Annotated Bibliography Of Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles On Human Resource Management In The Healthcare Industry

Article 1: Controlling healthcare professionals: how human resource management influences job attitudes and operational efficiency

Introduction Among various resources of organisations, human resource is most critical one as it is capable of making difference in organisation’s performance. Since my study is related to public sector, I have read one common article on health care sector to understand the topic in general, two articles on UK public sector, one on Australian public sector and one in Asian public sector. Among all articles it was found that every country is facing attraction and retention issues, but the public sector seems to have additional challenges as compared to broader labour market of health care sector.

Article 1 Cogin, J. A., Ng , J. L., & Lee, I. (2016). Controlling healthcare professionals: how human resource management influences job attitudes and operational efficiency. Human Resources for Health, 14.

This article finds out intensified evidences that shows human resource practices adopted in health care organisations have significant impact on the performance of firm. Such outcomes have always been cited in literature and given priority to study about constant change and universal challenges while delivering quality service by health care industry in public sector. This also frames research question of the article where the authors try to find out reasons behind inefficiency and growing challenges in public health care firms. And to get answers, the article explores people management implemented in Australian health care institutes by using a typology of Control versus commitment. Drawing upon the role theories and HRM influence in job attitudes of hospital’s operational representatives and staff, this article finds significant information related to practices adopted in HR departments in hospitals. Article uses both qualitative and quantitative research methods and concludes with appropriate findings and recommendations that can be adopted by healthcare services. This article concludes with realising excessive use of behavioural control in hospitals that often leads to quality deficiency and suggests healthcare authorities to reform and rebuild engaged workforce to address future challenges effectively.

In response to major challenges observed in the above article, this article has attempted critical solutions along with putting in front some effective HRM models. This article will be of great help in making my further assessments since the authors have provided with the information about human resource effectiveness that can provide positive contribution in organisational development. Unfortunately, the linkage between firm performance and HRM has not been made in hospital setting in precise way that shows management matters a lot in delivering quality service in healthcare operations. Despite wide criticisms, scope for empirical research and investigation is needed to be made on people management and control in HRM of health care organisations so that misalignments that demoralises employees is diminished in effective manner. Therefore, article will be used to make further analysis of my sector on public healthcare organisations across globe. 

Article 2: HRM Issues and Challenges in Healthcare

Article 2 Ali , E. M., & Aameed, S. A. (2016). HRM Issues and Challenges in Healthcare. International Journal of Management, 07(02), 166-176.

This article finds about contemporary hospitals which provide with new medical facilities by employing thousands of personnel’s including paramedical and support staff.  This article examined that human resources working in public hospitals are in a challenging condition as they require to work round the clock for HR support system. Therefore, with its finding, this article summarises about unique characteristic and functions that are performed by HRD in delivering effective medical service to mass people. The research methodology used in this article is based more on quantitative approach where the authors have used various definitions and findings made by authors and resources collected from health care field.  With the help of literature, this article has found that HRM is vital part in the healthcare sector like other sectors where customers face challenges due to employee performance and HR’s service quality. This article concludes after encountering challenges related to HRM like staff satisfaction, absence of team spirit, absenteeism, and conflict among staff affiliates.

While this study applies to public sector, its finding is useful in my sector of healthcare because healthcare is now an impending field and HRM needs to be emphasized to improve workforce quality. Strong motivated and dedicated employee teams are critical in medical profession and thus public healthcare organisations needs to reform by adopting alternative approaches. Motivational factors, selection, recruitment, rewards and incentives plays a crucial role in upscaling health related services. By exploring the role of medical professional and non-medical professional staffs along with HR functions in management, this study undertakes case studies that suggest HRM about people management by focussing more on formal HRM structures in hospital setting.  Since this article reviewed various literature present that covers HRM concepts in healthcare sector, its findings will be used for my further analysis. The article provides with recommendations that ensures continuous development in healthcare organisations through training, strategic thinking, communication and risk management in HRM. 

Article 3 Manimaran, A., & Kumar, S. S. (2016). Human Resource Management in the Healthcare Industry – A Literature Review. American Journal of Information Management, 01(02), 24-28.

