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Reasons for HR analytics adoption in public sector organisations: evidence from Swedish public administrations
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Business Studies. Dalarna Univ, Sch Culture & Soc, Falun, Sweden..
2024 (English)In: Personnel review, ISSN 0048-3486, E-ISSN 1758-6933Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Purpose

This study explores the rationale behind the utilisation of human resource (HR) analytics in public sector organisations. The existing HR analytics literature exhibits limited empirical evidence and has predominantly focused on the business context of private firms. In addressing this gap, the study seeks to answer the following research question: What reasons for the adoption of HR analytics can be identified in public sector organisations?

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a qualitative approach drawing on the empirical data collected from three public administrations in Sweden - national, regional and local. A total of 51 in-depth interviews are conducted with HR and other organisational practitioners engaged in HR analytics practices.

Findings

Drawing on the institutional legitimacy perspective, this paper suggests that public sector organisations adopt HR analytics to secure cognitive, socio-political and technological legitimacy, stemming from explanations rooted in economic rationality. This encompasses organisational and HR-related outcomes achieved through data management and analysis, driven by the personal interests of specific individuals.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to ongoing debates about the adoption of HR analytics in diverse contextual settings. Future research is needed in other organisational contexts, including various national and international settings.Practical implicationsThe results of this study offer practical insights for HR practitioners in public sector organisations seeking to adopt HR analytics to enhance organisational and HR legitimacy.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the HR analytics literature by providing empirical evidence from the public sector. Furthermore, it advocates for a synthesis of economic rationality with legitimacy gains and individual interests to elucidate the rationale behind the adoption of HR analytics.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2024.
Keywords [en]
Human resource analytics, People analytics, Public sector organisations, Economic rationality, Legitimacy, Public sector digitalisation
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-550587DOI: 10.1108/PR-03-2024-0219ISI: 001375128600001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85211596810OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-550587DiVA, id: diva2:1938164
Available from: 2025-02-17 Created: 2025-02-17 Last updated: 2025-04-16
In thesis
1. Exploring the Practice of HR Analytics: Insights from a Public Sector Context
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Exploring the Practice of HR Analytics: Insights from a Public Sector Context
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Human Resource Analytics (HRA) is a technology-enabled organisational practice that utilises quantitative data and analysis to enhance HR decision-making. While HRA has gained increasing interest among HR practitioners, its adoption has been predominantly concentrated in technology-intensive private sector companies. At the same time, academic research on HRA remains limited, particularly in the public sector. Although factors such as low technological maturity and a lesser focus on profit maximisation and competitive advantage may hinder its implementation, HRA holds significant potential for public sector organisations due to their distinct characteristics. These include large workforces generating extensive HR-related data, political authority, governmental ownership, and a strong emphasis on transparency, accountability, and efficiency in areas such as competence supply, workforce recruitment, and retention.This thesis comprises four papers that collectively conceptualise and investigate the practice of HRA, exploring the reasons, preconditions, and processes involved in its implementation within public sector organisations. Empirical data were collected from three Swedish public sector organisations at the national, regional, and local levels. The study employs an engaged scholarship research design, allowing for the pragmatic application of multiple theoretical perspectives best suited to address the overarching research question: How is HRA being implemented in public sector organisations? This research aims to contribute to the existing HRA literature while also offering practical insights for organisations and HR practitioners operating in this under-researched context.By adopting a practice-based approach, informed by institutional legitimacy concept, the AMO (Ability, Motivation, Opportunity) framework, and organisational translation perspective, this thesis reveals that HRA practices undergo significant adaptation during implementation. In the public sector, HRA has primarily been limited to improving HR reporting and the visualisation of descriptive HR data. HRA practitioners, driven by contextual factors and the need to ensure the legitimacy of HR activities through economic rationality, face constraints related to analytical skills, organisational resources, and sector-specific characteristics.Given the rapid advancements in technology, including the growing influence of AI, future research should explore how these developments, alongside challenges such as employee privacy and data protection, impact the further evolution of HRA practices in the public sector.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Uppsala University, 2025. p. 111
Series
Doctoral thesis / Företagsekonomiska institutionen, Uppsala universitet, ISSN 1103-8454 ; 225
Keywords
human resource analytics, HR analytics, people analytics, HR reporting, HR practitioners, HR implementation, practice theory, public sector HR
National Category
Business Administration
Research subject
Business Studies
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-550591 (URN)978-91-506-3103-6 (ISBN)
Public defence
2025-05-27, Hörsal 2, Ekonomikum, Kyrkogårdsgatan 10, Uppsala, 14:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2025-05-06 Created: 2025-02-17 Last updated: 2025-05-06

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Citation style
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