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Human Resources Research Paper Topics For 2024

Table of contents

• 1.1 Human Resources Management Research Topics
• 1.2 Equal Employment Opportunity HR Research Topics
• 1.3 Career Development HR Research Topics
• 1.4 Research Topics on Recruitment and Selection
• 1.5 HR Risk Management Topics
• 1.6 Workplace Safety HR Topics
• 1.7 Trending HR Topics

Human Resources is one of the most popular and essential topics for the business minded. If you remember your basic economics, you may remember that the basic components necessary for production in any kind of economy are Land, Capital, and Labor.

Human labor is an essential resource that keeps a business running. Like any other resource, it must be managed. This is where the term “Human Resources” and Human resources research topics come in.

Having relevant data for research paper is easy if you know where to look. There are lots of online sources and books in libraries to use in your task. Make sure you spend enough time on planning before writing your task.

How to choose a Human Resources topic for your project?

Selecting research topics in human resource management is not as simple as simply choosing the title and proceeding to write it. In order to get a good grade, the paper must be original and well researched. It needs to cover all relevant aspects of the chosen HR topics. Writing a hr related research topics is a very structured and analytical process. This is true for all fields, including human resources research topics.

The first step is topic selection . This is where we can help you. This page features a list of over 90 human resources topics. If you are having problems coming up with your own ideas, please choose hr related research topics from this list instead.

These titled papers all have a great deal of material about human resource management research topics out there. They are each trending topics in hrm topics for research and have plenty of resources available out there on the internet. Each of them is also relevant to the actual field of human resources management.

So, while writing a hr related research topics is not a typical or common activity for an HR employee, it will give you a lot of insights and information. These insights could give you a leg up in the future when you have graduated from School and College.

Human Resources Management Research Topics

At most large companies, ‘Human Resources’ is an entire department of its own. Most other departments at the company typically deal with producing a good or service. Others, like the public relations department, work with the media and other external affairs. Hence, there are many ways to approach HR research topics.

• How HR helps companies remain competitive in a global market.
• Managing part-time, full time, and freelancing employees.
• How much paid leave is optimal?
• What occasions deserve raises and bonuses?
• The simplest way to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
• The most effective team-building strategies.
• Organizing teams according to personalities.
• Can an introverted employee be a good team leader?
• How to improve productivity through a goal-oriented approach.
• The agile method and how it helps.
• The best way to utilize productivity metrics.
• Methods for disciplining employees.
• How to manage international employees.
• Preventing workplace violence.
• Benefits of regular psychological counseling for all employees.

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Equal Employment Opportunity HR Research Topics

• Are women more likely to get paid less for the same position as a man?
• Do men and women deserve the same pay?
• How to manage equal opportunity employment?
• The best tactics for implementing equal opportunity.
• Recruiting as an equal opportunity employer.
• How to recognize and manage discrimination in the workplace.
• The glass ceiling and how to break it.
• Best practices for mediating disputes between employees.
• Dealing with intimate relationships between employees.
• How to create a diverse workplace?
• Making the workplace an inclusive and accessible place for disabled employees.
• Preventing unfair discrimination against LGBT+ employees.
• The costs of an unequal workplace.
• The benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Government requirements for equal opportunity.

Career Development HR Research Topics

Those who are interested in working in the field could take their first steps by writing a paper on human resource management topics. There is a huge variety of possible human resource topics for research papers, so it is likely that everyone will find some aspect of it they enjoy.

• Creating leaders among employees.
• Why does professional career development matter?
• How career development helps both employees and organizations.
• The best approaches to on-the-job training.
• Should training be prioritized over completed current work?
• Best practices for training interns.
• Should interns be paid more?
• Professional certification training for employees.
• How does active professional development affect productivity?
• Is it worth it to help an employee develop if they find a new, better-paid job afterward?
• Skills that all employees should develop.
• Must-have training and development for all employees.
• Advantages and disadvantages of paying for an employee’s professional training.
• Advantages and disadvantages of leading professional development sessions.
• Should companies help employees pay for school?

Research Topics on Recruitment and Selection

Studying human resources is a crucial part of management studies. Whether you are a college or university student, you can buy paper online to save time and effort. There are lots of reputable services that can provide excellent assignments to boost your academic performance.

• What does the ideal new employee look like?
• When is the best time to recruit a new employee?
• When is the worst time to recruit a new employee?
• Should highly skilled but untested individuals be recruited for senior positions?
• Best practices for improving employee retention.
• How to attract good employees?
• The best platforms to recruit on.
• Is social media an effective way to recruit?
• What kind of employees should small businesses look for?
• What kind of employees are needed for a large company?
• Criminal background checks – Do’s and Don’ts.
• How to effectively assess skills during an interview.
• How does HR evaluate a potential new recruit?
• Is it better to recruit an employee with experience but no skill, or the other way around?
• Recruiting university graduates directly – a good idea or a bad one?

HR Risk Management Topics

With so many moving parts working together in one company, it is natural for confusion or conflicts to arise. In order to make sure all these departments, employees, and managers work together, Human Resources is essential. In companies with hundreds of employees, their job simply cannot be understated.

• What kind of risks does HR have to manage?
• What role does HR take in risk management?
• How does HR ensure worker protection?
• Is HR there to protect employees or protect the company?
• Legal measures HR can take.
• Risk management during the covid-19 pandemic.
• How HR managed risks revolving around covid-19.
• Reasons to carry out regular internal audits.
• Risk management among the ‘#metoo’ movement.
• Training the workplace to minimize potential risks.
• Risk management when working from home.
• Ways to ensure all your employees follow masking and social distancing rules.
• Ways to ensure all employees get vaccinated.
• Responding to a legal action taken by an employee.
• When should HR take legal action?

Workplace Safety HR Topics

• How to ensure compliance with workplace safety rules.
• The consequences of not following workplace safety.
• Ways to prevent osha violations.
• How to ensure all employees follow health and safety protocols?
• How to ensure all employees get vaccines?
• Fines and penalties for violating workplace safety rules.
• Consequences of violating safety rules.
• Steps to minimize or prevent burnout.
• Bringing dangerous weapons into the workplace.
• Steps to take when an employee is assaulted at work.
• How to ensure psychological wellbeing during remote work.
• Ensuring company leadership also follows safety roles.
• Combating sexual harassment at the workplace.
• Monitoring employees during remote work – is it ethical?
• Developing specialized safety standards for the workplace.

Trending HR Topics

• Unique ways to keep morale up during the pandemic.
• Online recreational activities to develop teamwork during remote work.
• Use of VR and AR in the workplace.
• Famous figures or celebrities in the workplace.
• Analyzing and updating how much a particular job is worth.
• Steps to take to improve long-term retention.
• Ways to handle overqualified employees or applicants.
• Is an HR department necessary for smaller, family-owned businesses?
• Defusing a tense and volatile moment in the workplace.
• DRM tools for keeping in-house training methods proprietary.
• Use of artificial intelligence for HR topics and tasks.
• How big data is useful to human resources.
• Virtual and online onboarding and orientation.
• Hiring the most talented personnel from a global marketplace.
• Are virtual interviews better than in-person interviews?

Conducting research on human resources is essential for any business looking to enhance their staff’s productivity, skills, and management. Accessing the most effective resources is critical to achieving this goal. This is where an online essay writer can be an invaluable asset in producing high-quality research papers related to human resources. By leveraging the knowledge and expertise of an online essay writer , you can conduct thorough research and create a top-notch human resources research paper that meets your needs.

HR is one of the most dynamic fields of work currently available. It is at the crossroads of psychology, sociology, accounting, and business. In the last few years, there have been many exciting changes in how human resources are handled, due to the rise of virtual platforms and working from home.

Only time will tell if these changes are temporary or permanent. But whichever way they go, our list of HR topics for research project 2023 will always be here for perusal.

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223 Awesome Human Resource Topic Ideas To Pick From

Are you looking for a human resource research topic for your academic paper? If yes, this article has a title you’ll find interesting to research and write about when handling your project. Human resources are the people that work for an organization or a company and the department that manages everything about employees. Collectively, they represent the most valuable resources in an organization or business.

The human resource department is part of a business whose responsibility is to find, screen, recruit, and train job applicants.

This business division also administers employee-benefit programs. Ideally, the HR department focuses on maximizing the workers’ productivity while protecting the company from the issues arising from the workforce. To achieve its goals, the HR department of an organization must engage in active research to improve the employees’ workforce. A human resource research paper comprises information about the findings of a study on a specific topic. And this includes:

• An answer to a question that a learner set out to investigate
• Proof of a relevant theory
• Practical and theoretical knowledge about the topic

Human capital is a crucial asset in any organization. What’s more, the subject is too broad for educators and researchers to underrate. If looking for a human resources topic for your paper or essay, this list has brilliant ideas to inspire you.

Latest  Human Resource Topics in the News

Do you want to base your human resource paper on a contemporary topic? If yes, consider these ideas for your essay.

• Ethical discrimination and workplace hostility among the minorities
• How remote working affects employee performance during the coronavirus pandemic
• How employee motivation affects job performance among those working from home
• The popularity of mobile-friendly job recruitment
• How necessary is background investigation for potential employees?
• How HR departments use recruitment marketing
• The essence of skill, personality, and aptitude tests during recruitment
• Should employers consider pre-employment assessments over resumes?
• How employers can improve candidate experience during the recruitment process
• How the open workforce like independent contractors and freelancers can benefit an organization
• Strategies for promoting workplace inclusion
• Should companies give their employees respite care?
• Offsetting caregiving costs by offering care assistance cover
• Should companies give employees paid family leave?
• Artificial intelligence use in human resource departments
• Can companies use AI to detect behavioral change among employees?
• How to use AI to customize professional development, employee promotion, and career paths
• Can a company use AI in employee performance management?
• Can companies use AI to detect employees that want to leave the workplace or company?
• Challenges of remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Benefits of working remotely for employers and employees
• Disadvantages of working remotely for the employees
• Can home workplaces lower employees’ productivity?
• Impact of lousy team dynamics on employee performance
• How poor physical and mental health impacts productivity
• Tracking how employees use work devices- Is it ethical?
• The best performance and compensation management tools for remote workers
• Sick leave and time left fraud among remote workers
• The Millennial employees and flexible working schedules
• The link between organizational performance and low morale
• Tips for succeeding in virtual team building
• How virtual teams affect organizational productivity
• How automating human resource tasks affects organizational outcomes
• Data-driven strategies and their use in the HR departments
• How annual educational stipends affect employee morale
• Should companies give employees leave to take a career development course?
• Should employees share professional and personal goals during yearly self-assessments?
• Why organizations should locate, train and retain the right people
• Advantages of onboarding as a method for maintaining human resources within an organization
• The essence of employee orientation
• Strategies for promoting belonging and autonomy among employees
• How health advocacy programs benefit employers and employees
• Can educational stipends boost employee morale?
• How managers can manage lower or higher expectations of employees working remotely
• The evolution of human resource management over the last decade
• The responsibilities of modern human resource managers in the business world
• Strategic HR management- What to do and avoid
• HR management practices for the largest companies in the world
• What current human resource training involves
• Human resource paradigms contributing to the development of businesses

These are exciting current HR topics to explore when interested in something recent. Nevertheless, take your time researching your preferred topic to develop a brilliant paper.

