Kauppakorkeakoulun julkaisuportaali
Aalto-yliopiston kauppakorkeakoulun gradujen tiedot nyt Aaltodocissa: Aaltodoc-julkaisuarkisto
Kauppakorkeakoulu | Markkinoinnin ja johtamisen laitos | Organisaatiot ja johtaminen | 2010
Tutkielman numero: 12408
The Impact of economic crisis on HRM practices in Estonia
Tekijä: Vösa, Helene
Otsikko: The Impact of economic crisis on HRM practices in Estonia
Vuosi: 2010  Kieli: eng
Laitos: Markkinoinnin ja johtamisen laitos
Aine: Organisaatiot ja johtaminen
Asiasanat: organisaatio; organization; johtaminen; management; Viro; Estonia; henkilöstöhallinto; personnel management; rekrytointi; recruiting; motivaatio; motivation; yritysviestintä; business communication; talouskriisi; economic crisis
Sivumäärä: 63
Kokoteksti:
» hse_ethesis_12408.pdf pdf  koko: 691 KB (707009)
Avainsanat: Human resource management practices, recruitment, training, performance appraisal, reward systems, emerging market, economic crisis, Estonia
Tiivistelmä:
ABSTRACT Department of Marketing and Management 13.10.2010 Master’s Thesis Helene Vösa

THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC CRISIS ON HRM PRACTICES IN ESTONIA

Research Objectives

The main objective of this study is to gain the overall picture of how the current economic crisis has impacted four areas of Human Resource Management: 1) recruiting and selection, 2) reward systems, 3) training and development, and 4) performance appraisal in Estonia. The case of Estonia is a unique one to study from HR perspective because after a several years of clearly noteworthy economic growth period the country faces now the challenges of a severe economic crisis.

Research Methodology

The research by nature is a qualitative study. The empirical portion of this research was formed around semi-structured interviews. The interviewees are four HR Mangers and a General Manager of five different companies operating in Estonia, with four of them being of Finnish domicile parent companies. The interview themes were focused on defining the relationship between Estonian HRM and the economic crisis from which conclusion of how the crisis has influenced HRM practices are drawn.

Findings

Previous studies have shown evidence that economic instability affects both company performance and its HRM activities. The findings of the study show that the current economic crisis has had significant impact on HRM and its practices. After almost a decade of robust economic growth in Estonia, the changes that the crisis has fostered since 2008 have been dramatic. The study indicates that recruiting and selection, and reward systems have been influenced by the crisis the most. A total reversal from the situation only few years back. Training and development has suffered significantly as well, although companies have maintained the basic level on training programs and concentrated on developing internal trainings rather than paying for external training programs. Other than canceling salary negotiations, the function of performance appraisal practice has faced the lowest degree of change.

Key Words

Human resource management practices, recruitment, training, performance appraisal, reward systems, emerging market, economic crisis, Estonia.
Verkkojulkaisut ovat tekijänoikeuden alaista aineistoa. Teokset ovat vapaasti luettavissa ja tulostettavissa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Aineiston käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.