Example human resource management dissertation topic 7:

An investigation as to whether the ‘best fit’ or ‘best practice’ approach to HRM is more appropriate for multi-national corporations in order to improve employee satisfaction and organisational performance

HRM practices that directly impact upon the performance of a firm can be broadly categorised into two distinct camps: ‘best fit’ and ‘best practice’. Within existing HRM academic literature there is substantial debate as to which of the two approaches is best suited to the demands of HRM. Moreover, the adoption of a particular HRM strategy depends on the goals that the organisation in question is trying to achieve. Using General Motors and British Petroleum this dissertation evaluates the approaches to HRM used within both corporations and analyses their existing strengths and weakness. Having done so it thereafter posits a range of organisational specific recommendations as well as offering a number of reasoned observations (based upon the two case studies) that can be applied more widely to multi-national corporations.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Marchington, M. and Grugulis, I. (2011) ‘“Best practice” human resource management: Perfect opportunity or dangerous illusion?’ The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 11(6), pp. 1104-1124.
• Mess, H. (2004). ‘HRM best practice’. Otago Management Graduate Review, Vol. 2, pp. 25-37.