Professional Development  Human Resource Topics

If interested in career development topics, this category has excellent ideas to consider. Nevertheless, select a title you will be comfortable working with to enjoy your research and writing process.

• How to align employee development with company goals
• Coaching and mentoring for workers development
• How to build a coaching culture in a company
• How leaders of a company can become coaches
• Why individual career development programs benefit an organization
• How to use the 9-box grid to assess employees
• How does cross-training affect organizational efficacy?
• How do stretch assignments and on-the-job training affect employee performance?
• How beneficial is professional certification?
• The role of apprenticeship and vocational training in the workplace
• How does professional development affect middle-level managers expertise
• What affects professional development in an organization?
• Importance of professional development
• How does the COVID-19 pandemic affect employee’s onboarding?
• How professional development affects employee performance
• How professional development affects customer satisfaction
• How professional development affects employee retention
• Employee turnover and professional development- Is there a link?
• Should companies invest in ongoing professional development for their employees?
• Employees well-being and career development
• The nexus between professional stress and development
• How professional development networks affect leadership development
• Why do companies need policies for professional development?
• Success planning and professional development in organizations
• Current and past employee development approaches
• Employee productivity and professional development
• Challenges in career and professional development programs’ implementation
• Employment and qualifications criteria
• How to groom employees for success
• How to select a new career path

Choose a human resource topic from this list if you want to write about career or professional development. Nevertheless, research the title extensively to create a winning paper.

Talent Management  HR Topics

Talent management is among the responsibilities of the human resource management department. Here are exciting ideas to explore if interested in this aspect of HR management.

• Talent management versus talent hunting
• Talent management approaches in the hospitality industry
• Talent management in the medium and small enterprises
• Family-owned attitude towards talent management
• Talent management risk factors
• Talent management trends in a globalized world
• IBM versus Google talent management strategies
• Military talent management approaches
• Gig economy talent management
• Talent management future
• Talent management history
• Why recruitment matters in talent management
• What comprises a talent management system?
• Recruitment, performance management, compensation management and corporate learning- Why they matter in talent management
• Strategies for talent acquisition
• Why executive coaching matters in talent management
• Leadership development and recognition programs in talent management
• The essence of a strategic plan in talent management
• Effective talent management models
• Talent management in the corporate sector
• Why social media influencers matter in talent management
• How talent management affects organizational performance
• Success planning and talent management- What’s the link?
• How MNCs approach talent management in the USA
• How technology affects talent management
• Investing in people or automating more- The HR paradox for modern companies
• Why targeted learning matters in talent development
• How peer-coaching can help in the development of future-ready skills
• Development and learning trends after the COVID-19 pandemic
• Are community partners a vital part of a talent pipeline?

Select a topic from this list if interested in talent development and management. Nevertheless, prepare to research your preferred idea before writing your paper.

Human Resource Management Topics 

Perhaps, you’re interested in HR management or appraisal topics. In that case, think about these ideas for your papers.

• The critical elements of employees’ performance management
• Why the HR department should give feedback to the employees
• Organizational commitment and performance appraisal
• How to use performance appraisal in enhancing citizenship and organizational behavior
• Employee motivation and performance appraisal
• Performance appraisal versus performance management
• Why ongoing feedback on workers morale matters
• How to engage employees more effectively
• Why performance planning matters in the employee management cycle
• Incorporating employee input in company decision-making
• Why companies should set performance standards
• Why automated performance management units matter
• Data-based assessments and performance reviews
• Corporate culture and performance management
• Corporate culture and performance appraisal
• Strategic planning and performance management
• Performance management and employee reward systems
• Employee development and performance appraisal
• Employee engagement and HR management objectives
• How 360-degree feedback benefits an organization
• Challenges and benefits of the assessment center appraisal technique
• Using Behaviorally-Anchored Rating Scale in performance appraisal
• How beneficial are psychological reviews in the hospitality sector?
• Merits and demerits of Human Resource Accounting Method
• Factors increasing employee loyalty
• How to resolve workplace conflict arising from cultural differences in international companies
• The pros and cons of recruiting employees from universities
• How character types affect a company’s team-building efforts
• What is the responsibility of HR managers in talent hunting and management
• What should HR managers do about overqualified employees?
• Rules for recruiting, selecting, hiring, and educating new employees
• Opportunities and risks for hiring new employees
• Freelancers and outsourcing- Is putting the future of a company in the hands of freelancers a wise move?
• Why companies should educate their employees
• How HR managers can motivate or demoralize company employees

All these are interesting human resource management issues that you can explore in academic papers. However, select a topic you will be comfortable working with, from research to writing and proofreading your essay.

Hot Topics in HR 

Maybe you’re looking for a topic that most people will find captivating and want to read your essay from the introduction to the conclusion. In that case, pick a title for your research paper from this category.

• Are higher education institutions responsible for productivity decline in human resources?
• Trained human resource personnel and skilled workers- Who are better than the others?
• How employee experience coincides with employee engagement
• Working from home versus 9 to 5 jobs- Which is the best option for mothers?
• Employee responsibilities and workplace safety- What makes women unique?
• How the right talent affects a company’s success- A critical analysis
• Should companies further their employees’ education?
• Employees with degrees versus vocational and technical workforce
• Is mobile a new human resource technology platform?
• Why video interviews are the new norm in human resource outsourcing
• The role of globalization in talent sourcing from different locations
• The role of data management in improving recruitment, management, and retaining of employees
• How HR technology innovation enhances employee engagement
• Performance and goal management reinvention with check-ins and feedback mechanisms
• How software categories improve interactivity, feedback, and workplace culture management
• How user-friendly are cloud-based talent solutions?
• Can end-to-end talent management solutions meet complex and large organizations’ recruitment needs?
• What are the latest considerations in HR and labor laws?
• Should companies set ethical standards that differ from law provisions?
• How workplace ethics differ from labor laws
• How to build an ethical organizational culture
• How workplace discrimination laws influence employment
• Discuss the moral obligation of employees to their employers
• How to create effective legal and ethical employees’ welfare programs
• How HR professionals can protect the employees’ rights
• Legal and ethical concerns in a large group and single employee termination

Select any of these HR topics if looking for a title that will capture your readers’ attention and compel them to read throughout the paper.

Top  HR Research Topics  for  2023

Maybe you want to write about a topic that somebody reading about this year will find exciting and relevant. In that case, pick any of these human resource ideas.

• Using artificial intelligence in HR functions
• How HR managers can address workplace harassment and bullying
• How companies can encourage workplace diversity
• How wages affect the overall productivity of employees
• How to measure employee performance- Criteria and tools for practical evaluation
• Essential issues of modern labor laws
• How to protect company data in the technology age
• Should companies pay all staff members equally?
• How workplace health problems affect productivity
• What motivates employees to work more?
• Laws against religious and sexual discrimination that HR departments should implement
• Factors influencing employee retention
• How HR specialists can deal with employee commitment, loyalty, and job satisfaction
• HR planning in acquisitions and mergers
• The 21st-century challenges for human resource managers
• How employee engagement affects customer loyalty in the service-based sector
• The impact of a contingent workforce on an organization’s performance
• The increasing mental health problems among the employees in the service-based industry
• The impact and importance of training on a company’s sustainability during an economic crisis
• The role of HR practices in enhancing the overall organizational performance
• How career growth affects employee loyalty
• How different personality traits affect teamwork in a company
• How effective HR planning boosts the strategic alliance process
• How e-leadership helps in boosting employee motivation and productivity
• How artificial intelligence can enhance HR practices
• How daycare facilities can increase female employees’ productivity
• How workforce diversity can improve organizational innovation and capability
• How a flat organizational structure affects the decision-making process
• How involving employees in decision-making processes influence their productivity

Pick a human resource research topic from this category if looking for an idea that suits the current context. Nevertheless, take your time to identify and research the most current sources to provide relevant information.

HR Topics for Presentation 

Are you looking for an interesting presentation topic for an upcoming meeting or conference? If yes, pick one of these HR topics for discussion.

• How job rotation boosts employee growth
• Why ethics committees matter in an organization
• The role of HR in employee volunteering
• How to encourage work-life balance in start-ups
• Is an open office a boon or a bane?
• How to create an engaged workforce
• How a company can attract more millennials
• How to make your employees happy
• How to resolve disputes among employees
• Why employee development and learning matter
• Why employees’ mental health matters
• Why companies should digitize HR practices
• Why employee well-being is vital
• Human resource management in the ever-changing corporate environment
• How globalization affects human resource management
• Innovative human resource and employee management practices
• Challenges and issues of managing an international workforce
• Employee management in an IT organization
• Social security measures and labor welfare- The HR department’s role
• Coaching and mentoring for modern business excellence
• Different HR management perspectives
• Why human resource planning matters in a changing environment

This list comprises human resource paper topics that students can research and write about to earn excellent grades. However, every student should pick an issue they can comfortably explore and present an in-depth analysis of their selected ideas. That way, they can impress the educator and anybody that will read their essay.

Use a  Thesis Writing Service  to  Write  a Quality HR Paper

Maybe you’re struggling to select the best topic for your HR research paper. Perhaps, you’re not even sure about where to start or how to write your essay. In that case, seek help from professional writers. Whether you’re a college or a university student, you can find experts that will help you with topic selection and the entire writing process. What’s more, these writers can proofread your paper to ensure it is error-free.

So, instead of spending all your precious time trying to choose a topic or write your HR research paper, contact us to get the best HR paper writing help online. Our specialists will respond to your request immediately and provide fast and affordable writing assistance. And all you need is to initiate a conversation by saying something like, “Please do my dissertation.” Also, you can reach us by filling and submitting our contact form or email us. One of our representatives will get back to you as soon as possible. We want you to excel academically without breaking a sweat. Contact us now!

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Human resource management research in healthcare: a big data bibliometric study

• Xiaoping Qin 1 ,
• Yu-Ni Huang 2 ,
• Zhiyuan Hu 1 ,
• Kaiyan Chen 3 ,
• Richard Szewei Wang 5 , 6 &
• Bing-Long Wang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9910-9804 1  

Human Resources for Health volume  21 , Article number:  94 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Human resource management (HRM) in healthcare is an important component in relation to the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. However, a comprehensive overview is lacking to assess and track the current status and trends of HRM research in healthcare. This study aims to describe the current situation and global trends in HRM research in healthcare as well as to indicate the frontiers and future directions of research. The research methodology is based on bibliometric mapping using scientific visualization software (VOSviewer). The data were collected from the Web of Science(WoS) core citation database. After applying the search criteria, we retrieved 833 publications, which have steadily increased over the last 30 years. In addition, 93 countries and regions have published relevant research. The United States and Australia have made significant contributions in this area. Current research articles focus on topics clustered into performance, hospital/COVID-19, job satisfaction, human resource management, occupational/mental health, and quality of care. The most frequently co-occurring keywords are human resource management, job satisfaction, nurses, hospitals, health services, quality of care, COVID-19, and nursing. There is limited research on compensation management and employee relations management, so the current HRM research field still has not been able to present a complete and systematic roadmap. We propose that our colleagues should consider focusing on these research gaps in the future.