This article examines key success factors emerging from human resource management that affects the strategic planning and operational activities in healthcare organisations. The study made in article reveals essential factors of health care services and how they can become better by implementing developed HR strategies like staff retention, staff training and focussing on key issues within organisations management systems. The main motive of researchers is to examine and suggest ways through which issues can be identified during the implementation of HR strategies. The article compares and contrasts selected health care industry in South Asian and American countries to gain deeper knowledge about the subject while applying practical and critical role of HRM in public sector. The research methodology adopted in the article is based on secondary data like magazines, International and National Journals, Human Resource management books and articles, etc. The article concludes by summarizing viewpoints of experts in regards to human resource management in health care sector. The article also presented detailed research about problems and difficulties faced in different aspects of HRM.

Article 3: Human Resource Management in the Healthcare Industry – A Literature Review

Since this study applies to public sector, findings of the above article are useful in my study of healthcare organisations as the study have shown protracted and persistent overview of research while targeting specific concern in study of HRM in healthcare sector. In this globalising world, resources are being shared more than ever before, however these sources are not always dispersed equally. There are several key factors for brining success in healthcare practices and HRM that has been revealed in this paper, can prove significant for further research on the topic. Therefore, I will use the findings of this article for my further analysis by utilising human resource models prepared by the researchers in the article. By identifying challenges in healthcare systems of Canada, USA and other developing nations, this article has even provided with suggestions regarding effective implementation of HRM. This can furthermore help in explaining about performance outcomes and individual processes triggered by healthcare organisations in HRM level.

Article 4 Tarsunbayeva, A., Bunduchi, R., Franco, M., & Pagliari, C. (2017). Human resource information systems in health care: a systematic evidence review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 24(03), 633-645.

This article makes a systematic review determining the scope and prevalence of existing research related to human resource information techniques in healthcare organisations. This article analyses and classifies by synthesising evidences found during evaluation of impacts and processes of HRM in healthcare industry in different countries. This article also finds alternative solutions for issues identified along with framing policies and practice while recognising the needs of stakeholders. Research methodology used in this article is more based on primary collection of data. The article has provided with tables and figures depicting interrogation made through electronic databases while indexing research from healthcare related managements, technology and interdisciplinary sciences. Along with it, researchers have included literature and publication sources that qualifies for enhanced studies. Thought-out appraisal skill program worksheet was also adopted to make qualitative based research and the information is transferred in graphical format to provide accuracy in research made. The article discusses and concludes with fining out deficiency in HRM of healthcare organisations while focussing more on improving efficiency and quality in HR systems. The research offers weighty recommendations to decision makers and its readers that can help in making further research.

While this study applies to public sector, the findings and research made in the above article will prove significant in my study related to healthcare sector because this article addresses significant gap in healthcare information technologies and HRM. This gap has become most researched topic in literature due to urgency for filling the identified gaps. The article pinpoints various references for HR managers that can assist them in making HR plans and policies for implementing effective HR strategies in healthcare organisations. The authors have made great contribution by recommending sound programs of interdisciplinary research that encompasses systematic assessment of impacts observed in workforce in HR departments of healthcare institutions. This article will be used in my further analysis as it has provided me with advanced and valuable information that even supports data analytics in HRM for enabling enhanced appraisal, staffing and recruiting techniques in healthcare industry.

Article 5 Podger, A. (2017). Enduring Challenges and New Developments in Public Human Resource Management: Australia as an Example of International Experience. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 37(01), 108-128.

This article examines general features of human resource management in public sector organisations in Australia. The article finds out changes and shifts in organisational work culture in last 40 years while observing other Western democracies and US in regards to challenges and issues faced by HRM in public sector industries. This also becomes the chief reason behind selection of this article where the authors try to find out whether new technologies and HRM theories will affect the skills required to undertake HR responsibilities or not. The authors also put in front research questions related to efficiency and effectiveness required in public sector along with questioning how public sector can ever match with private companies. The article uses mixed methodology where both literature as well as data collection have been made. The collected information, surveys and interview findings have been transferred into graphical format to make the study more precise. The article concludes by summarising key points found during making a case study of Australian as well as other Western countries public sector’s HRM. The article finds out the reasons behind challenges and difficulties in staff retention and quality control while making recommendations and scope for further research.

While this study applies to public sector, the findings of this article will be used in my further assessment in public healthcare industry as this article has identified major issues related to work force planning and job designing in public sector that needs to be sorted. Labour market in public sector, in general has changed alarmingly that focuses not only increased flexibility in productivity but also reduced concentration in roles and power of staff unions. Although organisations negotiate directly with the employees, still large organisations chose to work with representatives of unions as they remain constrained with governmental policies and regulations. Therefore, the findings of this article will be used in my further research for adopting strategic tools and HR roles as stated in the article.