In pursuit of impact: how HRM research drives meaningful changes in policies and practices

Purpose The purpose of this Special Issue on HRM in Action: Impact Case Studies is to contribute to discussion on impact through the practical implications of HRM research. Through this Special Issue we aim to foster a Community of Practice among HRM scholars committed to demonstrating the value and benefit of their research in addressing real-world problems. Design/methodology/approach In this Editorial first, we ask what is impact and why is it important to explore? Second, we focus on problem, phenomena, practice focused research and explore how these different approaches can help us understand impact in HRM research. Third, we outline how we developed this Special Issue, the questions we asked our contributors to address and why we asked them, followed by a brief introduction to the seven cases curated for this Special Issue. Finally, we identify key issues and challenges emerging from the cases and outline areas for further development and future research. Findings Impact case studies offer valuable guidance to HRM scholars seeking to make their research more actionable and socially meaningful. They provide models for how to engage with partners, design research and interventions and measure change. More importantly, they challenge us to rethink the role of HRM research – not just as a tool for understanding organisations, but as a catalyst for improving them. By explicitly addressing problematisation, theory, approach, impact and contributions, these studies offer a structured pathway for scholars to demonstrate the transformative potential of HRM research. Originality/value HRM’s future depends on its ability to address global disruptions while preserving its human-centred core. Impact case studies offer a powerful mechanism for doing so by demonstrating how HRM research can support organisations navigating technological change, demographic shifts, sustainability pressures and political contestation.