IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eurman/v41y2023i6p899-913.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Labor process theory and critical HRM: A systematic review and agenda for future research

Author

Listed:
  • Omidi, Afshin
  • Dal Zotto, Cinzia
  • Gandini, Alessandro

Abstract

Labor process theory (LPT) is a critical approach to studies on work and employment; it is rooted in the Marxist tradition, which addresses conflictual relations between capital and labor and connects work transformations with broader structural contexts. LPT has been one of the theoretical lenses through which critical human resource management (HRM) scholars have attempted to challenge taken-for-granted concepts and approaches introduced by mainstream, positivist, and functionalist HRM research. Yet, an effort to consolidate its significance in critical HRM is missing in the extant literature. Drawing on a systematic review of 103 research articles published from 2000 to 2021, the present paper identified four key themes in previous LPT-informed HRM research, including institutional forces, control regimes, solidarity and resistance, and the deskilling-upskilling paradox. Based on this review, the article discusses what critical HRM scholars can learn from this collective understanding of LPT and how they could also employ this theory to advance critical HRM research. The main argument brought forward is the idea that LPT is worthwhile to challenge the excessive optimism propagated by the pluralist approaches in HRM.

Suggested Citation

  • Omidi, Afshin & Dal Zotto, Cinzia & Gandini, Alessandro, 2023. "Labor process theory and critical HRM: A systematic review and agenda for future research," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 899-913.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:41:y:2023:i:6:p:899-913
    DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2023.05.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263237323000592
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.emj.2023.05.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:osf:socarx:k3hy4_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-11-2019-4268 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Leo McCann & Jonathan Morris & John Hassard, 2008. "Normalized Intensity: The New Labour Process of Middle Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 343-371, March.
    4. Peter Haynes & Peter Boxall & Keith Macky, 2005. "Non-Union Voice and the Effectiveness of Joint Consultation in New Zealand," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 26(2), pages 229-256, May.
    5. Marquita Walker, 2016. "Hospitality in Jeopardy," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(3), pages 21582440166, August.
    6. Gupta, Parul & Chauhan, Sumedha & Paul, Justin & Jaiswal, M.P., 2020. "Social entrepreneurship research: A review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 209-229.
    7. Ruthanne Huising, 2014. "The Erosion of Expert Control Through Censure Episodes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(6), pages 1633-1661, December.
    8. Gerber, Christine, 2021. "Community building on crowdwork platforms: Autonomy and control of online workers?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 25(2), pages 190-211.
    9. Lehdonvirta, Vili, 2018. "Flexibility in the Gig Economy: Managing Time on Three Online Piecework Platforms," SocArXiv k3hy4, Center for Open Science.
    10. Mats Alvesson & Dan Kärreman, 2007. "Unraveling HRM: Identity, Ceremony, and Control in a Management Consulting Firm," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(4), pages 711-723, August.
    11. Sharpe, Diana Rosemary, 2006. "Shop floor practices under changing forms of managerial control: A comparative ethnographic study of micro-politics, control and resistance within a Japanese multinational," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 318-339, September.
    12. Arianna Tassinari & Vincenzo Maccarrone, 2020. "Riders on the Storm: Workplace Solidarity among Gig Economy Couriers in Italy and the UK," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(1), pages 35-54, February.
    13. Paul, Justin & Criado, Alex Rialp, 2020. "The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    14. Ross Brown & Ronald McQuaid & Robert Raeside & Matthew Dutton & Valerie Egdell & Jesus Canduela, 2019. "Buying into Capitalism? Employee Ownership in a Disconnected Era," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 57(1), pages 62-85, March.
    15. Sharon C. Bolton, 2004. "A Simple Matter of Control? NHS Hospital Nurses and New Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 317-333, March.
    16. Paul, Justin & Parthasarathy, Sundar & Gupta, Parul, 2017. "Exporting challenges of SMEs: A review and future research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 327-342.
    17. Elizabeth Quinlan & Susan Robertson & Ann-Marie Urban & Isobel M Findlay & Beth Bilson, 2020. "Ameliorating Workplace Harassment among Direct Caregivers in Canada’s Healthcare System: A Theatre-Based Intervention," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(4), pages 626-643, August.
    18. Peter Ikeler, 2016. "Deskilling emotional labour: evidence from department store retail," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 30(6), pages 966-983, December.
    19. Adam Fishwick, 2019. "Labour Control and Developmental State Theory: A New Perspective on Import‐substitution Industrialization in Latin America," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 50(3), pages 655-678, May.
    20. Leo McCann, 2014. "Disconnected Amid the Networks and Chains: Employee Detachment from Company and Union after Offshoring," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 52(2), pages 237-260, June.
    21. Paula McDonald & Penny Williams & Robyn Mayes, 2021. "Means of Control in the Organization of Digitally Intermediated Care Work," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 35(5), pages 872-890, October.
    22. Diab, Ahmed A., 2021. "The appearance of community logics in management accounting and control: Evidence from an Egyptian sugar beet village," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    23. Novek, Joel, 2000. "Hospital pharmacy automation: collective mobility or collective control?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 491-503, August.
    24. Tony J. Watson, 2004. "HRM and Critical Social Science Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(3), pages 447-467, May.
    25. Paul Edwards & Andy Hodder, 2022. "Conflict and control in the contemporary workplace: Structured antagonism revisited," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 220-240, May.
