Abstract
Many have highlighted the importance of context-based understanding of HRM in developing
countries. We take stock of Pakistan-based HRM literature to examine its context-orientation. Based on the
typology of Neuman (2000), we divide the literature into three streams–the positivist, the interpretivist, and
the critical. Our analysis reveals that the positivist stream endorses the adoption of Western HRM practices in
Pakistan without considering its differences from the West, whereas, the critical stream takes a cynical stance
towards the very existence and function of HR departments in Pakistan, thereby undermining the importance
of any improvements in the prevailing systems. The interpretive stream, on the contrary, studies the role of
national cultural context in shaping HRM practices in Pakistan, and provides relatively more promising
knowledge for MNCs to craft their strategies in cultures like Pakistan. However, the analysis of existing
interpretivist research is entirely based on old assumptions about the context of Pakistan being characterized
as highly collectivist and masculine, unconducive for learning and change, and having a strong propensity for
submission to authority and power. We suggest that increased attention towards interpretive approach will
enhance context-based understanding of HRM in Pakistan, which will consequently be more useful for local
organizations as well as MNC subsidiaries operating in the country. Furthermore, we highlight the cultural
and political metamorphoses of Pakistan, providing a strong impetus for a fresh look at the core assumptions
about the national context, and discuss its implications for studying HRM in Pakistan.
Qamar Ali, Julia Brandl. (2017) HRM Research in Pakistan: Existing Approaches and Future Directions, Journal of Management Sciences, Volume 4, issue 2.
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