Overview: For this assignment, you will find and present a recent [2015 or later] peer-reviewed scholarly journal article on some aspect of Strategic HRM and turn in a 4-page paper on it along with a full copy of the article. The paper should discuss the major research issue dealt with, a summary of previous research on the topic, why the issue is important to contemporary organizations, how the research was designed and conducted, the results (don't worry about the statistics if they are too complicated), and a usable take-home message for managers that applies the results of the research findings to improving HR and related strategic management practices. Your paper is limited to 4 pages, 12-point Times New Roman font, double spaced, 1-inch margins all around. Make sure your full name and sidn are shown in a header on top. Attach a hard copy of your article that you have highlighted to show the most critical portions in support of your analysis and conclusions. Likely journal sources appear at the end of this page below. 

 

Search Tips and Article Selection Criteria: A good article is one that addresses a significant issue and collects and analyzes hard, quantitative data with applied statistical methods [highly preferred is Structural Equation Modeling, or SEM, conducted using LISREL or AMOS software—hint—use these as search terms in addition to your substantive terms]. Regression is your second best option. Beware of “meta-analysis” or experimental design [ANOVA, MANOVA—usually less realistic, harder to grasp] as they may be measurement pieces for psychological but not practical interest.

 

You can do either (1) a journal search [visual search eyeballing articles within a specific journal on my list] or (2) a database search [electronic search using terms that cut across multiple sources]. A journal search is highly recommended to help orient you to what is out there now and to find new constructs that obvious search terms may miss. Either way,  

*Find an article from a journal on my list before defaulting to databases or other sources

*Search for ‘peer reviewed’ articles in PDF format so you can read the stats tables

*Make sure the article’s publication date [vs. journal copyright date] is post-2015

*Make sure the article contains actual quantitative data and performs statistical analysis [e.g., structural equation modeling or regression] on the data [vs. just describing it]

*Make sure you can extract a practical, deliverable take-home message that adds value to our knowledge of good strategic HRM [Hint: If your take-home message is little more than a platitude that cannot survive the question “What would you pay a consultant for this advice?” you should keep looking! :-)] 

*Please send only one article at a time for approval; you are the one who needs to apply these criteria before asking me to confirm that the article is OK. Read the abstract and discussion section to make sure the results are usable in practice

*Attach a PDF version of the article and include your topic area in the subject line of your email; copy yourself with the message to me so you can tell if it’s gone through. Thanks!

 

Journals with more Micro Topics [i.e., individual level areas—e.g., org. psychology]:

 

*Personnel Psychology [best bet]

*Journal of Applied Psychology [good quality, but may be less practical]

-Human Resource Management Journal [lower quality, but more topic coverage]

 

Journals with more Macro Topics [i.e., team, organizational, environmental or policy level areas—e.g., strategy]:

 

*Academy of Management Journal [best bet, but includes way more than HR stuff]

*Strategic Management Journal [more theoretical, possibly less practical

-Industrial Relations

-Journal of Vocational Behavior