Abstract/Summary

This chapter uses large-scale international data to examine the extent to which human resource management (HRM) responsibilities are assigned to line managers, and how far this varies with geography. Much of the debate about line management’s responsibility for HRM focuses upon how strongly the line management role is accepted, but we ask whether and why it is more widely accepted in some national contexts than in others. We explore the impact of a variety of internal organisational characteristics, and of the kind of economy in which organisations operate. What proportion of organisations assign HRM responsibilities to the line, and how far is this dependent on country or market economy? We will discuss the implications of our findings for future research and for practice.