Call for Papers
Chinese Economy
Special Issue on “Human Resource Management in China under the Transitional Economy”
Guest Editors:
Shuming Zhao, Nanjing University
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2007
Today’s increasing global, competitive marketplace has driven considerable changes in labor markets, and has transformed the practice of Human Resource Management (HRM). Expanded multinational operations within large companies, combined with increased technology and communication capability, has led to vast diffusion of global “best practices” in HRM.
In particular, multinational companies have increasingly set up operations for manufacturing and services in China, bringing with them HRM practices from all around the world. The importation of new management practices has changed the nature of the labor market and the practice of HRM, and will potentially have an impact on Chinese society. These external forces are paralleled by unprecedented economic transition and the enactment of employment laws that are changing the nature of organizational forms and management practices within China. China’s entry to the World Trade Organization has further heightened the global competition in the Chinese domestic markets.
This special issue on “Human Resource Management in China under the Transition Economy” is devoted to understanding the nature and variety of HRM practices in contemporary China and how these practices are affecting employees and firms as well as the society at large. We especially welcome empirical papers identifying the current state of HRM in mainland China or comparing HRM practices of Chinese firms to their Asian or western counterparts or to Chinese firms in the broader Chinese context, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and beyond. We invite researchers to develop, conduct, write, and submit targeted research projects for this special issue. We encourage creative research methods that extend beyond, but may include, interviews and paper-and-pencil surveys. Both inductive and deductive studies are welcome.
Some possible topics include:
What is the current state of HRM practices in China, and what theories may explain the variations in HRM systems?
How have multinational companies influenced HRM practice in China? What processes may lead to or what may account for any similarities or differences in HRM practices or systems between the MNCs and Chinese firms?
What have been the consequences of different HRM practices or systems in China?
What have been the intended and unintended consequences (individual, group, company, or societal) of different HRM practices?
What are the roles, competencies, and behaviors of HR professionals in Chinese firms compared to MNCs and what may account for potential similarities or differences?
What are the developments in industrial relations in China including the role of unions and labor laws on HRM practices and labor-management relations?
How the characteristics of transition economy (environmental uncertainty and lack of institutional supports) impact HRM practice in China?
How social networks of Chinese firms impact on HRM practices, and how HRM practices in turn have impacts on the evolution of social networks?
Papers for the special issue should be submitted electronically to Chunyan JIANG at jcy88@yahoo.com. The deadline for submission is March 1, 2007. Questions about this special issue may be directed to the guest editor: Shuming ZHAO (zhaosm@nju.edu.cn )
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Please give careful attention to the following instructions related to paper submissions:
• Manuscripts must be double-spaced throughout (this includes Notes and References) on one side of A4 with all margins at least one inch. Though, we do not impose a page limit, we encourage conciseness in writing. Typical manuscripts are expected to be between 25-40 pages, including references, tables and figures.
• Each submission should be accompanies by a cover letter addressed to the guest editor, indicating that the manuscript is original and not under consideration by any other journal or book. Papers published in conference proceedings or presented are not disqualified from submission to Chinese economy.
• To permit author anonymity for blind review, the author’s names should not appear anywhere on the manuscript except the title page. Identifying information on the cover or title page of the manuscript should include the names, affiliations, and email addresses of all the authors, as well as the full address, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail address of the corresponding author.
• We accept only English language manuscripts. Poor writing may jeopardize the evaluation of good ideas. Poor grammar impedes communication. We encourage the use of a professional copy editing service before submission of the manuscript, especially for non-native English speaking authors.
We greatly appreciate your cooperation. Following these guidelines will help expedite the review processes in a timely and efficient manner.
Information about the Journal: The bimonthly journal, Chinese Economy, published by M.S. Sharpe Publishing Co., offers an objective and analytical account of the economic issues about China. The Journal contains two important features -- unabridged translations of important articles from Chinese sources (primarily influential scholarly journals and publications in China) and original, unpublished works written by scholars over the world. The refereed Journal provides readers with useful information on China’s economic development, for conducting future research, and for understanding important policy implications.
The articles in this journal are listed in the Social Sciences Citation Index, Contents of Recent Economic Journals (COREJ) and the Journal of Economic Literature, and indexed in the Bibliography of Asian Studies, International Bibliography of Periodical Literature on the Humanities and Social Sciences (IBZ), PAIS Bulletin, the American Economic Association's databases Economic Literature Index and Econlit.
Journal web page-- http://www.mesharpe.com/mall/results1.asp?ACR=ces
