ABSTRACT
This chapter compares the utilization of a commitment-focused human resource management (HRM) system in different types of firms in China and the impact of this commitment-focused HRM system on firm performance. It examines the nature of HRM and its relationship to firm performance and the institutional antecedents of HRM practices, all within the fast-changing and diverse institutional environment of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The chapter discusses the use of a system of commitment-focused HRM practices at the management level, comparing these practices in China's domestic private firms to those in the state-owned firms, joint ventures, and wholly foreign-owned firms. It identifies and provides support for ownership type as a variable that affects the use of commitment-focused HRM practices. The chapter also examines the relationship between ownership types and the use of commitment-focused HRM practices in firms operating in China.
