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This paper examines the findings of a large‐scale postal survey based on an adaptation of the Cranfield Network (CRANET) Survey of International Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) to facilitate the analysis of HRM practices in the SME business environment. These findings are considered in light of a review of HRM literature. The survey utilised a sample of 1,369 organisations representing every company employing between 20‐100 people in Northern Ireland. This paper analyses key issues emerging from the 219 (16 per cent) responses received and provides a comparison of HRM practices in family and non‐family businesses. Overall, the findings suggest that family business practices within HRM are different than their non‐family counterparts.

Much of the literature relating to human resource management (HRM) has attempted to demonstrate that the “Human resource” is the most valued asset in a company. Large companies have revolutionised their approach to the training and development of their personnel in order to maximise their “competitive edge”. Hotly debated is whether investment in “good HRM” is linked to commercial success. However, very little is known about HRM practices within the small‐ to medium‐size business (SME) and even less is known about the practice within a family business. This survey describes the HRM practices of SMEs (both family and non‐family businesses) in Northern Ireland. Comparisons between the groups are made and findings suggest that family businesses practice HRM differently than their non‐family counterparts. Implications for the training and development of these two groups question whether family businesses need to be treated as a “special case”.

Effective use of human resources is important for the profitability and governance of family firms. In a study of the human resource management (HRM) practices of US Hispanic family firms, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the implications of agency and stewardship governance.

To better understand HRM practices in US Hispanic family firms, the authors present findings from 169 US firms to hypothesize the extent of HRM development in Hispanic family firms (n=70) vs non-Hispanic family firms (n=99).

Results indicated that HRM practices in Hispanic family firms are less structured than those of non-Hispanic family firms; however, when Hispanic family firms effectively use HRM practices, they will have greater financial success.

Therefore, the results suggest that Hispanic family firm leaders display relatively low agency governance and high stewardship governance.

This paper explores the field of human resource management (HRM) in family firms, assessing the evolution of this research through a four-domain model that reflects the relationships between cognitions, actions and performances associated with organizational choices.

The authors have performed a bibliometric review of 363 peer-reviewed papers from over the past four decades (1976–2016) in order to provide activity indicators for the overall phenomenon and systemize the entire body of literature into specific HRM strategy domains or practices, using a double-entered pivot table.

The study framework provides managerial implications with regard to the HRM decisions made when attempting to improve human capital in family firms. Accordingly, the authors view HRM-centered decisions and strategies in family firms as ways to scan for and appraise contingent dimensions, make sense of the current environment, make good choices and achieve high performance levels.

The authors offer this four-domain theoretical scheme as a framework through which the field can be interpreted, proposing some potential avenues for moving forward.

Nationally representative data on family businesses is available in the 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey, alongside comparable information for other types of firms. We use this data to compare differences in the use of different consultation and communication procedures. We cover such practices as the use of direct communication schemes (e.g. briefings, the provision of information on financial performance to the workforce) as opposed to indirect methods such as the use of joint consultative committees. There is an a priori expectation in the literature that family‐owned businesses are either more likely to use direct forms of communication (vis‐à‐vis indirect forms) or that they will not be involved in direct communication or consultation with their employees, and we test this using multivariate techniques. Finally, we consider whether the type of consultation/communication structure matters in terms of establishment performance, and what differences exist with respect to family‐owned businesses. In particular this short paper reports the outcome of testing if those firms that consult directly with staff, as apposed to those that consult through joint consultative committees or trade unions, have higher productivity and/or other measures of performance.

This study aims to investigate the influence of a range of contingent factors that moderate the approaches to training in manufacturing SMEs.

The study is based on a regression analysis of data from a survey of 198 manufacturing SMEs.

The findings suggest that there will be times when formal training is appropriate for SMEs. Dependent on size, product, market and organizational structures, formal training will be both required and/or encouraged by SME management. The challenge will be to understand specific organizational conditions, and to target the right type of intervention at a particular small firm based on its specific characteristics and needs. This will require a deeper understanding of the context and issues facing a specific firm.

Because of the diversity of small firms' structures, product and market conditions and leadership and management approaches, generic support policies are unlikely to be effective. Research, management and policy instruments of training support will need to interact with, and be responsive to, the subtle distinctions of context that will moderate what is more appropriate, and more likely to be welcomed, in the small business sector. There does appear to be a demand for formal training in certain types of firms, but other learning initiatives will have to be supported where formal training is not appropriate or not welcome.

The empirical analysis and the tentative conceptual framework make an important contribution towards a demand‐led policy framework in the area of development and training support for SMEs.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of knowledge management (KM) processes on human resource management’s (HRM’s) performance in family-owned organizations. Therefore, a model is proposed to explain the core processes of KM and their effects on HRM's performance.

