Search results

The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the conduct of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), based on a real-life case study of one company in Malaysia. The paper analyses the company’s process of recruitment outsourcing from beginning to end, in three sections: RPO decision, RPO implementation and RPO outcome.

The case study was carried out through semi-structured interviews with relevant respondents, including the country HR manager, the HR staff and operation managers in the organisation, plus with the RPO provider.

The key findings, from a theoretical and academic viewpoint, are that RPO decisions and implementation cannot be fully or properly explained by one theory, but are better explained by integrating transaction cost economics, the resource-based view and the Agency Theory. The study also highlights the importance of involving end users in the RPO process.

While this single case study gives a clear, in-depth insight into the issues in this particular instance, future research extending to a wider range of organisations would serve to expand the findings and provide more generalisable results.

Practitioners and service providers should be able to draw valuable lessons from the experience of Tech-solution, particularly from the different perceptions and levels of satisfaction about the service provider’s performance between internal HR and the internal end users (operation managers).

This paper provides a specific and detailed analysis of RPO implementation in practice. It also addresses the call for more RPO outsourcing-specific research in the extant literature.

This paper aims to focus on “Recruitment Process Outsourcing” (RPO) as a key element of improvement in corporate brand of organisation through using the talent and capabilities of employees. This research explores the linkages and interconnection between the concepts of RPO and its contribution towards the employer branding process. The review of the literature on RPO and employer branding identifies an emergence of conceptual framework based around outsourcing effectiveness and its impact on employer branding.

Exploratory research was carried out using case study analysis to give clear and deep understanding of the RPO and its impact on employer branding. This was conducted by using the semi-structured interviews with the HR and marketing managers using the qualitative method. The findings propose a conceptual framework which is representative for the organisations engaged in RPO.

The key findings include talented employees’ role in improving the brand image of any organisation; the development of customers’ perceptions through their attitude and behaviours; the reduction in the HR costs through RPO Services, the responsibility of the organisation taken by RPO which provides the chance for HR professionals and top management to focus on core activities; and the organisational care in selection of the RPO service provider as per their criteria.

This research has been limited to assessing the impact of RPO on the employer branding of manufacturing organisations purely due to access issues. The research clearly establishes a good link between the operationalisation of RPO and its direct influences on an organisation’s employer branding through its outsourced employees. The research clearly highlights the importance of and the vital role played by the outsourced employees and how they need to be nurtured through a strong corporate culture and make them great brand ambassadors.

At the practical level, this study has several managerial implications, as the findings provide a good understanding of the concept of RPO and how it impacts the employer brands of the organisation. The research gives confidence to the HR managers and directors on the importance of outsourced staff members and the need to address the issues concerning the employee branding of an outsourced member of staff. The outcome of the research gives a conceptual model which represents the impact of an outsourced employee on the employer branding process of the organisation. This conceptual model highlights the many different factors that need to be addressed by a HR manager to keep consistency in employee branding of the organisation.

The social implications of this research relate to the wellbeing and motivated staff members of an organisation, even though they do not work directly under the brand of the company they serve in. As mentioned in the research findings, the complications of the RPO process usually has drastic and serious impacts on employee attitudes and feelings when it comes to issues like change management, job satisfaction and the sense of belonging to the organisation. By addressing the different factors explored in the conceptual model of this research, an outsourced employee can feel equally motivated and belonging to the organisation they serve in, just as any other permanent member of staff who acts like an ideal brand ambassador for the employer branding of the organisation.

This research is original and adds value to the dynamics of RPO processes by exploring the impact of the process on employer branding of the organisation through its brand ambassadors. This research paves way for further research to be carried out within service organisations where employees play a vital role in being the brand ambassadors of their employer brands.

The resourcing of policing activity is characterised by a level of complexity, particularly where evaluating alternative policy options is concerned. In this paper, a case study using multimethodological modelling to compare alterative policy choice in a group context is outlined with respect to response-patrol officer (RPO) deployment within a UK police force. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The application of a three phase modelling process is illustrated where scenario planning is used to generate the scope of the system elements to be modelled. This is followed by causal mapping to identify the barriers to improving officer resourcing, and system dynamics modelling is used to simulate the impacts of a range of policy options within this policing function. A group model building approach was applied throughout the modelling phases with an expert group to negotiate a shared view of the structure and dynamics of the resourcing policy challenges.