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Introduction

Among the many management elements, people are the most dynamic and active element, and they are an important asset in organizations [ 1 ]. The term “human resources” was first coined by the academic Peter F. Drucker in 1954 [ 2 ]. The key function of human resources management (HRM) is to “put the right people in the right jobs at the right time” [ 2 ]. HRM refers to the planned allocation of human resources in accordance with the requirements of organizational development through a series of processes, such as recruitment, training, use, assessment, motivation, and adjustment of employees, to mobilize their motivation, bring into play their potential and create value for the organization [ 1 ]. Ensuring the achievement of the organization’s strategic objectives, HRM activities mainly include human resource strategy formulation, staff recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, compensation management, staff mobility management, staff relationship management, staff safety and health management, etc. Similarly, modern healthcare management has human resources as the core. The HRM level in hospitals is related to the quality and efficiency of medical services provided by hospitals, which is also the core of internal hospital management and the focus of health macro management [ 3 ].

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that health systems can only work with the help of health workers, and that improving the coverage of health services and realizing the right to the highest standard of health depends on the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of health workers [ 4 ]. In response to evolving characteristics in socio-economic development and the human resource market, healthcare system personnel reforms are evident in three key areas: first, decentralization and flexible employment practices grant hospital managers greater decision-making autonomy concerning priorities and access to medical resources. However, they also impose quantitative and functional constraints on physicians' working hours, career planning, and medical payment systems. Second, a focal point is the rational allocation of technical staff to achieve efficiency while controlling labor costs. Finally, hospital organization change and restructuring are prevalent. Many European countries have unionized hospital employees, limiting the ability to establish independent incentives and rewards. In contrast, U.S. hospital employees often do not belong to specific organizations, leading cost control efforts to revolve around adjusting the allocation of technical staff and employee numbers to reduce labor expenses [ 5 , 6 , 7 ].

The current global trend in the number of publications on HRM in healthcare is rising. However, there are currently several problems in HRM research. The following issues mainly exist: (1) the expertise and professionalism of HRM managers are limited. (2) Theoretical methods and technical applications are weak. (3) Insufficient regulation of regulations, systems and procedures. (4) Management is mainly at the level of operational work, and functions are too fragmented [ 8 , 9 ]. Although hospitals worldwide generally recognize the importance of HRM, they do not pay sufficient attention to it. The management of human resources is also stuck in the previous understanding that its work is carried out only by transferring positions in hospitals, promoting and reducing the salary of employees and a series of other operations [ 10 ]. Most senior management in hospitals have comprehensive medical knowledge; some are experts in a particular field. Still, they lack expertise in HRM, which makes them work in a transactional way in HRM. There is also currently a general health workforce imbalance in countries worldwide. The lack of well-being of healthcare workers is particularly problematic in foreign healthcare institutions [ 11 ], and to reduce costs, some organizations have reduced staffing levels. In turn, because of lower quality of service, the morale of healthcare providers often suffers. Patient satisfaction may decline [ 12 ]. In the process of data gathering, we found that the literature related to HRM in healthcare is still under-reported and that the research topics are scattered, and there is still a lack of generalization and summary of these literatures [ 13 ]. There is no systematic theoretical support in the current research, which defines the perspective that researchers should take when analyzing and interpreting the data to be collected, leading to biased interpretations of the results, and does not allow other researchers to combine the findings with existing research knowledge and then apply them to practice [ 14 ]. Second, data collection was not rigorous, and the downloading strategy was not appropriate to achieve completeness and accuracy of data. There is also a lack of information and incomplete use of features in the presentation of knowledge maps and visualization results [ 15 ].

Therefore, the aims of this study are the following; first, we provide a new way of viewing the field of healthcare HRM and its associations by examining co-occurrence data. Second, we relate our evolutionary analysis to a comprehensive future research agenda which may generate a new research agenda in healthcare hospital HRM. This review, therefore, focuses on illuminating the research frontiers and future roadmap for healthcare HRM research [ 16 , 17 ].

Materials and methods

This study provides a bibliometric analysis of the HRM research literature in health care over a 30-year period to describe the landscape and trajectory of change in the research field. The methodology used for this overview is based on bibliometric mapping [ 18 , 19 ], a visualization technique that quantitatively displays the landscape and dynamic aspects of the knowledge domain [ 20 ]. Data were collected from the Web of Science (WoS) core citation database. Two Java-based scientific visualization software packages (CiteSpace and VOSviewer), developed by Chaomei Chen and Van Eck and Waltman, were used to analyze the data [ 18 , 21 ].

The data for this study were retrieved from the Web of Science on 28 September 2022. Web of Science was chosen as the search engine, because it is the most widely accepted and commonly used database for analyzing scientific publications [ 22 ]. The keywords “human resource management” and “healthcare organization” were used as search topics. First, to get a complete picture of HRM research, we searched all the literature from 1977 to the date of the search.

Eight hundred thirty-three publications on HRM in healthcare organizations were identified (Fig.  1 ). We excluded publications before 1990, because the two documents before 1990 did not include complete information. In addition, articles, review articles, and early access articles were included in the study. To minimize language bias, we excluded literature published in languages other than English. Each publication in WoS contains detailed information, including the year of publication, author, author’s address, title, abstract, source journal, subject category, references, etc. A detailed description of the contents of the database preceded the bibliographic analysis. For example, some authors presented their names in different spellings when submitting articles, so reviewing and integrating the data in detail was necessary. A total of 718 publications were included and exported to VOSviewer and CiteSpace software to analyze the following topics: global publishing trends, countries, journals, authors, research orientations, institutions, and quality of publications.

Research flow chart of the bibliometric analysis

Introduction to CiteSpace and VOSviewer

VOSviewer is a software tool for building and visualizing bibliometric networks. It was developed by Van Eck and Waltman [ 21 ]. In VOSviewer, metric networks can be visualized and analyzed for factors, including journals, researchers, or individual publications. They can be constructed based on citations, bibliographic couplings, co-citations, or co-authorship relationships [ 21 ].

Global publication trends

Number of global trends.

After applying the search criteria, we retrieved a total of 718 articles. Figure  2 a shows the increase in articles from 1 in 1977 to 108 in 2021. To predict future trends, a linear regression model was used to create a time curve for the number of publications throughout the year, and the model fit curve for the growth trend is shown in Fig.  2 b. The trend in the number of publications fitted the time curve well at R 2  = 0.8802. The R-squared value is a measure of how well the trend line fits. This value reflects the degree of fit between the estimated value of the trend line and the corresponding actual data; the better the fit, the more reliable the trend line is [ 23 , 24 ]. Based on the model’s trends, it is also predicted that the number of articles on HRM in healthcare will increase to approximately 300 by 2030, an almost threefold increase compared to 2021.

a Total number of publications related to HRM research. The bars indicate the number of publications per year. b Model fitting curves of global publication trends. c Top 10 countries of total publications. d Distribution world map of HRM research

Country and regional contributions

Figure  2 c, d shows the number of publications and the world distribution of the top 10 countries in total publication numbers. The USA contributed the most publications (172, 24.2%), followed by Australia (86, 12.0%), the UK (83, 11.6%), and China (78, 10.9%).

Total number of citations

The USA had the highest total number of citations of all included publications (5195) (Table 1 ), while the UK ranked second (2661), followed by Australia (1960) and the Netherlands (1271). The detailed rankings and numbers are shown in Fig.  3 a and Table 1 .

a Top 10 countries of average citations for each article. b Average number of citations. c Top 10 countries of the H-index

Average citation frequency

Belgium had the highest average number of citations (49.26), followed by the UK (32.06), the USA (30.2), and Canada (27.13), as shown in Fig.  3 b.

Total citations and the h-index reflect the quality of a country’s publications and academic impact[ 25 ]. Figure  3 c shows the ranking of the h-index, where the top country is the USA (h-index = 36), followed by the UK (h-index = 27), Australia (h-index = 23), and Canada (h-index = 22).

Analysis of publications

Table 2 shows the top 10 journals for publications on HRM in healthcare, with 54 articles published in “International Journal of Human Resource Management”, 44 articles published in “BMJ Open”, 30 articles published in “Journal of Nursing Management”, and 24 articles in “BMC Health Services Research”.

Table 3 shows the top 10 most published authors with 96 articles/reviews in the last decade, representing 13.4% of all literature in the field. Timothy Bartram from Australia has published 19 papers, followed by Sandra Leggat from Australia, Stanton P from the USA, and Townsend K from the UK with 13, 11, and 10 papers, respectively. All researchers listed as authors were included in this term for analysis, regardless of their relative contribution to the study. Notably, we have included all authors in this analysis regardless of their relative contribution to the study.

Research orientation

Figure  4 a shows the top 10 research orientations of the 100 research orientations. The most common research orientations were management (193 articles), nursing (107 articles), health policy services (105 articles), and health care sciences services (201 articles).

a Top 10 research orientations and the number of publications in each orientation. b Top 20 institutions with the most publications

Institutions

Figure  4 shows the top 20 institutions with the most published papers. La Trobe University has the highest number of articles with 24, followed by the University of London (23) and Griffith University (18).

Co-occurrence analysis

In the keyword mapping on HRM research in healthcare, the size of the nodes represents the frequency, while the line between the nodes reflects the co-occurrence relationship. A total of 1914 keywords were included, and 59 met the criteria. All keywords were grouped into six clusters: performance (light blue cluster), job satisfaction (red cluster), quality of care (blue cluster), human resource management (brown cluster), occupational/mental health (purple cluster), and hospital/COVID-19 (green cluster) (Fig.  5 ).

Co-occurrence analysis of HRM research in healthcare

The most prominent themes in HRM research in healthcare are as below. In the “Performance” cluster, the keywords which have the greatest co-occurrence strength were “performance”, “systematic review”, “decentralization health system” and “motivation”. The main keywords in the “Job Satisfaction” cluster are “job satisfaction”, “organizational commitment”, “transformational leadership” and “turn over”. In the “Quality of care” cluster, the keywords that stand out are “quality of care”, “patient safety”, “high-performance work system”, “quality management” and “patient satisfaction”. In the “Human resource management” cluster, the prominent keywords include “human resource management”, “health policy”, “public health”, and “education and training”. In the “Occupational/Mental Health” cluster, the prominent keywords are “Occupational health”, “mental health”, “well-being” and “burnout”. The main keywords in the “Hospital/COVID-19” cluster were “hospitals”, “COVID-19” “workforce” and “qualitative research”.

Global trends in HMR in healthcare

Our study of HMR research in healthcare illustrates current and global trends in publications, contributing countries, institutions, and research orientations. The field of HMR research has evolved over the past three decades. However, as this study shows, the number of publications steadily increases yearly, with 93 countries or regions publishing in the field, suggesting that research focusing on HMR research and providing in-depth knowledge will likely increase.

Quality and status of publications worldwide

We find that most publishing countries are developed countries, but developing countries are catching up. The total citation rate and the h-index reflect the quality and scholarly impact of a country’s publications [ 25 ]. According to our study, the US ranks first among other countries in total publications, citations, and h-index, making the most substantial contribution to global HRM research. The UK and Canada also contribute significantly, with impressive total citation frequencies and h-index, especially the UK, which ranks second in average citation frequency. However, some countries, such as Belgium, Canada and Australia, also play an important role, given their high average citation frequency. In developing countries, HRM research has also served as a guide for hospitals to improve the quality of care. The study will serve as a reference for developing countries to learn from the experience of developed countries as their economic development gradually catches up with that of developed countries.

