Managers have the authority to make decisions on human resource management practices, and variations in these practices are observed not only across countries and industries but also across organizations in the same sector. How do we theoretically explain these variations? This thesis extends the existing studies focusing on organizational and individual factors by: first, shifting our focus from organizational to individual factors (managers) because they are the ones with the power to make decisions on HRM practices; second, qualitatively examining managers’ beliefs, values and philosophy because the existing studies have mainly been quantitatively examining their influences on HRM practices, and their meanings and interpretations have not been addressed adequately; and third, using the theory of institutional logics to explain the variations in HRM practices and discuss how managers’ socialization processes shape their adoptions of institutional logics.
This is a qualitative study of the Taiwanese ICT industry. Because of its history, Confucianism and American business concepts influence HRM practices in Taiwan. I, therefore, theoretically regard paternalistic management (rooted in Confucianism) and empowerment (evolved from scientific management in the US) as two institutional logics guiding the Taiwanese managers to make decisions on employee training and participation, which are the two areas these logics differ. I also gather data from semi-structured interviews with managers, R&D engineers and software developers in the industry and archives (such as the publications from the government, media, HRM consultancies and online posts) to analyze my question. Based on the data, I find different logics in the industry: in terms of employee training, there are the logic of informal training and the logic of formal training; in terms of employee participation, there are the logic of paternalistic management and the logic of empowerment. Managers’ socialization processes also explain their different adoptions of logics: managers deliberatively evaluate how they were managed via different logics, and they adopt each of these logics based on their positive or negative evaluations.
This thesis makes empirical and conceptual contributions. This thesis provides original novel data with ‘thick descriptions’ of managers’ beliefs, values and philosophy and further theorizes this strand of literature. The role of managers’ socialization processes in shaping their logics adoptions is further discussed. This thesis also has practical implications for those who aim to enhance employees’ job quality and firms’ competitiveness: for example, the government agencies could recognize those who have concrete systems to formally train and involve employees in decision-making processes, publish and share these best practices, send public servants to hold seminars or workshops to guide firms to apply for governmental subsidies/aids, and provide consulting services regarding employee training and involvement systems.
Variations in employee training and participation in the Taiwanese ICT industry: an institutional logics perspective
Lee, B. (Author). 1 May 2021
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy