Purpose

This paper aims to accomplish two purposes: firstly, it revisits the “positional identity” – the ambivalent-hybrid disposition – of human resource management (HRM) in the (postcolonial) Global South. Secondly, it seeks to reframe the role of Southern agents of the epistemic community of HRM, particularly human resource (HR) managers, in managing people in the South.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes inspiration from the postcolonial theory of Homi Bhabha, his notions of hybridity, the Third Space and colonial positionality, to revisit the positional identity of HRM and to reframe the role of HR managers in the South.

Findings

In postcolonial Southern organisations, HR managers play a dual role – as “mimics” and “bastards” of Western discourses of HRM. The dual role tends to put the managers in Southern organisations in a “double–bind”.

Research limitations/implications

This paper helps in the understanding of the role of HRM as well as HR managers in Southern organisations regarding the (post-)colonial legacy of the South.

Originality/value

This paper provides new insights into the identity of HRM in the Global South beyond the dualistic understanding of HR practices, such as convergence–divergence and the mere form of crossvergence. It argues that hybridisation of HRM in Southern organisations takes place in the form of (post-)colonial hybridity.

中文翻译：

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第三空间，全球南方人力资源管理的模仿和矛盾：后殖民读物

目的

本文旨在实现两个目的：首先，它重新审视（后殖民地）全球南方人力资源管理 (HRM) 的“位置身份”——矛盾的混合倾向。其次，它试图重新定义人力资源管理认知社区的南方代理人，特别是人力资源 (HR) 经理，在管理南方人中的角色。

设计/方法/途径

本文从 Homi Bhabha 的后殖民理论、他的混合性、第三空间和殖民定位的概念中汲取灵感，重新审视人力资源管理的定位身份，并重新定义南方人力资源经理的角色。

发现

在后殖民时期的南方组织中，人力资源经理扮演着双重角色——西方人力资源管理话语的“模仿者”和“混蛋”。双重角色往往使南方组织的管理者陷入“双重束缚”。

研究局限性/影响

本文有助于理解人力资源管理以及人力资源经理在南方组织中关于南方（后）殖民遗产的作用。

原创性/价值

本文提供了关于全球南方人力资源管理身份的新见解，超越了对人力资源实践的二元理解，例如趋同-发散和交叉趋同的单纯形式。它认为，南方组织中人力资源管理的混合以（后）殖民混合的形式发生。