South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
Category Archives: South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management
Taking it Like a Man! Reactions of Male Employees to Sexual Harassment in Workplaces
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
This study investigates how heterosexual working males respond to sexual harassment they encounter at work in an Asian patriarchal culture that prescribes strict gender roles for men and women and supports heterosexual hegemonic masculinity. Using a qualitative research methodology, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 19 men who identified themselves as heterosexual. The findings indicate how the participants have responded to their experiences of sexual harassment, primarily through passivity and avoidance. In addition, on rare occasions, they have also engaged in resistance and reluctant acquiescence. These responses are largely shaped by cultural scripts and ideologies about masculinity and heterosexuality. By acting passively, the participants appear to attempt to preserve and conform to the gendered status quo, protect the perpetrators, avoid rocking the boat and prevent the tables from being turned on them. All in all, the reactions of males to sexual harassment demonstrate how masculinity is actively constructed and maintained in work settings. These findings, therefore, expand and contribute to the broader research area of sexual harassment of heterosexual men in general and, more specifically, to their reactions to sexual harassment in a cultural context that is rarely explored.
This study investigates how heterosexual working males respond to sexual harassment they encounter at work in an Asian patriarchal culture that prescribes strict gender roles for men and women and supports heterosexual hegemonic masculinity. Using a qualitative research methodology, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 19 men who identified themselves as heterosexual. The findings indicate how the participants have responded to their experiences of sexual harassment, primarily through passivity and avoidance. In addition, on rare occasions, they have also engaged in resistance and reluctant acquiescence. These responses are largely shaped by cultural scripts and ideologies about masculinity and heterosexuality. By acting passively, the participants appear to attempt to preserve and conform to the gendered status quo, protect the perpetrators, avoid rocking the boat and prevent the tables from being turned on them. All in all, the reactions of males to sexual harassment demonstrate how masculinity is actively constructed and maintained in work settings. These findings, therefore, expand and contribute to the broader research area of sexual harassment of heterosexual men in general and, more specifically, to their reactions to sexual harassment in a cultural context that is rarely explored.
Editorial
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, Page 181-183, December 2023.
From Competition to Inclusion: Assessing the Nature of the South Asian Labour Market from the Perspective of International Core Labour Standards and the Sustainable Development Goals
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, Page 224-243, December 2023.
The textbook construct of a competitive labour market represents an ideal world in which workers and employers have equal bargaining power. Such a construct yields powerful conclusions: Wages are aligned with productivity; employers earn a normal rate of return; there is no involuntary unemployment and working poverty; regulations—such as minimum wages and the presence of unions—impedes the efficient functioning of the labour market. Yet, these conclusions—which have influenced, academic economists, policymakers and redoubtable international agencies—are impaired in the presence of unequal bargaining power of workers and employers. In such circumstances, unscrupulous employers can exploit the vulnerability of workers leading to such deleterious outcomes as working poverty, unsafe working conditions, use of child labour and so forth. This creates the rationale for appropriately designed regulations that seek to create a level playing field between workers and employers and thus facilitate the transition to an ‘inclusive’ labour market.
The textbook construct of a competitive labour market represents an ideal world in which workers and employers have equal bargaining power. Such a construct yields powerful conclusions: Wages are aligned with productivity; employers earn a normal rate of return; there is no involuntary unemployment and working poverty; regulations—such as minimum wages and the presence of unions—impedes the efficient functioning of the labour market. Yet, these conclusions—which have influenced, academic economists, policymakers and redoubtable international agencies—are impaired in the presence of unequal bargaining power of workers and employers. In such circumstances, unscrupulous employers can exploit the vulnerability of workers leading to such deleterious outcomes as working poverty, unsafe working conditions, use of child labour and so forth. This creates the rationale for appropriately designed regulations that seek to create a level playing field between workers and employers and thus facilitate the transition to an ‘inclusive’ labour market.
Interview with Prof Dave Ulrich and Dr Santrupt Misra on ‘The State of HRM – Where are we? Where do we want to go and how do we get there?
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, Page 273-279, December 2023.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the South Asian Journal of Human Resource Management, the authors conducted a wide-ranging interview with two towering figures in HR, namely, Prof Dave, considered the father of modern HR, and Dr Santrupt, CEO and board member at the Aditya Birla Group, an Indian multinational and Fortune-500 conglomerate. The purpose was to bring together a globally renowned academic scholar and an international CEO with a strong HR background to discuss the state of HRM. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including ‘is it the best time for HR; implications of the Asian century; indigenization of HR models; boundaryless organizations; changing demographics and workforce profile; digital divide, and the future of HR in a technology driven world. The YouTube link of the full recorded interview can be accessed at https://youtu.be/WibBq0ux0zk
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the South Asian Journal of Human Resource Management, the authors conducted a wide-ranging interview with two towering figures in HR, namely, Prof Dave, considered the father of modern HR, and Dr Santrupt, CEO and board member at the Aditya Birla Group, an Indian multinational and Fortune-500 conglomerate. The purpose was to bring together a globally renowned academic scholar and an international CEO with a strong HR background to discuss the state of HRM. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including ‘is it the best time for HR; implications of the Asian century; indigenization of HR models; boundaryless organizations; changing demographics and workforce profile; digital divide, and the future of HR in a technology driven world. The YouTube link of the full recorded interview can be accessed at https://youtu.be/WibBq0ux0zk
Developing Human Capability to Believe in Bhutan
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, Page 256-272, December 2023.
