Personnel specialists’ advanced use of information technology Evidence and explanations

Abstract

Potential use of human resource information systemsOur interest is in advanced IT personnel applications, particularly the use of a human resource information system (HRIS), which has been defined as "the composite of databases, computer applications and hardware and software that are used to collect/record, store, manage, deliver, present and manipulate data for human resources" [3, p. 17]. The related, but separate, issue of the role of personnel in the introduction of IT more generally has been considered by others including McLoughlin and Clark[6], Clark[7], Legge[1], Daniel[8] and Clegg and Kemp [9].Research into the use of IT by personnel specialists has sought to develop typologies based on the application of the new technology or to identify the potential contribution these systems might make to the aims of the business. An early attempt[10] identified four stages in the use of IT by personnel moving from routine processing, to the production of information, to a comprehensive management information system to the direct input into the processing of business decisions. A later typology, based on 35 interviews, sought to classify managers on the basis of their use of IT[2]: "stars" (of which there were three) were "making full and imaginative use of the computer's potential to enhance the role and effectiveness of the personnel function"; "radicals" (8) had "high aspirations, but many had over-reached themselves"; "plodders" (12) were "making some use of the electronic filing cabinet, but the nature of personnel work remained unchanged" and "beginners" (12) where "leading-edge uses of the computer were little developed but there was evidence that such progress was beginning and was in early stages".An alternative line of inquiry has investigated the potential contribution of a HRIS to the objectives of the business. Schuller[11, p. 700] argued IT has the potential to redefine the role of personnel, while Fombrun et al. [12] suggested that "the critical managerial task is to … align the human resources systems so that they drive the strategic objectives of the business." The most common way this might be achieved is by linking business planning and human resource planning. More specifically, Broderick and Boudreau have examined how a HRIS might contribute to three human resources competitive objectives: cost reduction, service improvement and innovation [3, p. 9].• Cost reduction can be achieved through automation of routine activities and the subsequent economies of scale. Consequently, "HR thus becomes the low cost provider for critical administrative work, as well as a more accurate and timely provider of HR information"[3, p. 9]. Similarly, Kossek et al. argued that a HRIS enables "HR to cost and demonstrate the

Lost in translation? An actor-network approach to HRIS implementation

“…Early surveys on HRIS usage suggested that these systems were used predominantly to automate routine tasks and "to replace filing cabinets" (Kinnie & Arthurs, 1996;Martinsons, 1994). Lawler et al (2004) noted that that while 80% of respondents in their study had an HRIS, less than 40% used them to produce data that was used for strategic decision-making.…”

“…Despite the promises of vendors, the available evidence suggests that in the vast majority of cases IT-enabled HRIS have not helped produce a wholesale transformation of the HR function away from routine processing and compliance and towards the strategic business partner role that many were expecting (Bondarouk & Ruël, 2012;Kinnie & Arthurs, 1996;Parry & Tyson, 2011).…”

On the Untapped Value of e-HRM – a Literature Review

“…As such, we can see that an IT value potential exists waiting to be tapped, which, in turn, has led to calls for more e-HRM research, to publications of e-HRM books (for a review, see Strohmeier, 2012), and to publications of special journal issues exclusively focusing on e-HRM (e. Leading to controversial results, e-HRM research primarily examines IT's impact on HRM (i.e., whether and how IT enables the strategic transformation in HRM) (for a review, see . Some studies have found that it does (e.g., while others have found that it does not Kinnie & Arthurs, 1996;. These controversial findings might stem from an unclear understanding on what "being strategic" actually means .…”

“…Three of the five papers in scope of this review use descriptive statistics and indicate that about 70 percent of all organizations use IT in HRM administration such as payroll processes and employee record keeping (Kinnie & Arthurs, 1996;Strohmeier & Kabst, 2009). About 40 percent of organizations use IT in HR recruiting, 33 percent in HR development, and only about 20 percent in HR planning (Kinnie & Arthurs, 1996). Thus, IT is rather used for administrative than for analytical activities .…”

Minimally biased weight determination in personnel selection

“…Alternatively, it may be that interviewers and managers wish to maintain the flexibility in weighting the importance of different components that comes with inexplicit combination. The use of an aggregating model more complicated than just summing the individual ratings, as in the case of the assessment centres discussed above, will not be helped by the generally low use of IT by personnel specialists (Huo and Kearns, 1992;Kinnie and Arthurs, 1996).…”