Human resource management problems over the life cycle of small to medium-sized firms

✍ Scribed by Matthew W. Rutherford; Paul F. Buller; Patrick R. McMullen

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 134 KB
• Volume: 42
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0090-4848
• DOI: 10.1002/hrm.10093

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This study uses a sample of 2,903 small to medium‐sized firms to examine the manner in which HR problems
vary over the organizational life cycle. We found that a four‐stage model was appropriate. Interestingly,
firm age did not emerge as a significant indicator of stage—the firms' HR problems varied across stages
defined by growth. Training problems were highest in high‐growth firms and lowest in low‐growth
firms; compensation problems were highest in moderate‐growth firms and lowest in high‐growth
firms; and recruiting problems were highest in no‐growth firms and lowest in low‐growth firms.
© 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.