Management Implications for HR Analytics in Light of Systems Theory

Abstract

Since the 2000s, the HR Analytics field has experienced a steady growth in published works, with a variety of focus, but aiming the value added to HR Management. Recently, the literature has been increasingly focused on factors to be considered in HR Analytics frameworks, suggesting the question of “how” HR Analytics should be put into practice and drove by objectives; unlike initial (but still abundant) approaches of “what” should be done. This paper aims to address gaps that could help setting management resources, researching if there are relevant nuances in HR Analytics objectives that may imply in distinct ways to manage the activity. Two main approaches were combined: (i) a quantitative and qualitative analysis of recent publications and (ii) an approach under the Systems Theory constructs. HR Analytics definitions, approaches, underlying themes, related areas of study and academic gaps were analyzed from 231 publications in the Scopus database until 2021. The analysis highlighted main features of interest, which were clustered and drove to the drawing of distinct (but related) objectives and ways of manage HR Analytics. Moreover, comparisons with knowledge creation of correlated activities led to the proposition of a taxonomy as a driver to objectives and a research agenda.