Cited by 913AI and HR TechnologiesEmployer Branding and e-HRMHuman Resource and Talent Management

An evidence-based review of HR Analytics

Marler, Janet H., Boudreau, John W.·2017·The International Journal of Human Resource Management

Abstract

We conduct an evidence-based review using an integrative synthesis of published peer-reviewed literature on Human Resource analytics (HR Analytics). Our search of several publication databases identified 60 articles on this topic, however only 14 articles were in quality peer-reviewed journals. Our review of these articles addresses the following 5 questions: (1) What is HR Analytics (how has the concept definition evolved)? (2) How does HR Analytics work (what are the processes)? (3) Why does HR Analytics work (what theories explain cause-effect relationships, antecedents, and consequences)? (4) What does HR Analytics produce (what are the outcomes)? (5) What is required for HR Analytics to succeed (what are the moderators of the analytics-outcome relationships)? We conclude that despite evidence linking the adoption of HR Analytics to organizational performance that adoption of HR Analytics is very low and academic research, and therefore, evidence on this topic is sparse. We offer potential explanations for this paradox and suggest avenues for future research.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1080/09585192.2016.1244699

Cites

53 of 53 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Access to HR technology plays a critical role in offering HR professionals the ability to gather, analyze and visualize data, enabling senior management to make more informed decisions.

    “As can be seen, access to HR technology plays a critical role in offering HR professionals the ability to gather, analyze and visualize data, enabling senior management to make more informed decisions (Kapoor and Sherif, 2012;Ulrich and Dulebohn, 2015;Marler and Boudreau, 2017;McIver et al., 2018).”

    From Bridging the gap: why, how and when HR analytics can impact organizational performance (2022) · cites this paper as Marler and Boudreau, 2017

  • HR analytics contributes to organizational evidence creation through acquiring and translating high-quality workforce data into information, resulting in critical organizational insights.

    “At the same time, HR analytics contributes to organizational evidence creation through acquiring and translating high-quality workforce data into information, resulting in critical organizational insights (Marler and Boudreau, 2017;Minbaeva, 2018;Coron, 2021).”

    From Bridging the gap: why, how and when HR analytics can impact organizational performance (2022) · cites this paper as Marler and Boudreau, 2017

  • The significant growth of access to HR technology has offered HR departments the ability to collect, manage and analyze large volumes of employee data, compared to earlier legacy IT systems.

    “Furthermore, the significant growth of access to HR technology, including human resource information systems (HRISs), cloud platforms and apps, has offered HR departments the ability to collect, manage and analyze large volumes of employee data, compared to earlier legacy IT systems (Bondarouk and Brewster, 2016;Marler and Boudreau, 2017;Kim et al., 2021).”

    From Bridging the gap: why, how and when HR analytics can impact organizational performance (2022) · cites this paper as Marler and Boudreau, 2017

  • HR analytics generates evidence through organizational facts allowing managers and senior leaders to make more informed decisions.

    “As indicated previously, HR analytics generates evidence through organizational facts allowing managers and senior leaders to make more informed decisions (Kapoor and Sherif, 2012;Ulrich and Dulebohn, 2015;Marler and Boudreau, 2017;Levenson, 2018;McIver et al., 2018;Shrivastava et al., 2018).”

    From Bridging the gap: why, how and when HR analytics can impact organizational performance (2022) · cites this paper as Marler and Boudreau, 2017

  • There has been little academic research on people analytics despite mushrooming market penetration of vendor solutions and widespread corporate interest in engaging with these innovations.

    “there has been little academic research on the topic of PA, despite the mushrooming market penetration of vendor solutions and widespread corporate interest in engaging with these innovations.”

    From The ethics of people analytics: risks, opportunities and recommendations (2022) · cites this paper as Marler and Boudreau, 2017

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. Barends E., 2014, Evidence-based management: The basic principles
  2. Bassi L., 2011, People & Strategy, 34, 14
  3. Boudreau J. W., 2010, Retooling HR
  4. Coco C. T., 2011, People & Strategy, 34, 28
  5. Davenport T. H., 2010, Harvard Business Review, 88, 52
  6. DiBernardino F., 2011, People & Strategy, 34, 44
  7. Douthitt S., 2014, People & Strategy, 36, 16
  8. Falletta S., 2014, People & Strategy, 36, 28
  9. Garvin D. A., 2013, Harvard Business Review, 91, 74
  10. Giuffrida M., 2014, Public Manager, 43, 7
  11. Jones K., 2014, Workforce Solutions Review, 5, 43
  12. Levenson A., 2011, People & Strategy, 34, 34
  13. Levenson A., 2005, Survey on HR Analytics and HR transformation: Feedback report
  14. Mondare S., 2011, People & Strategy, 34, 20
  15. Rousseau, D. M. & Boudreau, J. W. (2011). Sticky findings: Research evidence practitioners find useful. In S. A. Mohrman, & E. E. Lawler, III (Eds.), Useful research: Advancing theory and practice (ch. 14). Berrett-Koehler.
  16. Ulrich D., 2005, The HR value proposition

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Authors
Marler, J. H., & Boudreau, J. W.
Affiliations
  • State University of New York (US)
  • University of Southern California (US)
Corresponding author
Marler, Janet H.
Venue
The International Journal of Human Resource Management
Published
2016-11-11
Volume
28
Issue
1
Pages
3-26
ISSN
  • 0958-5192 (ISSN-L)
  • 1466-4399
OpenAlex
W2554886781
Cited by
913
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 217 · 2025: 167 · 2024: 141 · 2023: 122 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 85 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2
FWCI
40.67
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
The International Journal of Human Resource Management (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › AI and HR Technologies
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employer Branding and e-HRM
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Human Resource and Talent Management
Keywords
HR analytics, organizational performance, analytics adoption

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