    26. Lorenzo Cini & Bartek Goldmann, 2021. "The Worker Capabilities Approach: Insights from Worker Mobilizations in Italian Logistics and Food Delivery," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 35(5), pages 948-967, October.
    27. Afshin Omidi & Cinzia Dal Zotto, 2022. "Socially Responsible Human Resource Management: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
    28. Carl Rhodes & Geraint Harvey, 2012. "Agonism and the Possibilities of Ethics for HRM," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 49-59, November.
    29. Keith Townsend, 2007. "Who Has Control in Teams without Teamworking?," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 28(4), pages 622-649, November.
    30. Gilal, Faheem Gul & Zhang, Jian & Paul, Justin & Gilal, Naeem Gul, 2019. "The role of self-determination theory in marketing science: An integrative review and agenda for research," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 29-44.
    31. Lim, Weng Marc, 2018. "Demystifying neuromarketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 205-220.
    32. Leo McCann & John Hassard & Jonathan Morris, 2010. "Restructuring Managerial Labour in the USA, the UK and Japan: Challenging the Salience of ‘Varieties of Capitalism’," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 48(2), pages 347-374, June.
    33. Da Yang & John Dumay & Dale Tweedie, 2020. "Accounting's role in resisting wage theft: a labour process theory analysis," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(1), pages 85-110, October.
    34. Robin Price, 2016. "Controlling routine front line service workers: an Australian retail supermarket case," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 30(6), pages 915-931, December.
    35. Ruthanne Huising, 2014. "The Erosion of Expert Control Through Censure Episodes," Post-Print hal-02311927, HAL.
    36. Pasi Koski & Anu Järvensivu, 2010. "The innovation diffusion paradox in the light of ‘shop-floor games’ and micro-politics," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 31(3), pages 345-363, August.
    37. Anne Keegan & Paul Boselie, 2006. "The Lack of Impact of Dissensus Inspired Analysis on Developments in the Field of Human Resource Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1491-1511, November.
    38. Lee D. Parker & Ingrid Jeacle, 2019. "The Construction of the Efficient Office: Scientific Management, Accountability, and the Neo‐Liberal State†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(3), pages 1883-1926, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Long Xu & Yunsheng Zhou & Liang Chen, 2024. "Digital Transformation and Breakthrough Innovation in Chinese Manufacturing Firms: Based on Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) Framework of Human Capital," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Afshin Omidi & Cinzia Dal Zotto, 2022. "Socially Responsible Human Resource Management: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Chen, Yanyan & Mandler, Timo & Meyer-Waarden, Lars, 2021. "Three decades of research on loyalty programs: A literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 179-197.
    3. Maddy Janssens & Chris Steyaert, 2009. "HRM and Performance: A Plea for Reflexivity in HRM Studies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 143-155, January.
    4. Pomerlyan, Evgeniya & Belitski, Maksim, 2023. "Integration - Growth relationship: A literature review and future research agenda using a TCCM approach," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1106-1118.
    5. Buitrago R., Ricardo E. & Barbosa Camargo, María Inés, 2021. "Institutions, institutional quality, and international competitiveness: Review and examination of future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 423-435.
    6. Gore, Surabhi & Borde, Nilesh & Desai, Purva Hegde & George, Babu, 2022. "A Structured Literature Review of the Tourism Area Life Cycle Concept," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 10(1), pages 1-20.
    7. Mandler, Timo & Sezen, Burcu & Chen, Jieke & Özsomer, Ayşegül, 2021. "Performance consequences of marketing standardization/adaptation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 416-435.
    8. Lim, Weng Marc & Rasul, Tareq, 2022. "Customer engagement and social media: Revisiting the past to inform the future," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 325-342.
    9. Srivastava, Saurabh & Singh, Shiwangi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2020. "Culture and International business research: A review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    10. Paul, Justin & Criado, Alex Rialp, 2020. "The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    11. Lim, Weng Marc & Yap, Sheau-Fen & Makkar, Marian, 2021. "Home sharing in marketing and tourism at a tipping point: What do we know, how do we know, and where should we be heading?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 534-566.
    12. Kalia, Prateek & Zia, Adil & Kaur, Kulvinder, 2023. "Social influence in online retail: A review and research agenda," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 1034-1046.
    13. Prateek Kalia & Dušan Mladenović & à ngel Acevedo-Duque, 2022. "Decoding the Trends and the Emerging Research Directions of Digital Tourism in the Last Three Decades: A Bibliometric Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, October.
    14. Khlystova, Olena & Kalyuzhnova, Yelena & Belitski, Maksim, 2022. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the creative industries: A literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1192-1210.
    15. George Kandathil & Jerome Joseph, 2019. "Normative Underpinnings of Direct Employee Participation Studies and Implications for Developing Ethical Reflexivity: A Multidisciplinary Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 685-697, July.
    16. Mitrega, Maciej & Klézl, Vojtěch & Spáčil, Vojtěch, 2022. "Systematic review on customer citizenship behavior: Clarifying the domain and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 25-39.
    17. Michelle Greenwood, 2013. "Ethical Analyses of HRM: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 355-366, May.
    18. Billore, Soniya & Anisimova, Tatiana, 2021. "Panic buying research: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Early Vie.
    19. Tueanrat, Yanika & Papagiannidis, Savvas & Alamanos, Eleftherios, 2021. "Going on a journey: A review of the customer journey literature," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 336-353.
    20. Haddoud, Mohamed Yacine & Onjewu, Adah-Kole Emmanuel & Nowiński, Witold & Jones, Paul, 2021. "The determinants of SMEs’ export entry: A systematic review of the literature," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 262-278.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:41:y:2023:i:6:p:899-913. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/115/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.