Beyond the ‘e-’ in e-HRM: integrating a sociomaterial perspective
Open accessAbstract
This review paper argues that e-HRM literature has not realised the full potential of different theoretical perspectives on information technology. This paper proposes one of them, a sociomaterial perspective, which recognises the equal importance of human agency and material artefacts in the formation and reproduction of e-HRM practices. The review juxtaposes existing perspectives within e-HRM literature with that of the sociomaterial perspective to illustrate the kinds of complementary theoretical and conceptual tools that can be applied to address current limitations in our understanding of the impact of e-HRM. A research agenda is presented that suggests ways to explore the materiality of technology, wider groups of actors and their agency, and emergent practices around technology. The application of this perspective means paying closer attention to how actions and material artefacts are intertwined and constitute ‘doing HRM’, which therefore requires thick descriptions of the organisational context and how work is performed in order to understand how technology matters, for whom and in what ways.
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Studies on e-HRM rarely discuss the distinction among different technologies encompassed in e-HRM.
“studies on e-HRM rarely discuss the distinction among different technologies encompassed in e-HRM”
From AI-augmented HRM: Antecedents, assimilation and multilevel consequences (2023) · cites this paper as Myllymaki, 2021
Cites
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AI-augmented HRM: Antecedents, assimilation and multilevel consequences
Prikshat, V., Malik, A., & Budhwar, P. (2023) · Human Resource Management Review · doi:10.1016/j.hrmr.2021.100860 · Cited by 200 · see citing works
- Authors
- Myllymäki, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Vaasa (FI)
- Corresponding author
- Myllymäki, Dina
- ORCID
- Myllymäki, Dina
- Venue
- The International Journal of Human Resource Management
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2021-05-09
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2563-2591
- ISSN
- 0958-5192 (ISSN-L)
- 1466-4399
- OpenAlex
- W3163161789
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 7.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The International Journal of Human Resource Management (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Osuva (University of Vaasa) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- 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 › AI and HR Technologies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Information Systems Theories and Implementation
- Keywords
- e-HRM, sociomaterial perspective, human agency, material artefacts, materiality of technology, information technology in human resource management, emergent practices, organizational context, thick description
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