The Kingdom of Bhutan is an exemplar of ongoing sustainable transformation. From realising over 20% growth in literacy rates in the last 15 years to sustaining an average economic growth of 7.5% per year since 1980 to becoming the world’s first carbon-negative country with forests covering over 70% of the land, Bhutan quietly continues to lead the way with unique foresight and resilience. This tradition of leadership continued in 2020 when His Majesty, the Fifth King of Bhutan’s urgently called upon Bhutanese civil servants to ‘prepare for the future’ as a ‘self-reliant’ nation. In response, the Royal Civil Service Commission of Bhutan launched a development accelerator called the ‘Nurturing Leadership Program’ which leveraged community-based participatory research methodologies to launch 125 innovation projects and build leadership capacity among over 625 civil servants. In total, 98.6% of more than 3,000 stakeholders surveyed at the end of the program agreed that project efforts positively impacted target outcomes, demonstrating that Bhutan can continue its unique role as a human capability incubator by transforming talent, organisation, leadership and HR into a shared and sustained brand of believe.
The Kingdom of Bhutan is an exemplar of ongoing sustainable transformation. From realising over 20% growth in literacy rates in the last 15 years to sustaining an average economic growth of 7.5% per year since 1980 to becoming the world’s first carbon-negative country with forests covering over 70% of the land, Bhutan quietly continues to lead the way with unique foresight and resilience. This tradition of leadership continued in 2020 when His Majesty, the Fifth King of Bhutan’s urgently called upon Bhutanese civil servants to ‘prepare for the future’ as a ‘self-reliant’ nation. In response, the Royal Civil Service Commission of Bhutan launched a development accelerator called the ‘Nurturing Leadership Program’ which leveraged community-based participatory research methodologies to launch 125 innovation projects and build leadership capacity among over 625 civil servants. In total, 98.6% of more than 3,000 stakeholders surveyed at the end of the program agreed that project efforts positively impacted target outcomes, demonstrating that Bhutan can continue its unique role as a human capability incubator by transforming talent, organisation, leadership and HR into a shared and sustained brand of believe.
HRM Knowledge and Practices in South Asia: It Is Time to Move Beyond US Centricity
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Volume 10, Issue 2, Page 204-223, December 2023.
The purpose of this article is to highlight the colonial/neo-colonial roots of most human resource management (HRM) knowledge in South Asia and urge scholars and practitioners in South Asia to develop and promote locally relevant indigenous knowledge and practices. We review the literature on decolonising management knowledge, particularly HRM, highlighting the continued tendency of HRM scholars to, knowingly or unknowingly, sustain colonial practices and promote neo-colonial knowledge and practices. While acknowledging that there may be some potential benefits of borrowing European/US HRM practices in South Asian contexts, we stress the limits of universality of such knowledge and argue for the need to develop alternate context-sensitive indigenous knowledge and practices. We encourage the creation of hybrid knowledge spaces for healthy interactions among diverse, even conflicting, perspectives with the hope of promoting pluriversality in the domain of HRM and management in general.
The purpose of this article is to highlight the colonial/neo-colonial roots of most human resource management (HRM) knowledge in South Asia and urge scholars and practitioners in South Asia to develop and promote locally relevant indigenous knowledge and practices. We review the literature on decolonising management knowledge, particularly HRM, highlighting the continued tendency of HRM scholars to, knowingly or unknowingly, sustain colonial practices and promote neo-colonial knowledge and practices. While acknowledging that there may be some potential benefits of borrowing European/US HRM practices in South Asian contexts, we stress the limits of universality of such knowledge and argue for the need to develop alternate context-sensitive indigenous knowledge and practices. We encourage the creation of hybrid knowledge spaces for healthy interactions among diverse, even conflicting, perspectives with the hope of promoting pluriversality in the domain of HRM and management in general.
Women’s Work in South Asia: Reflections on the Past Decade
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
The development and promotion of legislation and policies promoting gender equity in employment form an essential part of the agenda of international organisations and global forums. However, gender inequity in the labour markets of South Asian countries remains, and the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 predicts that it will take 197 years to achieve gender parity. This article explores some of the changes and challenges of the past 10 years related to gender equity in employment and outlines some of the legislative changes during this time such as the increase in maternity leave and requirement for women on boards. While changes have occurred, many issues of inequity remain. The changes brought about by the government regulations during the pandemic of 2020-2022, including the sudden focus on working from home, has had both positive and negative effects on women’s work and lives.
