences on Leadership and Organizations:
Project GLOBE, in W.H. Mobley, M.J. Gessner and V. Arnold (eds.) Advances in
Global Leadership, Vol. 1. JAI Press: Greenwich, CT, pp: 171–233

• Klein H K and Myers MD (1999) A Set of Principles for Conducting and


Evaluating Interpretive Field Studies in Information Systems, MIS Quarterly
(23:1), March 1999, pp. 67-94

• Marshall T and Rossman E (1999) Designing Qualitative Research, 3rd Ed

• Master M and Heresniak, EJ (2002) Ethics at Work: The Disconnect in Ethics


Training, Across the Board 39(5), 51–52.

• McWilliams A and Siegel D (2001) Corporate social responsibility: a theory of


the firm perspective, Academy of Management Review 26(1): 117–227.

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• McWilliams A Siegel D and Wright PM (2006) Corporate social responsibility:
strategic implications, Journal of Management Studies 43(1): 1–18.

• Pant PN and Lachman R (1998) Value incongruity and strategic choice, Journal
of Management Studies 35(2): 195–212.

• Paton MQ (2002) Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.).


Newbury Park: Sage Publications

• Pinkston T and Carroll A (1996) A Retrospective Examination of CSR


Orientations: Have They Changed? Journal of Business Ethics 15(2), 199–207.

• Saunders M Lewis P and Thornhill A (2003) Research Methods for Business


Students. London: Financial Times-Prentice Hall

• Waldman DA and Yammarino FJ (1999) ‘CEO charismatic leadership: levels-of-


management and levels-of-analysis effects’, Academy of Management Review
24(2): 266–285.

• Waldman DA Siegel D and Javidan M (2006) Components of transformational


leadership and corporate social responsibility, Journal of Management Studies
p. 43

• Wood DJ (1991) Corporate social performance revisited, Academy of


Management Review 16(4): 691–718.

• Yin RK (1998) Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Newbury
Park, CA: Sage Publications

• Yin RK (1994) Case Study Research, Design and Methods (2nd ed.), Sage
Publications, Beverly Hills, CA

Potential Bibliographic Field


The articles/journals

1. Burke R and Cooper C (2005) Reinventing human resource management:


challenges and new directions, Routledge pp. 1-283

2. Jensen E and Kraglund J (2004) Transforming the HR Function in an Era of


Change, The Postal Project Volume 1(5/15/2004) Accenture

3. Lawler III E and Mohrman S (2003) HR as a Strategic Partner: What Does It


Take to Make It Happen? Human Resource Planning. Volume: 26. Issue: 3 pp.
15 up Human Resource Planning Society; 2003 Gale Group

4. Low L (2002) Literature Surveys: Human Resource Development in the Asia–


Pacific, Asian-Pacific Economic Literature Volume 12 Issue 1, Pages 27 – 40

5. Boudreau J and Ramstad P (2004) Talentship and the Evolution of Human


Resource Management: From “Professional Practices” To “Strategic Talent
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Decision Science”. Center for Effective Organizations Marshall School of
Business CEO Publication 04-6 (458)

6. Twomey B et al. (1999) Human Value Management. San Francisco: Jossey-


Bass

7. Julien S (2001) Repositioning the Human Resource Function: Transformation or


Demise? Academy of Management Executive. Vol. 4, No. 3

8. Matley W (2002) Human Resources Strategy: Focusing on Issues and Actions.


Organizational Dynamics, Summer, pp. 5 - 19.

• Ethical Issues

There will be top confidentiality of the HR based subjects/participants in their


personal files, as there assumes that the critical role focus of finding out human
resource oriented effectiveness in shared or traditional services ought to be on the
values and ethics of senior HR executives. Ethical issues play vital part in every
research endeavor as it integrates a sense of trust and confidentiality of the
research in all its aspect, content and organization and the need too present oral
and written consent is important in protecting all fields of the study not just the
researcher but to the research participants as well, allowing them to have freedom
in expressing oneself because they are comfortable and assured that whatever
responses or ideas they contribute in research is safe and cannot be spread out
without permission and without their knowing as the ethics will have to utilize
aspects of the following points:

- Normative development of ethical standards and principles

- Considering ways of empirical investigation

- Research participants consent to do the study is a must

- Realizing of additional standards to ensure participants profile are confidential

- Recognize constructive framework of ethical standards as well as procedures

- Written consent (procedures may be impossible to implement because


respondents maybe illiterate)

- Come up with HR related ethical committees and carry out further research
responsibilities

- The obligation to ensure that participants are no worse off during the testing
than they were before

- Participants should not be made worse off as result of inability to have


continued access to the successful indication after the pilot test will end

- Ethical obligation to provide future research

- Disciplines confront ethical problems in research

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