The impact and prestige of the journals can be seen in the number of articles published in the field and the influential journals in healthcare HRM research, including the BMC Health Services Research, the Journal of Nursing Management, the International Journal of Human Resource Management, the Health Care Management Review, and the Journal of Health Organisation and Management. These high-quality journals are thus the main source of information for researchers in this field on the latest developments in HRM in healthcare.

The study shows that almost all of the top 20 institutions come from the top five countries with the most publications, with the majority coming from the US, Australia and the Netherlands, reflecting the great academic influence of these three countries in the field of HRM in healthcare. These institutions play an important role in raising the academic performance of a country. Furthermore, the top 20 authors represent research leaders who are likely to impact the future direction of research significantly. Therefore, more attention should be paid to their work to stay abreast of the latest developments in the field.

Research Focus on HRM

Keywords play a crucial role in research papers as they contain vital information [ 26 ]. A systematic analysis of keywords within a specific research domain offers valuable insights into trends and focal points across various research areas [ 27 ]. Moreover, co-occurrence analysis relies on the number of joint publications to evaluate relationships among the identified keyword domains. As a result, it serves as an effective method for predicting future trends and focal points within the research areas of interest. These findings are expected to inspire more researchers to contribute to the future of HRM research in healthcare [ 28 ].

In this study, a total of six research domains were eventually summarized. Performance, Hospital/COVID-19, Job Satisfaction, Human resource management, Occupational/Mental Health, and Quality of care. By visualizing the analysis results, we can easily further clarify future trends. As the co-occurrence diagram shows, the keywords “Organizational culture”, “Patient safety”, “Nursing”, “Leadership”, “Quality of care” and “Hospitals” are highlighted as larger icons, so that investment and demand for quality research are necessary for the context of these six research directions.

Six modules and research directions in human resources

This study found that the visual clustering results and the keywords that emerged from the clusters were closely related to the HRM module s described in “Human Resources Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage” by Noe. R . [ 29 ]. The modules have been cited in HRM research and are used as textbooks in universities [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Some of the keywords in each cluster correspond to human resource planning, performance management, recruitment and staffing, and training and development, respectively. The explanation of the HRM modules is described in the next paragraph. However, there are no explicit keywords in the modules related to employee relations management and compensation management results. This may be due to the private nature of the compensation structure in healthcare organizations during data collection, making it unavailable.

The explanation of the HRM modules [ 29 ]

Human resource planning is the starting point of HRM. It helps the organization forecast future personnel needs and their basic qualities, primarily through planning.

Recruitment and staffing, with HR planning as the input, is equivalent to the organization’s blood, nourishing the organization and solving the problem of staffing and staff matching.

Training and development, with the “education” theme.

Performance Management is at the heart of the six dimensions. It is also the primary input to the other dimensions.

Compensation management aims to motivate employees to solve the company’s problems.

Employee relations management aims to manage people and help the company form an effective cycle of rational human resource allocation.

Human resource planning

Human Resource Plan (HRP) stands for the implementation of the HR development strategy of the enterprise and the accomplishment of the enterprise’s goals, according to the changes in the internal and external environment and conditions of the enterprise, through the analysis and estimation of the future needs and supply of human resources and the use of scientific methods for organizational design, as well as the acquisition, allocation, utilization and maintenance of HR and other aspects of functional planning. HRP ensures that the organization has a balance of HR supply and demand at a needed time and in a required position, and achieves a reasonable allocation of HR and other resources to effectively motivate and develop of employees [ 34 ].

Decentralization health system, organizational culture/structure are high-frequency words in the clustering results related to “human resource management”. It is important to assess the extent to which decentralization can be used as a policy tool to improve national health systems. For policymakers and managers, based on relevant literature and research as well as country experience analysis, the experience of decentralization in relation to the organization and management of healthcare services is considered a forward-looking and pioneering concept capable of achieving optimal allocation of HR and other resources, in addition to the need to focus more on ex-ante and ex-post incentive development to deliver a 1 + 1 > 2 HRM effect [ 35 ]. HRP is the starting point and basis for all specific HRM activities. It directly affects the efficiency of the overall HRM of the enterprise. It is, therefore, taken as the primary job requirement for HR managers [ 36 ]. Organizational culture/structure significantly impacts the healthcare sector, such as excellence in healthcare delivery, ethical values, engagement, professionalism, cost of care, commitment to quality and strategic thinking, which are key cultural determinants of high-quality care delivery [ 37 ]. Therefore, as with other for-profit organizations, healthcare organizations must ensure that their organizational structure functions effectively to achieve their strategic goals. The organization formulates and implements HRM, an important task to achieve the development strategy goals.

Staff recruitment and allocation

Recruitment and staffing are the first steps in hospital HRM activities. Under the guidance of the organization’s human resources development plan, potential staff who meet the development conditions are attracted. Through the scientific selection of outstanding personnel, a platform with guaranteed treatment and development prospects is provided to ensure that the team of the healthcare organization is built solidly and meets the development needs. From the findings of this study, the keywords “workforce” and “workload” appear as high-frequency keywords in the co-occurrence analysis. Still, keywords related to traditional staff recruitment (e.g., analysis of recruitment needs, job analysis, competency analysis, recruitment procedures, and strategies) do not appear often. Recruitment and staffing are the prerequisites of human resources work. They bring a new dynamic source to healthcare organizations while complementing staff, making the organization full of vitality and vigor, facilitating organizational innovation and management innovation and helping improve the healthcare organization’s competitive advantage [ 38 ]. Recruitment and staffing, as a part of HR, directly impact the successful running of daily activities.

Training and development

Human resource training is an important component of quality and safety in the health care system. The keyword “education and training” shows a high frequency of co-occurrence in the clustering results of analysis, corresponding to the module “training and education”. However, it is connected to the keywords “human resource management” and “health policy”, and is in the same cluster with” public health”, “health care management”, and the distance between the lines and dots indicate that these topics are closely related, proving the importance of education and training in the HRM of health systems. Healthcare organizations (especially for non-professionals and caregivers) can improve the performance of their employees by enhancing their capabilities, knowledge and potential through learning and training, so that they can maximize their qualifications to match the demands of their work and advance their performance [ 39 , 40 ].

Performance management

Performance management, the core of the six modules, is also featured in the clustering results. Although this is an important focus for HR professionals, few studies have explored the link between HRM and health sector performance [ 6 ], the results show “performance” and “motivation”. The effectiveness of performance management is an important component of HRM, which effectively improves the quality of care in healthcare organizations/institutions [ 6 ]. Focusing on the effectiveness of performance management is considered to be crucial. First, as an integral part of HRM within an organization, it can help the organization meet its goals. Second, ineffective approaches can lead to negative attitudes among employees (including clinicians, nursing staff, administrators, etc.) and adversely affect performance due to decreased satisfaction among employees and patients. Third, given the increasing quality and cost reduction pressures on healthcare organizations, conducting further research on performance management and effectiveness is critical [ 41 ]. However, it is clear from our results that healthcare organizations have recognized the importance of performance management and are pursuing “high performance”. Although the topic of performance management in HRM in healthcare is one of the research priorities, the number is lacking and more discussion on performance management should be suggested for future research.

Compensation management

Compensation is an important tool to motivate employees to work hard and to motivate them to work hard. The results of the database's bibliographic analysis show that no keywords directly involved compensation. This indicates that “compensation management” has not been considered a hot topic or a research issue over 30 years of available literature. To clarify the content of this module, we further searched the database of 718 articles with keywords, such as compensation, remuneration, salary, etc., and found that only 35 of them mentioned or discussed compensation, and some years (e.g., 2018, 2009) even had no relevant literature being published. However, issues such as fairness of compensation management and employee compensation satisfaction are still important issues of concern to business management academics [ 42 , 43 ]. The actual situation is that it is difficult to conduct research on compensation management. Most organizations keep their employees’ compensation confidential, and when conducting research, HR managers avoid talking about their employees’ compensation or leave it vague, rendering it impossible for researchers to conduct further research.

Employee compensation is one factor that has the greatest impact on organizational performance. In the future, organizations should be encouraged to scientifically structure their compensation management and empower academic research to establish and implement fair compensation management systems based on empirical research while maintaining the privacy and security of organizational information.

Employee relations management

The connotation of employee relations management involves organizational culture and employee relations, as well as the coordination of the relationship between employers and employees. Healthcare organizations have complex structures with employees with varying skills, tasks or responsibilities, and such conflicts are often managed through the communication skills of administrative staff [ 44 ]. Although the keywords related to “employee relations management” did not occur in this study's analysis results, the six HRM modules are closely related. Therefore, this does not mean that no description of employee relations management was completely absent in the retrieved articles. It is clear that there is currently a lack of research on employee relations management in the healthcare field. Still, with the continuous development of the healthcare industry, it faces multiple challenges. If employee relations are not handled properly, healthcare organizations with social responsibility will face great public pressure, which will even affect the quality of healthcare services and performance, so it is especially important to strengthen the research on employee relations management.

This study inevitably has some limitations, the first of which arises from using quantitative methods to review documents in the field of HRM. The review relied on an analysis of the bibliographic data associated with the documents rather than a review of the research findings. The impact of the study was, therefore, limited to the general direction of developments in the field, rather than a synthesis of research findings. As a result, we may have missed some publications due to database bias. Second, most of the publications identified were in English and some articles relevant to other languages have not been included. Third, Since HRM exists in a wide range of industries and research areas, although researchers have set the screening criteria as detailed as possible, there may still be some literature that has not been detected.

This study describes the current state and global trends in HRM research in healthcare. The United States has made significant contributions in this field, establishing itself as a global leader. It is foreseeable that more and more publications will be published in the coming years, which indicates that HRM research in healthcare is booming. The analysis results of this study echoed the modules of HRM. It can be seen that in the current HRM research, many topics have been of interest. However, the focus and hotspots of the research are scattered, and there is presently no systematic research on the content of HRM in healthcare.

Availability of data and materials

All data and materials generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Editor-in-Chief and the referees for their helpful comments which help to improve our manuscript significantly.

This research was supported by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China (Grant number: 2021-RC630-001).

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School of Health Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China

Xiaoping Qin, Zhiyuan Hu & Bing-Long Wang

College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan

Yu-Ni Huang

Department of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China

Kaiyan Chen

Department of Innovative Medical Research, Hospital Management Institute, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China

Affiliation Program of Data Analytics and Business Computing, Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, 10012, United States of America

Richard Szewei Wang

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BW, ZH and LLconceived of the presented idea. BW, developed the theory. BW, YH, RW, KC and XQ collected the data and discussed the results. BW and YH encouraged XQ to investigate the hospital management field and supervised the findings of this work. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

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Qin, X., Huang, YN., Hu, Z. et al. Human resource management research in healthcare: a big data bibliometric study. Hum Resour Health 21 , 94 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-023-00865-x

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A resource-rational analysis of human planning

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People's cognitive strategies are jointly shaped by function and computational constraints. Resource-rational analysis leverages these constraints to derive rational models of people's cognitive strategies from the assumption that people make rational use of limited cognitive resources. We present a resource-rational analysis of planning and evaluate its predictions in a newly developed process tracing paradigm. In Experiment 1, we find that a resource-rational planning strategy predicts the process by which people plan more accurately than previous models of planning. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, we find that it also captures how people's planning strategies adapt to the structure of the environment. In addition, our approach allows us to quantify for the first time how close people's planning strategies are to being resource-rational and to characterize in which ways they conform to and deviate from optimal planning.

