Guest Editors: Monowar
Mahmood, Sudhir Saha and Mir Mohammed Nurul Absar
Editorial: HRM in Bangladesh: Past, Present and Future
Monowar Mahmood, Sudhir Saha,
and Mir
Mohammed Nurul Absar
A Systematic Review of 50 Years of Human Resource Management Research in Bangladesh: Retrospective Reflections and Forward Trajectories
M. Nazmul IslamMir
Mohammed Nurul AbsarMonowar Mahmood
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221124745
This article aims to determine the current status of human resource management (HRM) research in Bangladesh by reviewing papers published from
1971 to 2021 and offering recommendations for future research. An electronic search of the Scopus database was carried out using 17 keywords connected to HRM in combination with ‘Bangladesh’ and ‘Bangladeshi’. Finally, through a systematic literature review
using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), 25 empirical articles published in journals listed in the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) ranking were carefully chosen for the present review to ensure they were
of good quality. This review demonstrates several distinct features of Bangladeshi HRM research conducted so far. First, no Bangladeshi HRM-based study has been published in A*-ranked journals in the ABDC ranking. Second, Bangladesh-based HRM studies have
mostly employed self-reported questionnaires. Third, directors/heads of departments/managers/supervisors are the primary data sources in Bangladesh-based studies. Fourth, no longitudinal study has been conducted in Bangladesh-based HRM research in the last
50 years. Despite some limitations, the present review makes a notable contribution to the field of HRM in Bangladesh by identifying existing research gaps, as this is the first extensive and systematic review of HRM research in Bangladesh. Additionally, this
study provides future research directions that could contribute to industrial development, economic growth, and HRM knowledge advancement and dissemination in Bangladesh.
Person–Organisation Fit and Occupation Selection in Bangladesh: A Study
on Bangladesh Civil Service Applicants
Md
Sohel Chowdhury and Dae-seok Kang
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221087022
Advancing Public Service Innovation Through Empathy: An Analysis of Bangladesh’s
Intrepid Approach
Shah
Md Azimul Ehsan, Farhad Hossain
and Shahjahan Bhuiyan
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221113993
This study attempts to understand, explore and analyse how Bangladesh public administration has made considerable progress in fostering public
service innovation (PSI) by instilling empathy among the public bureaucrats through the Empathy Training Programme (ETP). By employing qualitative methods, this study collected data from both primary and secondary sources. The empirical findings of the study
suggest that ETP has been able to change the paternalistic and colonial mindset of public bureaucrats. In addition, the study further reveals that public bureaucrats are bringing this knowledge of empathy-led innovation to their workplaces, where they are
effectively practising it, indicating that the ETP has not only been able to generate a cultural change in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) but also has created a sense of responsiveness and self-accountability among public bureaucrats. However, there are
still areas of concern in terms of the sustainability of the ETP approach. The study also identified some critical building blocks, which have been considered responsible for the limited scaling up of the pilot projects. Finally, the study has come up with
a set of recommendations for making this intrepid approach to Bangladesh public administration more effective.
The Influence of Organisational Culture on Employee Commitment: An Empirical
Study on Civil Service Officials in Bangladesh
Iffat Jahan, Thanh Huynh,
and Gideon Mass
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221113
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of organisational culture on the commitment of officers in the Bangladesh Civil Service
(BCS; Administration) cadre. The study examines the relationships between four organisational cultural characteristics and a three-component commitment model. The quantitative data analysis was conducted using data collected via a survey from 211 respondents.
The research findings indicate that mission, one of the organisational cultural traits, has a significant impact on the affective, normative and continuing commitment of the BCS (Administration) cadre. Only normative commitment is strongly influenced by involvement,
another organisational cultural characteristic. This study’s findings will contribute to the body of knowledge about organisational culture and employee commitment in public organisations. This result can be used to increase officer commitment by top management
or the responsible departments. If officers remain committed to the service, this will ultimately result in an increase in productivity, performance and efficiency, as well as a decrease in absenteeism and an increase in officer morale. This will ultimately
add value to the services provided to the general public in Bangladesh, as the administration cadre is critical in formulating and implementing public policies.
