How effective are human resource management practices: The case of organizations in Serbia: A qualitative study

With this research, we aim to investigate the characteristics of the strategic system of human resource management practices in organizations in Serbia, their connection to the characteristics and behaviors of employees, and their relation to organizational performance. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 human resource managers representing 14 organizations with a total of 7,000 employees and analyzed using the Gioia method. Two types of organizations were specifically selected for the sample: international organizations in the manufacturing industry and organizations operating in the field of information technology. According to the results, strategic practices from the investigated model are present in organizations in Serbia. Human resource managers who participated in this study identified a connection between organizational performance and the characteristics and behaviors of employees. They also linked the characteristics and behaviors of employees with strategic human resource management practices. The results further suggest that there is a need for a more transparent presentation of the contribution of strategic human resource practices in organizations in Serbia.