Based upon two surveys in 1998 from strategic planning managers and human resource managers of 271 firms listed in the Korean Stock Market, this paper examined the emerging patterns of HRM systems in Korea and factors affecting firms` choice of a part...
Based upon two surveys in 1998 from strategic planning managers and human resource managers of 271 firms listed in the Korean Stock Market, this paper examined the emerging patterns of HRM systems in Korea and factors affecting firms` choice of a particular HRM system. We found that recent HRM systems in Korea vary along two key dimensions:(1) the relationship-transaction continuum, and(2) the high utilization-low utilization continuum. Specifically, Korean firms were clustered into one of four HRM systems: Type Ⅰ (relationship, low utilization), Type Ⅱ(transaction, low utilization), Type Ⅲ(transaction, high utilization) and Type Ⅳ(relationship, high utilization). Type Ⅰ and Ⅱ systems are considered traditional patterns of Korean HRM, whereas we regard Type Ⅲ and Ⅳ systems as emerging HRM systems in Korea. In predicting firms` choice of particular HR systems, the multinomial-logit analysis showed strong supports for the business strategy, chabul, foreign degree, and labor union.