Hris
Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS): An Unrealised Potential* David Grant**
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email d.grant@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 7871 Fax: +61 (0)2 9351 5283
Kristine Dery
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email k.dery@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9036 6410
Richard Hall
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email r.hall@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 5621
Nick Wailes
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email n.wailes@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 7870
Sharna Wiblen
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email s.wiblen@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9036 7603
Abstract: Over the last decade there has been a considerable increase in the number of organisations gathering, storing and analysing information regarding their human resources through the use of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) software or other types of software which include HRIS functionality (Ball, 2001; Barron, Chhabra, Hanscome, & Henson, 2004; Hussain, Wallace, & Cornelius, 2007; Ngai & Wat, 2006). The growing adoption of HRIS by organisations combined with the increasing sophistication of this software, presents the Human Resource function with the opportunity to enhance its contribution to organisation strategy. In this study we examine the ways in which HRIS might be used in order to achieve this. Our analysis of four Australian case study organisations finds that the claimed potential of HRIS to contribute to business strategy is contingent on its overcoming one or more of three key challenges. * This research is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LPLP0882247) in
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email d.grant@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 7871 Fax: +61 (0)2 9351 5283
Kristine Dery
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email k.dery@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9036 6410
Richard Hall
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email r.hall@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 5621
Nick Wailes
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email n.wailes@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9351 7870
Sharna Wiblen
Work and Organisational Studies The Institute Building (H03) The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia Email s.wiblen@econ.usyd.edu.au Tel: +61 (0)2 9036 7603
Abstract: Over the last decade there has been a considerable increase in the number of organisations gathering, storing and analysing information regarding their human resources through the use of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) software or other types of software which include HRIS functionality (Ball, 2001; Barron, Chhabra, Hanscome, & Henson, 2004; Hussain, Wallace, & Cornelius, 2007; Ngai & Wat, 2006). The growing adoption of HRIS by organisations combined with the increasing sophistication of this software, presents the Human Resource function with the opportunity to enhance its contribution to organisation strategy. In this study we examine the ways in which HRIS might be used in order to achieve this. Our analysis of four Australian case study organisations finds that the claimed potential of HRIS to contribute to business strategy is contingent on its overcoming one or more of three key challenges. * This research is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LPLP0882247) in