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T1 - A resource-rational analysis of human planning

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N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgement This work was supported by grant number ONR MURI N00014-13-1-0341 and a grant from the Templeton World Charity Foundation. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Proceedings of the 40th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2018. All rights reserved.

N2 - People's cognitive strategies are jointly shaped by function and computational constraints. Resource-rational analysis leverages these constraints to derive rational models of people's cognitive strategies from the assumption that people make rational use of limited cognitive resources. We present a resource-rational analysis of planning and evaluate its predictions in a newly developed process tracing paradigm. In Experiment 1, we find that a resource-rational planning strategy predicts the process by which people plan more accurately than previous models of planning. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, we find that it also captures how people's planning strategies adapt to the structure of the environment. In addition, our approach allows us to quantify for the first time how close people's planning strategies are to being resource-rational and to characterize in which ways they conform to and deviate from optimal planning.

AB - People's cognitive strategies are jointly shaped by function and computational constraints. Resource-rational analysis leverages these constraints to derive rational models of people's cognitive strategies from the assumption that people make rational use of limited cognitive resources. We present a resource-rational analysis of planning and evaluate its predictions in a newly developed process tracing paradigm. In Experiment 1, we find that a resource-rational planning strategy predicts the process by which people plan more accurately than previous models of planning. Furthermore, in Experiment 2, we find that it also captures how people's planning strategies adapt to the structure of the environment. In addition, our approach allows us to quantify for the first time how close people's planning strategies are to being resource-rational and to characterize in which ways they conform to and deviate from optimal planning.

KW - bounded rationality

KW - decision-making

KW - heuristics

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The research–practice gap in the field of HRM: a qualitative study from the academic side of the gap

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• Jesús de Frutos-Belizón   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3194-6910 1 ,
• Fernando Martín-Alcázar 1 &
• Gonzalo Sánchez-Gardey 1  

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In recent studies, researchers agree that there is a substantial gap between research and practice in the field of human resource management (HRM). The literature exploring the causes and consequences of this gap does not represent a finely structured discourse; it has focused on analysing the gap from the practitioner side, and it is based on opinions and theoretical discussions rather than on empirical evidence. In this paper, we try to shed some light on this so-called “valley of death”. We attempt to identify the causes underlying the disconnect between academics and professionals in our field by drawing on empirical qualitative evidence obtained from interviews with 15 expert academics in the field of HRM. Thus, the approach presented in our work differs from that of the prior literature in that it is focused not on the opinions of individual authors but on the personal experiences of a larger expert sample composed of independent, experienced scholars in the area. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, we analyse the factors explaining why academics are not always willing to focus their research on professional needs or orientate their research outputs to the practitioner community.

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Exploring the gap between research and practice in human resource management (HRM): a scoping review and agenda for future research

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Research Approaches in e-HRM: Categorisation and Analysis

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Acknowledgement

This study has benefited from financing from the Research Project ECO2014-56580-R of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitively, and the Research Projects P12-SEJ-1810 from the Andalusia Government (Spain) and PR2016-018 (Research Projects University of Cadiz).

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The authors appear in alphabetical order and have contributed equitably to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Business Management, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain

Jesús de Frutos-Belizón, Fernando Martín-Alcázar & Gonzalo Sánchez-Gardey

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Correspondence to Jesús de Frutos-Belizón .

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• Notes: The academics interviewed appear in alphabetical order. This order is not related to the number assigned to each academic interviewed. All information about the interviewees was obtained through Elsevier’s Scopus database and public information in their CVs
• *The Centre for Performance-led HR (CPHR) at Lancaster has been successful at bringing together world–class academic experts to work with top HR directors to overcome the most pressing issues facing senior HR specialists. It is a unique partnership between Lancaster University Management School and major corporations and was nominated as one of five Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiatives in the 2009 Times Higher Education Awards
• **NIHR Patient Safety Translational Research Centres (PSTRCs) work to pull advances in basic research with potential relevance to patient safety into an applied research setting
• ***The LINK Research Institute, based at Dublin City University Business School, sets out to understand the factors that contribute to successful organisations, both private and public, in Ireland and internationally. The LINK Research Institute enjoys mutually beneficial collaborations with a wide range of organisations. This includes various consulting projects with a wide range of organisations such as: Fáilte Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, The Electricity Supply Board, The Health Service Executive, The Department of Social Protection, Novartis, Intel, Mars, Airbus and Pfizer
• ****The Global Future of World Foundation aims to help Business, Academia and Goverments around the globe to prepare the workforce of the future for a sustainable world by detecting and predicting trends and paradigms for successful transformation ( http://globalfutureofwork.com/ )
• + The Institute for Business Research serves as the hub for externally funded business research within the Broad College of Business, and as part of the Michigan State University (MSU) campus-wide research infrastructure, collaborates with other MSU Colleges/Departments as well as the Offices of Regulatory Affairs, MSU Technology, Sponsored Programs, Business Connect and Contract and Grant Administration
• ++ The People Management Center (PMC) is an organization located with the department of Human Resource Studies at Tilburg University, which serves as a platform for global HR excellence to connect staff and students of the department, TIAS Business School and the business partners in the HR field

Appendix 2: Interview guide

According to your research experience, do you consider that research is individual or collective? What individuals or agents do you collaborate with in the development of your research projects?

Could you say that you have a stable research group? Do you have stable relationships with agents outside the group?

Could you briefly describe how work is normally organized in the research projects in which you participate?

Do you engage with professional partners in the development of research? How was this experience? What difficulties and benefits did you find in these collaborations?

Normally, what motivates your choice of research topics?

Could you specify the different steps of the research processes conducted in your group?

Which of them do you think are more important?

Do you think your research is relevant to the professional community?

Have you ever carried out a research project collaboratively with the professional community?

Do you consider that research in our field must be produced only for academics? Is it considered possible or viable to produce research jointly with the professional community?

How much time would you say that the whole process takes, from the time you have a stimulus to research until the time an output is generated?

What specific steps of the process do you feel are more time-consuming?

Do you usually change your research ideas and initial impressions after contrasting them with the rest of the members of your research team? Do you also do this with non-academic agents?

Does your research group have formal procedures (such as regular meetings) established? Do they incorporate external agents?

Could you say that the group has established routines to develop research activities?

Does your research team have a strong shared culture?

What do you think are the skills, knowledge or experience necessary to carry out a successful academic career? How would you describe a successful researcher in terms of knowledge, skills and experience?

How are these skills distributed in your group? Are there members specialized in some specific activities or phases of the research process?

How would you describe internal relationships within your research team?

Have you ever had communication problems between the members of the unit? How would you describe your communication with external and/or professional agents?

How is your research normally funded?

Do you receive funding from non-academic institutions, such as firms or professional foundations?

How do you think that the prevalent academic culture affects the development of your research?

Could you describe the process through which your research results are disseminated?

What are the criteria used to select the specific means through which research results are disseminated? To what extent do you make use of non-academic or professional channels?

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de Frutos-Belizón, J., Martín-Alcázar, F. & Sánchez-Gardey, G. The research–practice gap in the field of HRM: a qualitative study from the academic side of the gap. Rev Manag Sci 15 , 1465–1515 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-020-00397-x

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Received : 27 June 2017

Accepted : 01 June 2020

Published : 15 June 2020

Issue Date : August 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-020-00397-x

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149+ Best Human Resource Management Research Paper Topics

• Post author By Pooja Barman
• October 18, 2023

Are you looking for the best MBA HR research paper topics? If yes, here we give all the most exciting human resource project ideas for you.

If you’re studying human resource management (HRM), you know it’s a big and important field. People are the most vital part of any business. So, as a student, you often have to write assignments like essays, research papers, and theses about HRM. If your assignment doesn’t have a specific topic, it can be challenging. This article gives you a list of exciting HR topics to choose from. We’ve organized them into categories like training, talent management, leadership, and more, making it easier for you to pick the right one for your assignment.

In this blog, we will delve into HR research paper topics, explore how to choose the best ones, and understand why these topics benefit students.

You May Also Like: How Can You Reduce the Stress of Completing a Project

Table of Contents

What is HR Research Paper Topics?

HR research paper topics encompass a wide range of subjects related to managing human capital within an organization. These topics can be broadly categorized into areas such as recruitment, training and development, employee motivation, diversity and inclusion, labor relations, compensation and benefits, and more.

The goal of HR research is to provide insights and solutions to challenges that organizations face when dealing with their employees. It allows students to explore, analyze, and propose solutions to real-world HR issues, contributing to the field’s development.

How to Choose a Good HR Research Paper Topic

Here’s a guide on how to choose a topic that not only interests you but also aligns with your career goals:

1. Identify Your Interests

Start by considering your personal interests. What aspects of HR intrigue you the most? It could be talent acquisition, performance management, employee well-being, or any other facet of HR. Choosing a topic that aligns with your passion will make the research and writing process more engaging and fulfilling.

2. Consider Relevance

Look for topics that are relevant in the current HR landscape. HR is a dynamic field, and certain topics may gain more significance over time. Staying current with trends and emerging issues will help you choose a topic that resonates with the HR community and provides valuable insights.

3. Consult Your Advisor

Engage with your academic advisor or professor for guidance. They can provide suggestions, feedback, and help you refine your research topic. Advisors have a wealth of experience and can steer you in the right direction.

4. Define Your Scope

Ensure that your research topic is neither too broad nor too narrow. A topic that is too broad can be overwhelming, while a very narrow topic might limit the available research material. Find the right balance that allows you to delve deep into the subject while having access to relevant literature.

5. Explore Current Research

Review existing literature and research in the field. This will help you identify gaps and areas where further investigation is needed. Building upon existing research can lead to more meaningful contributions.

6. Practicality

Consider the feasibility of conducting research on your chosen topic. Can you access the necessary data, conduct surveys or interviews, or perform experiments if required? Ensure your chosen topic is practical within the scope of your resources and time constraints.

7. Ethical Considerations

Be mindful of ethical considerations when selecting a topic. Ensure that your research does not violate any ethical standards or raise ethical concerns. HR topics often involve sensitive issues, so it’s crucial to approach them with sensitivity and ethical integrity.

149+ Exciting MBA HR Research Paper Topics For Beginners

These are the major MBA HR research paper topics for beginners are given below.

Professional/Career Development HR Research Topics

Training and development general/ interesting human resource research topics, employee engagement hr research paper topics, compensation and benefits, mba labor relations hr research paper topics, performance management, diversity and inclusion research paper topics, hr technology research paper topics, workplace well-being, talent management hr research paper topics, employee turnover trending research topics in human resources, hris topics for dissertations, essays, and research paper.

Here are your HRIS (Human Resource Information System) research topics presented below.

Employee Benefits and Well-being Research Paper Topics

Here are simplified versions of your provided talent management research topics:

Equal Employment Opportunity HR Research Paper Topics

Following are the Equal Employment Opportunity HR Research Topics for students.

