Senior managers' perceptions of the HRM function during times of strategic organizational change: Case study evidence from a public sector banking institution in Malaysia

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the role played by the human resource management (HRM) function in strategic organizational change initiatives. The objectives of the paper are to assess the extent to which the HRM function is perceived by senior managers to have contributed to the strategic organizational change agenda during a period of rapid change, and identify major challenges HRM professionals face as facilitators of strategic change management initiatives in contexts of this nature. Design/methodology/approach: The research objectives were addressed using literature-based evidence and primary interview data obtained from qualitative in-depth interviews with the directors and deputy directors of a public sector banking institution in Malaysia. Findings: In addition to identifying positive perceptions of the HRM function, the findings raise issues about the strategic focus, independence, credibility, and leadership strategies associated with the HR function's attempts to engage with strategic change initiatives. The findings also reveal the respondents' views about the extent to which HRM activities have or should have ethical, spiritual, and religious foci. Practical implications: The implications of the research findings for HRM are discussed with reference to issues such as: the transfer of Western-originating change management approaches to non-Western settings; the need for organizational change outcomes (including wider societal objectives) to be delineated clearly with reference to organizational change initiatives; and the close association between ethics, spirituality, and HRM in certain Asian contexts. Originality/value: The paper offers a valuable insight into the role of the HRM function in organizational change interventions with specific reference to the context of Malaysia. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.