A fully validated system dynamics model emerged from the multi-phase modelling process which allowed a series of alternative future policy scenarios to be explored and evaluated. Useful policy insights were generated by the system dynamics simulation model which suggested more efficient rules for resource allocation in the police force’s RPO function.

The insights from this case study demonstrates that multi-phase modelling has potential application in policy exploration across a range of emergency service providers whose actions are governed by both variable demand and constrained supply of resource.

The purpose of this paper is to explore various risks that are associated with recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) strategy in the Indian information technology (IT)/IT-enabled service (ITes) industries.

Purposeful intensity sampling was used to select respondents from IT/ITes organizations. Twenty-eight respondents were interviewed through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and telephonic interviews. Each interview lasted for approximately 65 min. All interviews were audio recorded with the permission of the respondents and were then transcribed. The data were analyzed with the help of a qualitative technique, thematic analysis.

Results show that the stakeholders associated with RPO are not satisfied with several issues such as violation of initial contact between the applicant and the potential employer, violation of contracts by the vendor, unfair practices by the vendor, poor quality service provided by the vendor, plausibility that the vendor does not understand the culture of the client organization, inappropriate placement of human resources by the vendor, low morale of the employees and loss of managerial control due to RPO.

Small sample size and qualitative research design reduces the external validity of the findings to certain extent.

Companies deploying RPO should be wary about the plausible negative consequences. This paper offers various solutions to mitigate such risks.

This paper is a novel attempt which details various risks due to deployment of RPO from multiple stakeholder perspectives.

Strategic Management.

Master of Business Administration/Executive Program in Management Level.

Rajat Malik started eFin Recruiters in January 2015 an RPO firm solely catering to the finance domain. Positioning eFin Recruiters in a niche domain created serious challenges to be tackled. Rajat was contemplating leveraging the Indian Government’s Startup India campaign launched on January 16, 2016 to his advantage to scale up eFin Recruiters’ operations by 400 per cent and compete with large established players in the RPO industry. Complacency and anticipated retaliatory action by competitors against eFin Recruiters’ positioning in the niche domain were a huge impediment in eFin Recruiters’ path to exponential growth.

This case will enable students to understand the concepts of industry analysis, strategic positioning from the view of an entrepreneurial firm and business level strategy. This case acts as a medium to integrate entrepreneurship and strategy which is of utmost relevance.

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

CSS: 11: Strategy.

In partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, the RAHS Program Office (RPO) of the National Security Coordination Secretariat at the Prime Minister's Office in Singapore has undertaken the innovative approach of the Searchlight function to systematically make sense of the current contextual environment to be better positioned to anticipate the future of poor and vulnerable communities. This paper aims to outline the approach taken and to offer a glimpse into the next steps.

Using the expertise and knowledge from the Searchlight newsletters, RPO applied its SKAN‐to‐Trend Process to funnel down newsletters and generate themes for investigation. The process is augmented by the RAHS 2.0 system, to collect and classify data generated to analyse and understand relationships therein, and anticipate as well as discover emerging issues.

The scenario building tools allowed the RPO analysts to use systems thinking to build systems maps and influence diagrams to help identify critical drivers based on influence and to understand the relationships between driving forces. From the systems map, critical feedback loops were identified and analysed, and evidence marshalled to support alternative policy options to help overcome the vicious cycles of the poor and vulnerable communities.

Although the approach may seem limited in terms of breadth, it does provide a more in‐depth study of relevant insights and themes.

The selection process was done by analysts whose selections will necessarily be subjective depending on each of the analysts' worldview and leanings. This was balanced by gathering a team of analysts from RPO from diverse backgrounds, from the sciences and engineering to the arts.

It is evident that the expanding gulf of growing inequality will tear the social fabric because poverty and inequality are so intricately linked.

