Are labour relations and leadership styles significantly associated? An empirical study in ten manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka

It was theoretically argued that Labour Relations (LR) and leadership styles of managers were associated. An empirical study was conducted to test whether the variable of leadership style of managers was significantly associated with the variable of LR in manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka. The study was conducted in ten Sri Lanka manufacturing firms, which were listed unionised companies. The unit of analysis of this study were manager. The results indicated that leadership styles of managers and LR were not significantly associated suggesting that LR is independent of leadership styles of managers in the manufacturing firms studied in Sri Lanka

In Search of Meaning and Content of Strategic Human Resource Management for Teaching and Learning Purpose

Though Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has become a specialized course in the education of Human Resource Management (HRM), a serious consideration of the current body of knowledge of SHRM reveals a theoretical gap that exists in ascertaining meaning and content of SHRM for teaching and learning purpose, particularly in Sri Lankan context, perhaps inAsian context. This non-traditional but systematic research paper was written to accomplish three objectives: (1) to present definitions of SHRM given by authors of authoritative generalized and specialized textbooks and make a brief descriptive analysis about the definitions explored; (2) to identify and mention various dimensions or aspects of SHRM; and (3) to introduce anadequate and relevant content of SHRM which is useful for teaching and learning purpose particularly in developing country context. The desk research strategy was the strategy adopted for this study and one non-scientific method called authority was applied to carry out the study. 14 textbooks on General HRM having a separate chapter on SHRM and 8 specialized textbooks on SHRM were utilized for the study. An analysis of the contents of writing in defining and logical judgement of the author were executed. 22 contents of defining of SHRM were identified and presented. The analysis of the definitions yielded a list of 18 specific dimensions or characteristics of SHRM suggesting 18 ways of viewing HRM strategically. As topics to be included in a typical syllabus of a course titled SHRM, 15 general items were identified and mentioned.   Key Words: Definition, Learning, Strategic Human Resource Management, Teachin

The Case for Teaching Human Resource Management in Management Education: 13 Common Reasons

This conceptual study is a systematic attempt to fill a gap in the theoretical knowledge about reasoning the need of learning Human Resource Management (HRM) in Management Education (ME) in terms of having a synthesized description of reasoning and presenting a set of reasons to explain the need, and furthermore to solve an intellectual puzzle to uncover why HRM is to be taught in any qualification of Management at any level. Three research questions were formulated and they were answered by adopting a desk research strategy. 30 direct or indirect writings or explanations from 30 textbooks on HRM published by relevant authorities were examined, 13 common reasons were identified and listed, and based on the identified or derived common reasons, a content analysis was done. The study yielded findings consistent with the formulated three research questions and they are: there are at least 17 reasons for the case for teaching HRM in ME; it is possible to identify and list 13 common reasons which derive from or which are included in the writings considered for the study; and the top five reasons are (1) organizational success, (2) sustainable competitive advantage and organizational improvement, (3) every manager’s vital responsibility and contribution to societal success (these two reasons got the same intensity of consideration being the top third reason), (4) enhancing professional life success, and (5) enhancing personal life success. Key Words: Human Resource Management, Management Education, Reason, Teachin

A Simplified Conceptual Study of the Subject of Organizational Behaviour

Organizational Behaviour (OB) is a subject which is useful for becoming a successful manager in any type of organization. As far as teaching and learning OB was concerned, some performance and theoretical gaps were observed particularly in a developing country context. This research paper is a result of a conceptual study which attempted to achieve six objectives: (1) to presentdefinitions of OB given by various appropriately qualified authors, make a brief descriptive analysis about the definitions, and assert the general meaning of OB; (2) to ascertain whether OB is a part of HRM; (3) to explore and describe how OB distinctly differs from HRM; (4) to explore and describe how OB relates or becomes a synonym to subjects such as Industrial Psychology,Organizational Psychology, and Work Psychology; (5) to explore and describe how OB relates to Human Relations; and (6) to argue that OB should be an essential subject in Management Education. Adopted research strategy was the desk research and two non-scientific methods, i.e., authority to a greater extent and intuition to a lesser extent were used to carry out the study. Aconcept called 13 A’s of OB Competencies is introduced in this paper. It is believed that the write-up and the findings in achieving the six objectives are useful for teaching and learning the subject or course of OB at least in a developing country context. Key Words: Definition, Human Resource Management, Management Education, Organizational Behaviou

Defining a Grievance: A Theoretical Examination of An Old Issue

This conceptual study attempted to fill a gap in the theoretical knowledge about employee grievances in terms of having a synthesized description and explanation of defining a grievance, and furthermore to solve an intellectual puzzle to uncover whether the term Grievance has been defined in the existent literature in the way that is more appropriate to today’s business context. Six research questions were formulated and they were answered systematically by following a desk research strategy. 25 definitions from the literature were examined, 11 common characteristics were identified and listed, and based on the derived characteristics, a content analysis was done. The study yielded several findings consistent with the formulated six research questions and they are: there is no generally accepted definition for the term grievance; it is possible to identify and list 11 common characteristics which derive from or which are included in the definitions considered for the study; different classifications of grievances exist in the existent literature such as informal and formal, valid and invalid, expressed and unexpressed, and individual and collective; it is possible to classify existent definitions as narrow and broad, and except the five definitions all other definitions (20) examined were narrow; only expressed dissatisfactions need to be dealt with in managing employee grievances because of several valid reasons; and finally it is appropriate for an organization to consider generally work-related grievances for the organizational effort in solving grievances, and consider non-work related grievances as a voluntary method of grievance handling through employee counseling. Key Words: Definition, Grievance, Grievance Handlin

