Contextualising Human Resource Management Through Qualitative Research: Evidence From Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

Australia and New Zealand offer fertile environments for innovative, world-leading scholarship on human resource management (HRM) theory and practice. Research on HRM that focuses on these two countries, particularly studies employing qualitative methodologies, has the potential to generate fresh insights into contemporary workplace challenges and corresponding HRM solutions. The Australian and New Zealand contexts are distinctive, shaped by unique geographical, cultural, economic, and institutional characteristics. Traditional HRM research has emphasised the importance of integrating contextual factors such as social and cultural norms, technological developments, economic conditions, industry dynamics, and national institutions as key influences on HRM strategies, policies, and practices. More recently, however, the field has shifted away from studying HRM within its contextual environment toward more positivist, individually oriented analytical approaches. In this special issue, we contend that national contextual forces remain crucial for advancing HRM theory and practice.