• Managing Equal Employment Opportunity : How HR departments make sure that everyone has a fair chance at work.
• Best EEO Practices : The right ways to ensure equal opportunities at work.
• Importance of Equal Opportunities : Why it’s crucial to treat everyone fairly in the workplace.
• EEO and Workplace Diversity : How equal opportunities connect with having a diverse workforce.
• Role of EEOC : What the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission does to enforce fair treatment at work.
• Workplace Discrimination Effects : How unfair treatment affects employee well-being.
• Direct vs. Indirect Discrimination : Different types of unfair treatment at work.
• Handling Unfair Dismissal : What to do when someone is fired unfairly.
• Mediation and Dispute Resolution : Using mediation to solve workplace problems.
• Including LGBTI Workers : How to make sure LGBTI employees are treated fairly.
• Employee Diversity and Performance : How having a diverse workforce affects a company’s success.
• EEO’s Impact on Organizations : How equal opportunities influence a company.
• Equal Opportunities and Employee Performance : How treating people fairly affects how well they work.
• EEO and the Transport Industry : Equal opportunities in the transportation field.
• EEO and the Glass Ceiling : Breaking down barriers for career advancement.
• Coordinating EEO Practices : Ensuring that companies follow EEO rules.

Top 10 Most Promising HR Research Paper Topics For College Students

Here are some promising HR research paper topics that students can consider:

• The Impact of Diversity and Inclusion Programs on Organizational Performance: Analyze how diversity and inclusion initiatives influence employee engagement, innovation, and overall organizational success.
• Remote Work and Employee Productivity: Examine the challenges and benefits of remote work arrangements, focusing on productivity, employee well-being, and work-life balance.
• The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Effectiveness: Investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence among leaders and employee satisfaction, performance, and retention.
• Mental Health and Well-being Programs in the Workplace: Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health programs and their impact on employee well-being, absenteeism, and productivity.
• The Future of Work: AI and Automation in HR: Explore the implications of artificial intelligence and automation in HR, such as AI-driven recruitment and chatbots for employee support.
• Performance Appraisal Systems and Employee Motivation: Analyze different performance appraisal methods and their influence on employee motivation and job satisfaction.
• Workplace Harassment and Strategies for Prevention: Investigate the prevalence of workplace harassment, its effects on employees, and strategies for prevention and intervention.
• The Role of HR in Talent Acquisition in the Gig Economy: Examine how HR functions in organizations adapt to the gig economy and the challenges they face in attracting and retaining gig workers.
• The Impact of Training and Development on Employee Retention: Assess the relationship between investment in employee training and development and long-term employee retention.
• The Role of HR in Change Management: Explore the HR department’s role in managing organizational change, particularly in mergers and acquisitions.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve chosen your HR research topic, the next steps will depend on your academic or professional goals. Here are some general guidelines:

• Research and Data Collection : Start by conducting thorough research on your chosen topic. Gather relevant information, academic articles, books, and any necessary data. Use reliable sources to ensure the quality of your research.
• Outline Your Paper : Create a clear and organized outline for your paper. This will help you structure your ideas and arguments effectively.
• Writing Your Paper : Based on your outline, start writing your paper. Ensure you follow the appropriate formatting and citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) as required by your institution or publication.
• Proofreading and Editing : After writing, carefully proofread and edit your paper. Check for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. You can also seek feedback from peers or mentors.
• Research Paper or Dissertation : If you’re working on a research paper or dissertation, make sure to follow the specific guidelines and expectations set by your academic institution or publication.
• Professional Writing Service : If you prefer expert assistance, consider hiring a professional writing service. Expert writers can help you create a well-researched, properly formatted, and organized HR paper on your chosen topic. You can use this paper as a reference and guide for your own assignment.

Selecting the right HR research paper topic is the first step toward a successful research journey. By considering your interests, the relevance of the topic, and ethical considerations,. You can choose a subject that not only aligns with your academic and career goals but also contributes to the ever-evolving field of HR. HR research paper topics offer numerous benefits for students, from practical application to skill development and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the field.

So, adopt the opportunity to explore HR topics and let your research be a beacon of knowledge and innovation in the world of human resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four core hr areas.

These are recruitment, selection, and placement; learning and development; performance management; and rewards and recognition.

What are the 5 functional areas of HR?

These are talent management, compensation, employee benefits, training, and development.

What are the areas of strategic HR?

Examples of strategic HR functions include compensation planning, recruitment, succession planning and employee development.

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HRM Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On April 16, 2024

Introduction

Human resource management studies stated that employees should be hired, retained and managed. It is an extensive field that requires an in-depth understanding of the underlying factors and concepts.

As a human resource management student, you will study many different concepts, frameworks, and theories related to employee management. However, before your graduation, you will be required to submit a dissertation on a human resource management research topic of your choice.

Even though several topics and concepts are yet to explore in the field of human resource management, you will want to make sure that your proposed topic has sufficient literature to support and justify the content of a theoretical framework , or else you might struggle with data collection .

This article provides you with a comprehensive list of HRM topics that are relevant to your field and identifies some interesting literature gaps.

Choosing from our list of topics will certainly improve your chances of submitting an outstanding dissertation. So, go ahead and choose an HRM dissertation topic of your interest. We can even customize these topics based on your project needs.

PhD qualified writers of our team have developed the proposed topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

Note –

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the topic,  research question ,  aim and objectives ,  literature review  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation examples  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

Review the full list of  dissertation topics for here.

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2024 HRM Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: how human resources departments achieve equal employment opportunities.

Research Aim: The research will aim to investigate how HR departments achieve equal employment opportunity in organizations. EEO, or Equal Employment Opportunity, is the notion everybody has an equal chance to pursue a job on the basis of merit, regardless of skin color, gender, or gender identity. It is the duty of HR department to give every employee and equal right in the organization. The research will examine how HR department keep the organization environment friendly by controlling equal employment opportunities.

Topic 2: The effect of motivating strategies on employee performance

Research Aim: The research will aim to find the impact of motivating strategies on employee performance. Employee motivation plays a huge part on performance. Employee engagement cannot be substituted by anything else in order for any organisation to run efficiently and without interruption. It is critical that a company and its employees not only have a strong connection with the top management, but also have a good and healthy relationship with their colleagues. The study will also make recommendations on what further might be done to obtain optimal results utilising motivating methods for the benefit of both the company and the individual.

Topic 3: Organizational Conflicts as Antecedents of Staff Turnover: Evidence from the UK Food Sector

Research Aim: The research will aim to review recent available literature on employee turnover in order to determine organizational conflicts as antecedents of employee turnover in the UK food sector in order to close gaps in the literature and present a broader range of turnover factors and understanding of employee motivational factors in their job decision.

Topic 4: How does AI involvement in HRM provide Zara with a competitive advantage?

Research Aim: The research will aim to inspect the benefit of competitive advantage at Zara through the involvement of artificial intelligence in their HRM. AI assists the human resources department in identifying their personnel’ skill sets and recommending a training programme based on their work positions. It combines all of the data and assists the HR staff in making succinct decisions about what training to do in which sector to boost abilities. The study will also explain the importance of AI in organizations and organizations success. It will also look into strategies and policies Zara used to achieve competitive advantage.

Topic 5: The role of HR in creating a respected working environment that contributes in sustainable revenue growth

Research Aim: The research aims to examine the role of HR in creating a respected working environment and sustainable revenue growth. The study will identify current misunderstandings and disparities in understanding of topics such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and the link between strategic human resource management and sustainable HRM through a comprehensive literature review. It will also identify and recognise the challenges that sustainable HRM encounters in reality, with a particular emphasis on the prevalent strategic HRM schema and the misunderstanding of corporate social responsibility.

Covid-19 HRM Research Topics

The role of managers during the pandemic.

Research Aim: In this study, the Human resource management techniques which HR managers will adopt for performing their operations during the COVID -19 will be discussed.

The management techniques for employees.

Research Aim: This study will focus on how the employees are trained during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The economic Crisis for HR Managers during Covid-19

Research Aim: This study will discuss how the economic crisis will disturb the payroll and how the managers will work.

The policies of HR for affected employees.

Research Aim: In this study, HR will design policies on how HR will manage when there is a gap between employees working. How will the ill patients be provided with support by companies through HR?

The employees' cooperation for HR

Research Aim: This study will highlight how well the employees support the decisions of the HR policymakers during the pandemic.

HRM Dissertation Topics for 2023

Topic 1: effect of employee engagement on customer loyalty in the service-based industry.

Research Aim: Employees engagement means that employees are passionate and committed to their work. In the service industry, where employees’ performance can greatly influence the quality of service, it is worth exploring employee engagement in customer loyalty in the service-based industry. Therefore, in this study, survey-based research will be conducted to identify employee engagement in customer loyalty.

Topic 2: Contingent workforce and its impact on organisation’s performance – Evaluating the IT Industry

Research Aim: Nowadays, companies hire freelancers and contractual workers, unlike permanent payroll employees. Various cost benefits can be obtained by hiring such a workforce. However, such a workforce may not have the required skills to do a job as effectively as a trained staff would have done. Thus, the present study focuses on identifying the impact of a contingent workforce on its performance in the IT industry.

Topic 3: Factors of growing mental health issues of employees at workplace in service-based industries

Research Aim: The wellness of employees at the workplace is necessary for their mental health and work performance. This study will identify the factors that can increase employees’ mental health issues at the workplace based on survey-based of employees and managers of service-based industries.

Topic 4: Analysing the importance and impact of training and development on an organisation’s sustainability during economic crises.

Research Aim: to achieve organizational objectives and milestones, leaders and business owners have realized the importance of training and developing their workforce to align with the organizational objectives. This research aims to analyze the importance and impact of employee training and development on the organization’s sustainability during economic downturns.

Topic 5: How online digital platforms have helped organisations in recruiting effectively and efficiently

Research Aim: With the advent of technology, firms have revolutionized their business operations. Under this revolution, many organizations have adopted different techniques and methods to recruit talented employees. Therefore, this research intends to determine how online digital platforms have helped organizations find employees more efficiently and effectively.

Topic 6: Analysing the factors which directly impact an employee's personal decision to leave employment

Research Aim: Employee turnover rate has always been a major concern for many organizations regardless of their size and nature. A valuable and talented employee is usually hard to find and retain. However, it has been found out that different factors motivate an employee to search for a new job. Keeping this phenomenon in mind, the current research will be analyzing the factors that directly impact the employee’s personal decision to leave employment.

Topic 7: Critically analysing the concept of workplace flexibility and how it impacts employee and organisational performance

Research Aim: In today’s modern era, the workplace environment has been transformed drastically from a strict and conventional style to a more flexible one. Therefore, this research aims to critically analyze the concept of workplace flexibility and how it impacts employee and organizational performance.

Topic 8: A comparative analysis of employees' job satisfaction and motivational factors in public versus private organisations.

Research Aim: Job satisfaction and employee motivation are regarded as the most important element of HR practices. The main aim of HR policies is to satisfy, retain, and motivate employees. Therefore, this research aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the employee’s job satisfaction and motivational factors in public versus private organizations.