The paper shows that, as a visualisation partner, RPO will present a diversity of perspectives through the utilisation of its risk assessment and horizon scanning processes and tools to help understand the pathways of poor and vulnerable communities.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between human capital (HC) and value creation and employee reward. HC is an important component of intellectual capital (IC). There is growing interest in how IC can be used to create organizational value. This paper addresses the need for critical analysis of IC practices in action. Based on data gathered from three annual surveys at Australia’s second largest public sector organization, the paper introduces psychological contract (PC) as new HC factors, and develops a method to measure HC in terms of value creation (work activity) and employee reward (pay). The findings have practical implications for managers in using the paper’s HC measurement to achieve strategic alignment (SA) of the workforce.

The research was based on data gathered from three annual surveys (2009-2011) of staff at Australia’s second largest public sector organization. A total of 248 questionnaires were completed. Three independent variables conceptualized HC: first, employee capability (HC1); second, employee satisfaction (HC2); and third, employee commitment (HC3). Two dependent variables were tested: work activity and pay. The data collected in this study was analyzed through the use of bivariate correlation and linear regression using SPSS software.

The paper’s major finding is that HC1 (employee capability) and HC2 (employee satisfaction), had a direct positive relationship with the importance of work activity. The paper’s second finding was that only HC1 has a direct positive relationship with the pay. However, HC3 (employee commitment) had a direct negative relationship with the importance of work activity. Further, HC2 and HC3 had no relationship with pay. The research project organization (RPO) achieved SA with employees’ capability and motivation; as well as employee capability and pay. However, inequities emerge in terms of employee commitment and value creation (work activity) and in the PC factors and pay.

While the research findings are limited by them being based on a single RPO, this is offset to some degree by the longitudinal nature of the study and the size of the RPO. It also presents opportunities for further research, particularly in terms of further testing of the new conceptualization of HC in other organizations and industry settings, and investigation of the failed hypotheses: PC and pay; and employee commitment and work activity.

While strong PC employees are being asked to do important work, they are not always being paid at the rate of colleagues doing similar work. This will create perceptions of distributive justice, which will make those with strong PC unhappy, thereby decreasing their PC, disrupting the SA of the value creation, and lead to employee turnover. Managers can address this problem by using the HC method outlined in this paper to introduce methods such as merit increases and variable pay. While this is problematic for public sector organizations often constrained by having to fit salary awards, innovative organizations are increasingly considering more flexible pay systems.

The paper introduces a new conceptualization of HC, and two proxies for organizational performance: pay and work activity. The paper addresses calls for IC in practice research to make the field more relevant for practitioners. The HC model introduced will allow managers to act on IC measurement by linking HC value with adequate pay, increasing motivation, commitment, and productivity, leading to increased innovation and reduced employee turnover.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

When outsourcing first emerged during the 1980s, initial impressions were predominantly negative. Massive growth in the practice during the new millennium is testimony to the fact that opinions have altered somewhat. One consequence is that a variety of a firm’s business functions are now often handed over to external providers. Outsourcing is especially prevalent within human resources (HR). Globally, the human resource outsourcing market is approaching US$200bn in value. This encompasses many different HR functions, with recruitment being among them. In the five years to 2015, the recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) market more than doubled. Much of this is down to its extensive presence throughout North America and Europe. The practice is less evident within many Asian countries. However, prevailing labor shortages suggest that considerable scope for greater use of RPO exists in the region.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

In the wake of the December 2015 Paris COP21 (Conference of Parties), and India's announced renewable energy commitments, Reliance Power is reviewing its renewable energy investments to arrive at a long term strategy for the role of renewable energy in its power generation portfolio and the financing of renewable projects. The case reviews the Indian government's policies to promote renewable energy; the evolution of the renewable energy sector; and Reliance Power's financing of renewable energy investments. The case requires identification of alternative long term strategies and their financing implications. This case serves as an introduction to renewable energy from the perspective of Reliance Power, a large private power generator of the country. These projects also provide a learning opportunity for Reliance Power to deal with fast evolving renewable technologies.