A field study is conducted based on data collected from family-owned companies in Turkey. The survey instrument is a self-administered questionnaire composed of 36 questions in total. There are three demographic questions, 18 questions aim to investigate KM processes and 15 questions aim to investigate HRM practices.

The results show that KM processes have significant positive relationships with HRM performance. Among the processes of KM, knowledge generation (KG) is found to have the most significant effect. This study shows that KM processes are enhancing HRM performance in family-owned organizations.

First of all, it is conducted on family-owned companies. Hence, the results may change based on types of organizations. Second, convenience sampling was used in data collection. The majority of data were collected through HRM departments who were available, reliable and easy to access. Despite many advantages of this sampling technique on major disadvantage is lacking clear generalizability. For this reason, it is presumed that HRM awareness is high in the selected participants. Different sampling methods may lead to different results. Thus, for future research, it would be useful to make cross-cultural and cross-sectorial studies to compare the business cultures and to find more accurate outcomes related to KM and HRM implementations.

Nowadays, most of the family-owned companies are well aware of the statement that both KM and HRM have significant positive impacts on organizational outcomes. This research's findings indicate that KM processes enhance HRM performance in family-owned organizations. Therefore, family-owned organizations should pay more attention on KM processes and the linkage between KM and HRM in order to obtain better HRM results.

The aim of this paper is to highlight differences and similarities in human resource management (HRM) practices between first‐ and second‐generation South Asian entrepreneurs and the extent to which such practices support an integrated HRM system.

The paper draws its theoretical underpinning via five “generic HRM functions” and practices, i.e. selection, appraisals, reward, development, and strategy. To help understand the application of such practices from an ethnic dimension, 42 semi‐structured interviews were carried out with two ethnic groups. The two groups chosen were first‐ and second‐generation Sikh and Pakistani Muslim entrepreneurs from micro and small businesses situated within the Greater London area. In addition, nine businesses across both ethnic groups were selected to complete the multiple (comparative) case‐study stage of the research. Investigation was conducted within the phenomenological paradigm.

The paper notes that differences and similarities between the two generations are based more on sectoral location and type of business with minor instances of cultural and generational nuances. With regard to the development of an integrated HRM system, the evidence suggests that time, cost and expertise are considered constraining factors and, as such, respondents adopt an informal ad hoc approach. Interestingly, although this informality is common within the business, respondents are in fact leaving themselves exposed to breaches of employment law.

The paper supports the literature, whereby training and advice for EMBs that emphasise formal procedures may be counterproductive. Instead, direction should be given to ensure that HRM practices stress accountability, control and connectedness, help to reduce any perceived risk of litigation, and ensure that statutory requirements are met.

The paper offers unique insight into an unknown entity, namely HRM issues within ethnic small businesses.

Interviews were conducted with eight family businesses involved in several industries in Western Australia.

The purpose of this study is to draw on the experiences of family-owned firms and explore how contemporary human resource management (HRM) and allied developments shape their business practices.

Significant strengths emerged relevant to “formalised HRM processes” and “familiness”. However, challenges were simultaneously experienced or interpreted as negatively affecting family firm performance. In addition, there was a relationship between challenges and external environmental factors. These challenges are categorised as “labour costs and supply” and “formalising HRM practices”. Further, participants discussed emerging opportunities, and how they were strategically considering the relationship between organisation finance, innovation, future growth, operations and HRM.

From a practical standpoint, the research addresses the complexities of managing contemporary HRM developments in ways that contribute to improved family firm performance. From a theoretical perspective, key insights of the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm and strategic HRM theory are considered to gain a deeper understanding of family firms' adaptive managerial activities.

Previous literature has identified human resources as a key source of competitive advantage in organizations of all sizes. However, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) face difficulty in comprehensively implementing all recommended Human Resource Management (HRM) functions. In this study, we shed light on the field of HRM in SMEs by focusing on the context of Greek Small and Medium-sized Hotels (SMHs), which represent a dominant private sector employer across the country.

Using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and 34 in-depth interviews with SMHs' owners/managers, we explore the HRM conditions leading to high levels of performance, while taking into consideration the influence of internal key determinants.

We uncover three alternative successful HRM strategies that maximize business performance, namely the Compensation-based performers, the HRM developers and the HRM investors. Each strategy fits discreet organizational characteristics related to company size, ownership type and organizational structure.

To the best of the authors' knowledge this is among the first empirical studies that examine different and equifinal performance-enhancing configurations of HRM practices in SMHs.