Towards a Sound Performance Appraisal System: An Agenda for Action

This paper is an attempt to present a synthesis with regard to Performance Appraisal (PA) by utilizing significantly the author’s previous published works which are based on theoretical as well as empirical studies done so far in the area of PA. The paper has its focus on utility of PA including the possible reasons for not having an effective high quality PA system in most of the organizations in Sri Lanka, an agenda for action, and a model of PA interview. Key Words: Performance Appraisal, Feedback, Intervie

Individual Character: A Perspective

Seemingly Western literature and Eastern literature of Human Resource Management (HRM) reveal a gap in the theoretical knowledge as well as the empirical knowledge in respect of Individual Character (IC) and human resource development through character building. Studies will have to be carried out in order to develop a pragmatic framework of describing character and explaining its dynamics; a logical model of explaining the relationship between character and HRM; and a pragmatic framework of character development at the micro (organizational) level. Though there are several research questions which need to be answered systematically and scientifically, the objective of this research paper was to explore what IC means, whether IC differs from the concept of so called personality and why IC is important, specially in current Sri Lankan context.  Ostensibly, the approach of the paper was reflective and descriptive. IC was defined as the aggregate of all of the relatively persistent moral qualities a person has that combines to form his/her real nature. It is the degree to which the person possesses the virtues and do not possess the vices.  Virtues are to be nurtured within the individual while vices are to be removed from the individual for the purpose of developing IC. It was asserted that IC was not the so called personality and it differed significantly from personality in several ways. It was substantiated by literature that IC is of utmost importance for individual development, organizational development and nation development as well. Key words: Individual Character, Morality, Personality, Values, Vices, Virtues

The Moderating Effect of Personal Character and Mediating Effect of Organizational Citizenship Behavior on Ethical Orientation of HRM- Ethical Behavior Linkage

Ethical behavior of employees is an essential individual behavior for survival, success, and growth of any organization. Hardly theoretical arguments and empirical evidence are found with regard to the mediating effect of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) on Ethical Orientation of Human Resource Management (EOHRM)-Ethical Behavior (EB) linkage, and themoderating effect of employees’ Personal Character (PC) on EOHRM-EB linkage. An empirical survey study was carried out to achieve four specific research objectives established in respect of the network of relationships and effects occurring among the four constructs. A self-administered and structured questionnaire consisting of four instruments measuring the fourconstructs was used to collect data from 174 branch managers of Licensed Commercial Banks in Sri Lanka to conduct a cross-sectional study. The five hypotheses formulated by basing on two general theories (General System Theory and EDAP Model), arguments, empirical evidence, and logical beliefs of the researchers under the deductive approach were tested. It wassubstantiated that EOHRM significantly and positively related to EB of employees and this relationship was mediated significantly by OCB and was moderated significantly by PC. The implications were discussed. Key Words: Ethical Behavior, Ethical Orientation of Human Resource Management, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Personal Characte

An Empirical Investigation of Union-related Factors Contributing to Labour-Management Relationship in Manufacturing Firms in Sri Lanka**

Existing literature reveals a gap in the empirical knowledge in respect of factors that affect Labour-Management Relationship (LMR) at the firm level. The present study, which was part of a comprehensive study of effects of some union-related factors and management-related factors on LMR, empirically evaluated six union-related factors that could have an effect on LMR namely union satisfaction at work, grievance handling, worker discipline administration, worker performance evaluation, union attitudes to management, and competence of union officials. The study involved 202 union officials who were selected from 23 unionised manufacturing firms in Sri Lanka. The results indicated that all the independent variables were positively and significantly correlated to LMR. However, results of regressing the independent variables on LMR showed that union satisfaction at work, grievance handling, worker discipline administration, worker performance evaluation, and union attitudes to management are strong predictors of LMR while competence of union officials is a weak predictor. On the whole, the independent variables accounted for almost 70% of the variance in the LMR. The paper is of empirical and theoretical importance as the findings confirmed an original explanatory model of LMR that could enhance our understanding of the dynamics of LMR and can be applied to enhance LMR in the manufacturing sector in Sri Lanka.   Key words: Grievance Handling, Labour-Management Relationship, Worker Performance Evaluation, Worker Discipline Administration, Union Satisfaction at Wor

Competences as Human Assets: A Perspective

This paper seeks to give a perspective with regard to competences as human assets. It is argued that an individual who wants to be successful on work life and non-work life as well needs to possess seven competences, i.e., technical competence, human relation competence, conceptual competence, intelligence, personality, individual character, and personal management competences which have to be learnt by acquiring knowledge, attitudes and skills from the two  sources, i.e., heredity and environment which consists of education, training and experience. Motivation of the individual moderates the relationship between the seven competences and success. Finally a personal approach for building competences is presented