An investigation into human resource practices in micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs): evidence based on service firms in the Republic of Ireland

Ward, Emma (2021) An investigation into human resource practices in micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs): evidence based on service firms in the Republic of Ireland. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study is an investigation into human resource management practices in micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs); evidence based on service firms in the Republic of Ireland. The study will investigate the focus on the four main human resource practices which are recruitment, training and development, performance management and career development and retention. The purpose of the study is to investigate if human resource are absent due to the size of the organisations. As 99.8% of employment with Ireland are employed by SMEs the research felt there was a significant gap in the regarding human resource practices (CSO, 2021).

In order to ensure the research is effective, the researcher will first examine the literature available on recruitment, training and development, performance management and career development and retention in SMEs whilst gathering the opinions and outlooks of the scholars. The study will be conducted utilizing semi-structured interviews as a qualitative research method. The participants selected for this research presented from six different organisations with two aligned to each size category of micro, small and medium.

Due to the nature of an investigation, semi-structured facilitated the researcher performing in-dept interviews in comparison to a quantitative research method would allow. The finding from the data collection will be present in themes generated through the participants opinions and experiences and categorized using thematic analysis.

The researcher will further discuss the finding whist making comparison to the past literature. On the completion of the study the researcher will address the limitations and provide future recommendations based on the finding of the study.

The study will detail the extent of the use human resource practices in SMEs in the service sector in Ireland. Further investigating the stigma attached to micro, small and medium organisations having little or no human resource practices in place.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > Ireland H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Small Business Sector
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
Depositing User:	Clara Chan
Date Deposited:	27 Jan 2022 13:52
Last Modified:	27 Jan 2022 13:52
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/5356

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