Topic 9: The influence of COVID-19 on virtual employee management practices by organisations

Research Aim: This research is highly useful in the current context of COVID-19. Organisations all around the world are getting impacted by the COVID-19 and are closed at the moment. The current study will focus on using different virtual employee management practices that companies can use in the current context of COVID-19. These practices will be beneficial for organizations in almost all business sectors.

Topic 10: The role of using transformational leadership style in the improvement of organisational creativity at Morrisons

Research Aim: The aim of this research will be the benefits of using the transformational leadership style by Morrisons’ leaders to improve organizational creativity. This study will research how leaders can get the advantage of a transformational leadership style for increasing creativity at the organization.

Topic 11: The green HRM practices and their impacts on the corporate image of IKEA

Research Aim: This study will aim to study different green HRM practices and their role in improving IKEA’s corporate image and reputation. It will be researched how companies can improve their corporate image by focusing on green HRM practices and processes. The findings will be beneficial for the management, customers as well as employees.

Topic 12: Involving employees in the decision-making process and its influence on employee productivity at Subway

Research Aim: It will be researched in this study how Subway and other companies in this industry can involve the workers in the decision-making process to improve employee productivity. It will be studied that employee productivity is increased by involving the employees in the decision-making process. The findings will be useful in designing useful HR practices by Subway.

Topic 13: The impact of a flat organisational structure on the decision-making process

Research Aim: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the decision-making difficulties and issues faced by HR managers of companies with a flat organizational structure. This study will also investigate the benefits and challenges related to the flat organizational structures used by companies. A case study approach will be used.

Topic 14: The role of workforce diversity in improving organisational capability and innovation at Toyota Motors

Research Aim: To carry out this study, an innovative company named Toyota Motors will be selected. The main objective for carrying out this study will be to analyze how the organizational capability and innovation at Toyota Motors are improved due to workforce diversity. The main emphasis will be on studying the workforce diversity present at Toyota Motors and its significance in improving innovation and organizational capability. The success factors of Toyota Motors for HR will be studied.

Topic 15: The impact of digitalization on changing HRM practices at Aviva

Research Aim: The contemporary business world moves towards digitalization due to technological advancements. This research will study the different impacts of digitalization in changing various HRM practices at Aviva. Different HRM practices used by Aviva before and after the digitalization era will be discussed, and the changes will be analyzed. This study will show how digitalization has changed HRM practices in the contemporary business world.

Topic 16: The influence of employee learning and development opportunities on employee satisfaction at British Airways

Research Aim: It will be studied in this research that how employee satisfaction at British Airways is influenced by employee learning and development opportunities. Different employee learning and development opportunities at BA will be studied, along with their impact on workforce satisfaction.

Topic 17: The impact of recognizing employee contributions on employee retention at Shell

Research Aim: This study’s main objective is to analyse whether Shell can retain its employees by recognizing their contributions or not. Different strategies used by Shell for recognizing employee contributions will be studied that lead towards motivating the employees, which ultimately impact the retention of workers.

Topic 18: The role of green HR practices in employee engagement and retention

Research Aim: Green HR practices is a newly emerged concept in HRM. The study will aim to research the impact of green HR practices on employee engagement and retention. It will be studied how companies can improve employee engagement and retention by focusing on green HR practices.

Topic 19: The role of providing daycare facilities in increasing the productivity of female employees

Research Aim: This study will be focusing on the productivity of female workers. It will be studied how female workers’ productivity is increased by providing daycare facilities for their children. The impact on the satisfaction level of female employees due to the daycare facility will also be explored.

Topic 20: The impact of artificial intelligence on enhancing the human resource practices of Zara

Research Aim: For this study, the researcher will focus on the concept of artificial intelligence and use it in the HR context. It will be studied that either the HR practices at Zara can be enhanced by implementing AI. The benefits and implications of implementing AI in the HR context will also be part of this study.

Topic 21: The role of e-leadership in improving employee productivity and motivation.

Research Aim: The contemporary business world has become highly advanced due to technological capabilities. The concept of e-leadership has emerged due to advancements in technology. The purpose of this study will be to analyse the impact of e-leadership in improving the productivity and motivation level of the workforce.

Topic 22: The role of effective HR planning in a successful strategic alliance process.

Research Aim: This study will study the importance of effective HR planning for the strategic alliance process. It will be studied how HR management can mould the HR practices and focus on effective HR planning to make the strategic alliance process successful.

Topic 23: The impact of different personality traits on teamwork at Microsoft

Research Aim: The main focus of this research will be studying Microsoft’s teamwork. It will be further analyzed how Microsoft’s teamwork is influenced by the personality traits possessed by different team members. Different types of personality traits will be studied in this research that impacts teamwork positively and negatively.

Topic 24: The impact of career growth opportunities on employee loyalty at HSBC Holdings.

Research Aim: This study will aim to review different types of career growth opportunities offered by HBSC Holdings to its employees. Moreover, it will also be studied how employee loyalty is improved due to various career growth opportunities. The findings of this study will be beneficial for the banking sector.

Topic 25: The role of adapted HR practices in improving organisational performance at the international branch of DHL.

Research Aim: The study’s main objective will be to analyse companies’ changes in their HR practices for international branches. How and why the HR practices are adapted by HR management for improving the organisational performance at the company’s branch, which is located outside the country. For this, the DHL case study will be selected, and it will be assessed how and why DHL has used adapted HR practices across different countries.

HR Learning and Development Dissertation Topics

All organisational activities aimed at improving the productivity and performance of groups and individuals can be classified as HRM’s learning and development function elements. Learning and development encompass three pivotal activities, including education, training, and development.

As such, the training activities help to evaluate an employee based on his existing job responsibilities. Educational activities include those focusing on jobs that an employee can expect to carry out in the future.

Finally, the development activities are those that the employer may partake in the future. If you’re interested in exploring this human resource topic in-depth, we have some interesting dissertation topics for you:

Topic 1:The importance of appreciative inquiry with respect to organisational learning and development culture – A case study of ExxonMobil

Research Aim: This research will discuss the importance of appreciative inquiry and its impact on organisational learning and development culture with a specific focus on ExxonMobil.

Topic 2:To establish the correlation between organisation competency development and learning activities & programmes

Research Aim: This research will discuss how organisational competency development and organisational learning activities are correlated.

Topic 3:An examination of knowledge management and organisational learning for sustained firm performance. A case study of British Telecom

Research Aim: This research will examine how organisational learning and knowledge management helped British Telecom sustain their firm performance.

Topic 4:Investigating learning and development of human resources in the public sector in the UK

Research Aim: This dissertation will evaluate the different ways of achieving the learning and development of human resources in the UK’s public sector.

Topic 32:The importance of HR learning and development activities for SMEs

Research Aim: This research will focus on how SMEs utilize HR learning and developmental activities to improve their employees’ performance.

Topic 33:Human resource practices and employees’ decision to quit – Does Lack of Learning and Development play a Role.

Research Aim: This research will focus on whether or not lack of learning and development in an organization leads to employee turnover,

Topic 34:Developing organisational competitive advantage through strategic employee training in computer knowledge

Research Aim: This dissertation will explore how companies can gain a strategic advantage over their competitors through employee training.

Topic 35:The impact of various training and learning based activities on employees’ productivity

Research Aim: The main aim of this research will be to determine the impact of different pieces of training and learnings on employees’ productivity.

Topic 36: The role of HR analytics and metrics in improving organizational performance at Tesco

Research Aim: This study aims to research a new concept in human resource management, named HR analytics and metrics. Moreover, their impact on improving organizational performance will also be studied. This study will be beneficial for Tesco in using HR analytics and metrics in different HR practices that can lead to improved organizational performance.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service , which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

HR Performance Review Dissertation Topics

A performance review, also known as a career development discussion, performance evaluation and employee appraisal, can be defined as a method to evaluate an employee based on their job performance, mainly for appraisals. This might be an interesting area to focus your dissertation on. Here are some interesting topics in this area of HRM:

Topic 37:To understand the relationship between performance review and employee motivation in large and diversified business organisations

Research Aim: This research will understand the relationship between employee motivation and employee performance review. Large and diversified businesses will be the main focus of this study.

Topic 38:Effective performance appraisal – A study to establish a correlation between employer satisfaction and optimising business results

Research Aim: This research will analyse the impact of performance appraisal on employer satisfaction and how it optimises business results.

Topic 39: Investigating the efficacy of performance appraisal from the perception of employees in UK retail industry – A case study of Tesco

Research Aim: This research will analyse the efficacy of performance appraisal concerning employees, with a specific focus on Tesco.

Topic 40: Employee performance appraisal and the role of fairness and satisfaction

Research Aim: This dissertation will explore whether employees report satisfaction and fairness when performance appraisal is conducted.

Topic 41:Investigating performance review and appraisal methods employed by human resource department of any large oil and gas company

Research Aim: This research will study the human resource department of a large oil and gas company and will investigate how “performance review” and appraisals are conducted.

Topic 42: Job satisfaction and performance appraisals – Are they Interconnected?

Research Aim: This research will study in-depth whether job satisfaction and performance appraisals are interconnected or not.

Topic 43:Investigating the relationship between public sector appraisals and the spinal pay reward

Research Aim: This research will talk about the spinal pay reward system and evaluate its effectiveness in the public sector.

Topic 44:Analysing the impact of performance management on employee performance improvement

Research Aim: This research will investigate how performance management helps companies improve their employees’ performance.

Topic 45: Can HR performance drive employee engagement? Studying the UK banking industry

Research Aim: This research will talk about the different ways through which HR performance review helps in improving employee engagement. The UK banking industry will be in focus in this study.

Topic 46:The role of HR performance review in increasing employee retention and productivity

Research Aim: This research will investigate how organisations utilize performance reviews as a tool to improve employee retention and productivity.

HR Employee Motivation Dissertation Topics

Employees need objectives and goals to remain focused. The quality of work may significantly drop if they are not constantly motivated by their employers.

Business organizations employ various employee motivation methods and techniques to keep their employees motivated. Thus, this is an interesting topic to explore for your final year dissertation. Here are some HRM dissertation topics related to employee motivation.

Topic 47:To investigate the role of motivation in HRM – A study highlighting the most important motivation factors for future business leaders

Research Aim: This research will discuss the different motivation factors organisations should use to develop future leaders. In addition to this, the role of motivation throughout HRM will be discussed.

Topic 48:Employee satisfaction and work motivation – Are they both related?

Research Aim: This research will understand the relationship between motivation and employee satisfaction and the different motivation techniques companies can employ to increase employee satisfaction.

Topic 49: Evaluating the Role of Employee motivation in performance Enhancement

Research Aim: This study will discuss the role of employee motivation concerning employee performance, i.e. whether it enhances performance or not.

Topic 50:Human resource management – Motivation among workers in large and diversified business organisations

Research Aim: This dissertation will talk about motivation in large and diversified organisations and how these companies ensure that their employees are motivated at all times.

Topic 51:Effects of motivational programmes and activities on employee performance

Research Aim: This research will focus on the different motivational techniques and programs that impact employee performance.

Topic 52: Does motivation play a role in decreasing employee turnovers? A case study of British Airways

Research Aim: This research will discuss the role of motivation in decreasing employee turnover with a specific focus on British airways.

Topic 53:Motivation and performance reward – Are the two interrelated?

