How NPM-inspired-change impacted work and HRM in the Irish voluntary sector in an era of austerity
ISSN: 0142-5455
Article publication date: 15 May 2020
Issue publication date: 29 June 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to explore how NPM influenced the Irish NPVCS and triggered changes in work and HRM at a time of austerity.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilising a case study framework, the study draws on qualitative data from 38 Managers/Supervisors in two Government funded organisations in the Physical and Sensory Disability (PSD) subsector.
Findings
Results indicate that due to the sector's dependence on Government funding, NPM entered the Irish NPVCS bloodstream via institutional forces of coercive, normative and mimetic isomorphism. These translated into a more formalised, standardised and commercial approach to work and HRM and downward pressures on pay and terms and conditions of employment in the sector, creating a more business facing and disciplined sector.
Research limitations/implications
As a cross-sectional study using two large representative case study organisations from the PSD subsector, it has high generalisability for this subsector but less so for the wider Irish NPVCS. It brings into focus the sector's Achilles heel of over-reliance on Government funding and uncovers important issues which merit exploration in other subsectors of the Irish NPVCS.
Practical implications
The study provides evidence of how NPM and austerity inspired change in human resource management practices in the sector and offers insights to Managers and other stakeholders on how the sector is changing and the challenges that must be addressed, especially around asserting its independence from Government funding.
Originality/value
The study extends our understanding of NPM and HRM in the context of the Irish NPVCS and austerity.
Keywords
Citation
O'Rourke, P.P. (2020), "How NPM-inspired-change impacted work and HRM in the Irish voluntary sector in an era of austerity", Employee Relations, Vol. 42 No. 5, pp. 1101-1116. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-01-2020-0003
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited