Assessing grand societal challenges and disruptions: back to the future for HRM?

Brookes, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1971-6442 and Brewster, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5314-1518 (2026) Assessing grand societal challenges and disruptions: back to the future for HRM? The International Journal of Human Resource Management. ISSN 1466-4399 doi: 10.1080/09585192.2026.2640045

Abstract/Summary

We argue that the Call for Papers for this Special Issue is right to emphasise the nexus between Grand Challenges and the future of HRM as a critical issue. However, we believe it is wrong to imply that current circumstances are uniquely challenging. As a consequence, we argue that it is a mistake to think that the solution to the future of HRM lies in contributing ‘new’ theories such as new bundling of HPWPs, wellbeing HRM, agile HRM, and responsible, ethical and common good HRM. As a contribution to dealing with societies’ Grand Challenges and future-proofing HRM, we argue for continuity as well as potential change in our societies and suggest that clarifying our concepts and working more carefully with some of our extant theories, such as stakeholder theory and contextual analyses may serve the future of HRM better than by adding to the ‘jangle fallacy’ of inventing new terms for existing ideas and chasing new fads and fashions.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/128924
Identification Number/DOI	10.1080/09585192.2026.2640045
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > International Business and Strategy
Publisher	Informa UK Limited
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