Nwachukwu, CI (2016) INVESTIGATING THE LINKAGE BETWEEN COMPETITIVE STRATEGY AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN NIGERIA MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

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Abstract

Despite the growth of studies in contextual strategic human resource management (SHRM) investigating the linkage of competitive strategy (CS) and human resource management practices (HRMp), there have been minimal studies on the phenomenon in emerging economies such as Nigeria. Notably, the applicability of western models of SHRM in Nigeria has shown a lot of difficulties over time due to the peculiarity of the Nigerian context. This study therefore addresses the key question of a context-specific model of CS-HRMp linkage in Nigeria medium-sized enterprises (NMSEs). Due to the dearth of literature on CS-HRMp linkage in Nigeria, this study adopted a sequential exploratory mixed method (SEMM) which involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Exploratory interview was conducted with 10 managers and HR professionals in NMSEs and thematically analysed to contribute to the development of a questionnaire for data collection. Survey data was obtained from 323 top management and HR professionals in NMSEs and tested to achieve the aim of this study. The outcome of this study established the adoption of business-level strategies and people management practices suited to the Nigerian context. This study also examined the linkage between CS and HRMp in NMSEs and identified the direction of the linkage; also the strengths of linkage which ranged from weak, moderate to strong which previous SHRM literature has not emphasised were identified. In SHRM literature, four levels of linkages are associated with business level strategies and HRMp; however, this study found three levels of linkage in NMSEs, which are administrative, one-way and two-way linkages. In addition, contrary to previous SHRM literature suggesting only positive organisational outcomes of CS-HRMp linkage, this study found both positive and negative outcomes in NMSEs. Furthermore, in this study, key contextual factors: culture, religion, language differences, ethnicity, Nigerian economy, currency value, corruption, governmental policies, labour union, family and personal relationships that impact on CS-HRMp linkage in Nigeria were also identified. Most importantly, this study suggests a model of linking CS and HRMp signifying the context of practice in NMSEs. Therefore, this study contributes to the contextual approach to SHRM by providing key information on practice of CS-HRMp linkage in Nigeria, filling the gap created by the dearth of studies on CS-HRMp linkage in an emerging economy context such as Nigeria, and developing a management model of practice in NMSEs.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Human Resource Management; Human Resource Management Practices; SHRM; SMEs; Nigeria Medium-sized Enterprises
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business H Social Sciences > HF Commerce
Divisions:	Liverpool Business School
Date Deposited:	26 Sep 2016 10:56
Last Modified:	19 Dec 2022 14:54
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00004198
Supervisors:	Akwei, C, Lawless, A and O'Brien, S
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/4198

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