Human Resource Management Practices of Foreign Manufacturing Companies
in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study
Mohammad
Khasro Miah, Mashita
Khasro Sarah, and Yoshi Takahash
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221125552
This study aims to investigate and compare human resource management (HRM) practices among the foreign manufacturing subsidiaries operating
in Bangladesh. We interviewed 36 managerial employees from three types of companies based on their country of origin: two Japanese, two British and two American. The findings reveal that a blend of HRM practices has been adopted by the foreign subsidiaries,
executed by imitating home and host country practices. Results found that Japanese subsidiaries are heavily influenced by their parent company, which affects the core HRM practices of their companies in Bangladesh. On the other hand, the subsidiaries of the
United Kingdom and the United States in Bangladesh have taken a different route. They have adapted and adjusted the HRM practices from the host country and implemented them with their internationalisation stages. This study further suggests that the home and
host country debate through the framework of national culture may need to be re-examined. This research fills the knowledge gap in the literature on cross-cultural HRM practices, convergence–divergence debate among MNC firms’ HRM practices and foreign subsidiaries’
relationships by analysing the socio-cultural and institutional influences of the host countries.
Technology Adoption and Human Resource Management Practices: The Use of
Artificial Intelligence for Recruitment in Bangladesh
Muhaiminul Islam, Abdullah
Al Mamun and Md.
Aftab Uddin
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221122329
Artificial intelligence (AI) is now considered indispensable in undertaking operational activities, especially in the area of human resource
analytics. However, in practice, the rate of the adoption of such modern algorithms in organisations is still in its early stages. Consequently, the primary objective of this study is to identify the main antecedents of the adoption of AI-based technologies
in recruitment, using the lens of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, alongside perceived credibility and moderating variables, in the context of an emerging nation in South Asia, namely Bangladesh. Data were collected from
283 human resource professionals employed in different manufacturing and service firms in Bangladesh through the administration of a questionnaire, which was analysed by applying PLS-SEM. The outcomes of the study show that all the direct hypothesised relationships
were found to be significant, apart from the extended variable of perceived credibility. However, no moderating effect of gender or firm size was found in any of the hypothesised propositions. Finally, policy implications and recommendations for future researchers
are proposed.
Linking Safety Climate and Safety Citizenship Behaviour in the Bangladeshi
Garment Industry: Role of Employees’ Prosocial Motivation
Munmun Rahaman and Md.
Shamsul Arefin
https://doi.org/10.1177/23220937221125551
Drawing on the self-determination theory, this study aimed to examine whether perceived safety climate influenced prosocial motivation, consequently
affecting two types of safety citizenship behaviours: prosocial and proactive. Two-wave time-lagged data were collected from 334 readymade garment employees in Bangladesh. Hypothesised relationships were examined using analysis of moment structures (AMOS)
and statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). This study revealed that the perceived safety climate positively influenced prosocial motivation among garment employees. In addition, perceived safety climate is related to both types of safety citizenship
behaviours. Moreover, this study found that the relationship between perceived safety climate and safety citizenship behaviours was mediated by prosocial motivation. This study is a pioneer in investigating the motivating mechanism of perceived safety climate
to stimulate garment employees’ citizenship behaviours. These findings provide significant evidence and guidance for garment manufacturers and managers to bolster garment employees’ prosocial and proactive safety behaviours.
Recent Publications:
- Sharma, A., Bhatnagar, J., Jaiswal, M. & Thite, M. (2021). ‘Interplay of Enterprise Social Media and Learning at Work: A Qualitative Investigation’. Journal of Enterprise Information Management.
https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-06-2020-0227
- Tripathi, R., Thite, M., Verma, A. & Mahapatra, G. (2021). ‘Appraising the Revamped Performance Management System in Indian IT Multinational Enterprises: The Employees’
Perspective’. Human Resource Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22061
- Thite, M. (2020). ‘Digital human resource development: Where are we? Where should we go and how do we go there?
Human Resource Development International. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2020.1842982
- Farndale, E., Thite, M., Budhwar, P. & Kwon, B. (2020) ‘Deglobalization and talent sourcing: Cross-national evidence from high-tech firms’. Human Resource Management. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22038