The development and promotion of legislation and policies promoting gender equity in employment form an essential part of the agenda of international organisations and global forums. However, gender inequity in the labour markets of South Asian countries remains, and the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 predicts that it will take 197 years to achieve gender parity. This article explores some of the changes and challenges of the past 10 years related to gender equity in employment and outlines some of the legislative changes during this time such as the increase in maternity leave and requirement for women on boards. While changes have occurred, many issues of inequity remain. The changes brought about by the government regulations during the pandemic of 2020-2022, including the sudden focus on working from home, has had both positive and negative effects on women’s work and lives.
The Role, Nature and Contribution of Indian Emerging Market Multinational Companies in African Countries
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
This article examines factors pertaining to the development of Indian emerging market multinational companies (EMNCs) in African countries. India is a member of the BRICS grouping of developing countries, the others being Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa. Therefore, understanding its role, scale and dynamics of internationalising in the African context is particularly important. The following key areas are examined: the historical and socio-economic context, internationalisation strategies of Indian MNCs in African countries, home and host country factors, labour markets in host countries and human resource management (HRM) approaches of selected Indian EMNCs in particular African countries. Most work on international business and international HRM in Africa focuses on the Sino-Africa nexus. Both China and India are members of the BRICS grouping but have followed different trajectories in internationalising in the African context. This analysis helps fill a gap by evaluating the Afro-Indian relationship in business, particularly EMNCs from India. The analysis finds the following abiding themes in the historical connections and relationships of Indian EMNCs: the role of family-owned businesses, human resource development and long-term host country commitment.
This article examines factors pertaining to the development of Indian emerging market multinational companies (EMNCs) in African countries. India is a member of the BRICS grouping of developing countries, the others being Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa. Therefore, understanding its role, scale and dynamics of internationalising in the African context is particularly important. The following key areas are examined: the historical and socio-economic context, internationalisation strategies of Indian MNCs in African countries, home and host country factors, labour markets in host countries and human resource management (HRM) approaches of selected Indian EMNCs in particular African countries. Most work on international business and international HRM in Africa focuses on the Sino-Africa nexus. Both China and India are members of the BRICS grouping but have followed different trajectories in internationalising in the African context. This analysis helps fill a gap by evaluating the Afro-Indian relationship in business, particularly EMNCs from India. The analysis finds the following abiding themes in the historical connections and relationships of Indian EMNCs: the role of family-owned businesses, human resource development and long-term host country commitment.
The Heartbeat Conversations: Enabling Employees to Feel Psychologically Safe
South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, Ahead of Print.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people work. When people started working from their homes, it also made them disconnected from the workplace. A majority of employees expected to continue to work from home, and organisations across the world saw high attritions during the latter half of the year 2021, and the main reason was that the employees did not feel a sense of belonging. Irrespective of whether the organisation adopts work from home, work from office, or even hybrid, it has become important for organisations to reinvent how they connect with their employees, to ensure that the employees feel that they are part of a larger cause. This study captures the evolution of ‘The Heartbeat Conversations’ (THBC), which is the critical component of The Heartbeat Framework (THBF). THBC is an outcome of a study within a product development company in South India with about 33 members over a period of 22 months. This study includes the iterative approach to refine the employee connect on a cadence, based on the feedback received. Through this work, we desire to provide a reference approach to initiate THBC to help practitioners. Two significant observations are (a) Keep the approach flexible and (b) People open up when they feel safe, and their opinions are valued. Hence, practitioners must ensure that they create a safe space for people to express themselves, which may sometimes need coaching at the leadership level.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people work. When people started working from their homes, it also made them disconnected from the workplace. A majority of employees expected to continue to work from home, and organisations across the world saw high attritions during the latter half of the year 2021, and the main reason was that the employees did not feel a sense of belonging. Irrespective of whether the organisation adopts work from home, work from office, or even hybrid, it has become important for organisations to reinvent how they connect with their employees, to ensure that the employees feel that they are part of a larger cause. This study captures the evolution of ‘The Heartbeat Conversations’ (THBC), which is the critical component of The Heartbeat Framework (THBF). THBC is an outcome of a study within a product development company in South India with about 33 members over a period of 22 months. This study includes the iterative approach to refine the employee connect on a cadence, based on the feedback received. Through this work, we desire to provide a reference approach to initiate THBC to help practitioners. Two significant observations are (a) Keep the approach flexible and (b) People open up when they feel safe, and their opinions are valued. Hence, practitioners must ensure that they create a safe space for people to express themselves, which may sometimes need coaching at the leadership level.