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Call for Papers

South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management (SAJHRM) 

(Published by Sage & listed in ABDC 2016 Journal Rankings)

Special Issue on HRM in Bhutan

Submission deadline extended to 15^th June, 2017

 

Overview

Bhutan, which is a small nation in the South Asian region, is well known for its natural beauty, culture and the gross national happiness index. In 2008, Bhutan changed from a monarchy to a democracy. International bodies, such as the World Bank, have urged Bhutan to conform to “global markets and to adopt neo-liberal template for economic and social policies” (Dayaman & Pick, 2012 p. 135). Further, according to Dayaman and Pick, “the ambitions of Bhutan to create a unique and distinct social, political, economic and cultural identity against globalizing Western capitalism creates tensions that are played out in the sphere of work and employment” (p.135 ). Another finding of concern is that since 2010, there is a difference in the “happiness between female and male bureaucrats and also between officials working in rural and urban areas” of Bhutan (Tshiteem & Everest-Phillips, 2016, p. 168). In Bhutan, public sector reform was undertaken by reforming Position Classification System with mixed results (Ugyel & O’Flynn, 2016).

 

The Special Issue of the South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management will focus on HRM in Bhutan. The aim of this special issue is to provide a platform for research examining various aspects of HRM in Bhutan that might be common to other countries in South Asia or unique to Bhutan. The special issue seeks to address relevant issues in this regard, such as,

·         Whether and how the forces of globalisation affected Bhutan’s HRM practices?

·         What are the implications of the Happiness Index on the people?

·         What features of Bhutanese national culture have helped or hindered organisational performance?

·         Nearly 50 per cent of the Bhutanese population has no education. How has this impacted Bhutanese organisations?

·         The government and its agencies are the main employers in Bhutan. Is workforce expecting job security/life time employment due to this feature? Are people more bureaucratic being in the government service?

·         While general unemployment is low, youth unemployment, particularly in urban areas appears to be a cause for concern. What are the likely solutions to address this problem?

·         Are there concerns with regard to the gender balance and women’s empowerment in Bhutan?

·         Skill mismatch appears to be another key challenge to promote employment in Bhutan. How are the employers or the state overcoming this challenge?

·         Vocational and technical education is seen as a key to national skill development. What initiatives has Bhutan taken in this regard?

Potential research topics

To fulfil the purpose of the special issue the topics of potential contributions may include, but are not limited to the following subject areas:

·         Bhutan and globalisation

·         HRD in Bhutan

·         HRM practices in Bhutan

·         Happiness Index/Gross National Happiness

·         Bhutanese culture and work

·         Work-life issues in Bhutan

·         Gender issues in Bhutan

·         Education levels and skills of Bhutanese workforce

·         Talent management in Bhutan

·         Trends in the workforce

·         Contemporary issues in HRM in Bhutan

·         Future of HRM in Bhutan

·         Spirituality and organisations

·         Managing people and leadership styles in Bhutan

·         Demographic changes in the workforce (e.g., Gen Y)

·         Aging workforce

 

Research based on Bhutan or comparative/multi-country studies on South Asia (as defined in the aims and scope section of SAJHRM website) are welcome.

 

 

Submissions:

Authors are invited to submit complete unpublished research papers that provide frameworks for understanding HRM in Bhutan. Research papers may employ a wide variety of methodologies and analyses including qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approaches, or be conceptual in nature. Research papers submitted will be subject to double-blind peer review process. Authors are also invited to submit interviews, essays/ commentaries/case studies and book reviews on the subject.

 

Authors are encouraged to contact the Editor-in-Chief at [log in to unmask] for further clarifications and to discuss the aims and scope of their paper. For more information about the journal, please go to http://journals.sagepub.com/home/hrm   Please follow the submission guidelines as detailed in https://au.sagepub.com/en-gb/oce/south-asian-journal-of-human-resources-management/journal202252#submission-guidelines  before submitting your paper.

 

References:

Dayaram, K. & Pick, D. (2012). Entangled between tradition and modernity: The experiences of Bhutanese working women. Society and Business Review, 7(2), 134-148. DOI: 0.1108/17465681211237600

Tshiteem, K. & Everest-Phillips, M. (2016). Public service happiness and morale in the

            context of development: The case of Bhutan. Asia Pacific Journal of Public

            Administration, 38(3), 168-185. DOI: 10.1080/23276665.2016.1214363.

Ugyel, L. & O’Flynn, J. (2016). Measuring policy success: Evaluating public sector reform in Bhutan. International Journal of Public Administration. Online first. DOI:

            10.1080/01900692.2015.10766466.

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