Research Aim: This research will talk about motivation and performance rewards and will assess whether the two are interrelated and directly related.

Topic 54: Work productivity and the role of employee motivation programmes and activities

Research Aim: This study will assess employee motivation programs’ impact on employee productivity, i.e. if it increases or decreases.

Topic 55:To discuss the role of employee motivation in relation to retention levels

Research Aim: This research will analyze employee motivation’s role to help companies retain employees.

Topic 56:Differences and similarities between traditional and contemporary theories

Research Aim: This research will discuss and compare traditional and contemporary motivation theories implemented by companies.

Topic 57: The role of employee empowerment in employee motivation and satisfaction at British Petroleum.

Research Aim: This study will aim to analyse different strategies of employee empowerment carried out by British Petroleum and their impact on workers’ motivation and satisfaction. The research will be studied that either different employee empowerment strategies improve employee motivation and satisfaction. The findings will be beneficial for companies working in the petroleum sector.

Topic 58: The impact of open communication in improving employee engagement at Zara

Research Aim: In this research, different modes of communication used by organisations will be studied and especially the impact of open communication in improving employee engagement at Zara will be analyzed. The importance of open communication for different organisations in the fashion and retail sectors will be discussed. Moreover, different communication strategies that can help improve employee engagement at Zara will be discussed based on past literature, theories, and framework.

HR Performance Management Dissertation Topics

All processes and activities to consistently meet organisational goals and objectives can be considered the HR performance management mechanism elements. Different organisations employ different performance management strategies to gain a competitive advantage. To explore this area of human resources, here are some intriguing topics for you:

Topic 59:Investigating different performance management techniques for retaining employees

Research Aim: This research will talk about companies’ various performance management techniques to retain employees.

Topic 60:The role of performance management activities in improving employees’ skills and abilities

Research Aim: This research will discuss how performance management helps employees improve their skills and abilities and how it ultimately helps companies.

Topic 61:Managing performance of workers through performance management techniques – A Case Study of Google

Research Aim: This research will explore how organisations use different performance management techniques to manage employees and their performance. A specific focus of this study will be Google Incorporation.

Topic 62:Employee performance and performance management systems – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This study will conduct a qualitative study to understand the different performance management systems for improving employee performance.

Topic 63:Performance management examinations in human resource management of profit-oriented organisations

Research Aim: This research will understand performance management in profit-oriented companies regarding how their human resource department ensures optimal performance.

Topic 64:Exploring the essentials elements of the performance management framework

Research Aim: This research will explore its vital features and performance management framework.

Topic 65:Human resource management practices and business performance – The role of environmental uncertainties and strategies

Research Aim: This research will explore whether environment uncertainties and strategies play a role in employee and business performance.

Topic 66:The efficacy of performance management systems in the UK’s retail industry

Research Aim: This research will explore the UK’s retail industry’s performance management efficacy.

Topic 67:Towards a framework for performance management in a higher education institution

Research Aim: This research will investigate performance management in the educational setting.

Topic 68:Should wages be capped through performance management – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This research will analyse whether wages should be adjusted and capped concerning performance management with a focus on its effects.

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Strategic Human Resource Management Dissertation Topics

Strategic human resource management is tying the human resource management objective to the company’s goals and objectives. This helps companies in innovating and staying ahead of their competitors by gaining a competitive advantage.

Being a relatively new concept, there are various aspects of strategic HRM that are left to be explored. Here are some interesting strategic HRM dissertation topics for you:

Topic 69:The efficacy of communication processes and employees’ involvement plans to improve employee commitment towards organisational goals – A case study of Sainsbury

Research Aim: This research will study the role and efficacy of the communication processes and employees’ involvement in order to improve employees’ commitment towards organisational goals.

Topic 70:To investigate SHRM theory and practice in a call centre – A case study of any UK call centre

Research Aim: This dissertation will discuss the various SHRM theories and how it is implemented. A UK-based call center will be focused on this study.

Topic 71: Differences and similarities between SHRM strategies and policies employed by German and Japanese automobile companies

Research Aim: This research will compare the different SHRM techniques and policies implemented by German and Japanese automobile companies.

Topic 72: A resource-based view assessment of strategic human resources quality management systems

Research Aim: This research will understand the resource-based view of strategic human resources quality management systems.

Topic 73: To understand and critically evaluate the HRM strategies employed by small and medium sized enterprises in the UK

Research Aim: This research will discuss and evaluate the different strategic HRM strategies employed by small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK.

Topic 74: Relating organisational performance to strategic human resource management – A study of small scale businesses in the UK

Research Aim: This study will analyse whether organisational performance and strategic human resource management are interconnected by assessing small scale businesses in the UK.

Topic 75: Investigating strategic human resource management in Singapore – A qualitative study

Research Aim: This research will analyse strategic human resource management in Singapore by undertaking a qualitative method.

Topic 76: The role of organisational support programmes to enhance work outcome and employees behaviour

Research Aim: This research will understand the organisational support program in order to enhance employee work outcome and their behaviour.

Topic 77: To establish the most important components of strategic HRM for SMEs in the UK to develop a competitive advantage

Research Aim: This research will talk about the relationship between the different SHRM components for SMEs in the UK in order to gain a competitive advantage.

Topic 78: To establish the significance of the relationship between organisational performance and strategic human resource management

Research Aim: This research will explore the relationship between organisational performance and strategic human resource management and how it helps companies achieve their objectives.

Human Resource Theory Dissertation Topics

The human resource theory framework consists of a soft and hard approach to human resources management. Various theories cover the different aspects of the soft and hard human resource approach.

Exploring this area of HRM will help in understanding more about the soft and hard HRM approaches. Here are some dissertation topics in this area that you can choose from.

Topic 79: A comparative analysis of various human resources theory approaches

Research Aim: This research will discuss various human resource theories and approaches and provide a comparative analysis.

Topic 80:To study human resources systems practiced by Multinationals in the UK

Research Aim: This research will discuss the various human resource systems as practised by multinational companies operating in the UK.

Topic 81:The role of human resources management (HRM) in regards to addressing workers’ concerns.

Research Aim: This research will discuss the importance of human resources in understanding and addressing worker’s concerns.

Topic 82: Can HRM have a negative influence on the performance of business organisations – A qualitative study?

Research Aim: This research will discuss a unique aspect of human resource management, i.e. whether it harms the company’s performance or not.

Topic 83: Is Human resources the only option for employees? An exploratory study

Research Aim: This study will analyze human resources’ role in solving employee issues and assess whether it is the only option for employees.

Topic 84:Exploring the contribution of human resource to the success of organisations

Research Aim: This research will aim to understand the role and contribution of the human resource department in companies’ success.

Topic 85:To investigate the most predominant human HRM and control strategies employed by business organisations

Research Aim: This research will discuss an interesting topic, i.e. the most predominant HRM strategies organisations implement.

Topic 86:To investigate the role of HR as a shared service.

Research Aim: This study will discuss human resources’ role as a shared service in the organisation.

Topic 87:Does a supervisor has a role to play in implementing HR practices – A critical study

Research Aim: This study will critically analyze supervisors’ role in implementing human resource practices in an organization.

Topic 88:The ethics of firing employees – Do companies really follow it?

Research Aim: This research will focus on how employees are fired at organizations and whether human resources follow the ethics of firing or not.

HR Organisational Culture Dissertation Topics

Organisational culture, also known as organisational climate, is defined as the process by which an organisation’s culture can be quantified. The properties of the work environment that are either considered positive or negative by the employees (and that may influence their behaviour) are the most important components of the organisational culture framework.

Studying this aspect of human resources will help you gain an in-depth knowledge of the role of culture in human resource management. Here are some interesting dissertation topics in this area:

Topic 89:The role of leadership, HRM and culture in vitalising management systems in firms

Research Aim: This research will understand the role of leadership and culture in human resource management and how it helps companies manage their systems.

Topic 90:Finding the right balance between differentiation and standardisation of HRM practices and policies – HRM of multinational companies operating within the European Union

Research Aim: There are certain human resource practices that are standardized throughout the world. This research will investigate the differences between such standard policies with respect to culture. Multinationals operating in the European Union will be focused.

Topic 91:Cross-cultural human resource management – The role it plays in the success of different organisations

Research Aim: This research will study the role of cross-cultural human resource management in the success of companies.

Topic 92:The impact of cross-cultural competencies in start-up companies

Research Aim: A lot of companies do not encourage cross-cultural human resources in the workplace. This research will analyse how cross-cultural competencies help startups grow and succeed.

Topic 93:The role of organisational cultural on HRM policies and practices – A case study of Cambridge University

Research Aim: This research will aim to understand the role of organisational culture on human resource policies and practices. The main focus of this study will be at Cambridge University.

Topic 94:The relationship between human resource management practices and organisational culture towards organisational commitment

Research Aim: This research will assess the relationship between different cultures and human resource practices with respect to organisational commitment.

Topic 95: Investigating cultural differences between the work values of employees and the implications for managers

Research Aim: This study will conduct an investigation related to the work values of employees based on their various cultural differences. It will then be concluded what this means for the managers.

Topic 96:To effectively manage cultural change without affecting work productivity

Research Aim: This research will discuss an interesting topic as to how managers should manage organisational cultural change without harming productivity.

Topic 97:Inducting new employees into the culture – Does it help organisations?

Research Aim: This research will discuss whether or not it is feasible for organisations to hire employees when the company is undergoing a cultural change.

Topic 98:Recruiting to change the culture – The Impact it has on the Profitability of the Company

Research Aim: This research will discuss whether companies should hire to lead change in the organisation, i.e. whether hiring should be done for this specific purpose, and what this new hiring means for the company in terms of profitability.

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HR Diversity Dissertation Topics

The changing corporate world has provoked organisations to develop and implement diversity management systems as part of their human resource management system. Although relatively new, diversity management is an important research area of human resource management that brings challenges and learning to employees.

With many areas unexplored and literature gaps in this subject, there are some extremely interesting dissertation topics you can select for your final year project. Some of them are listed here:

Topic 99: Investigating the difference between discrimination and diversity – How Do they Impact Organisations

Research Aim: This research will discuss the differences between the two concepts, diversity and discrimination and their impact on organisations.

Topic 100:Managing diversity through HRM: A conceptual framework and an international perspective

Research Aim: This study will discuss how the human resource department can manage diversity. The study will be conducted in an international setting.

Topic 101:Managing diversity in the public sector – How do companies manage to remain successful

Research Aim: This research will explore managing diversity in the public sector and how these companies can be successful even through diversity.

Topic 102:Managing cultural diversity in human resource management

Research Aim: As much as a human resource helps companies manage diversity, how will companies manage diversity in their main HR department. This research will answer this exact question.

Topic 103:The managerial tools, opportunities, challenges and benefits associated with diversity in the workplace

Research Aim: This research will focus on the tools available to human resources in managing diversity, and how they change it to opportunities and overcome diversity-related challenges.

Topic 104: Investigating the challenges of exclusion and inequality in organisations – Assessing HR’s role.

Research Aim: This research will first investigate the exclusion and inequality challenges that organisations face and how human resources overcome these challenges.

Topic 105:How does HRM Help in managing cultural differences and diversity

Research Aim: This research will discuss HR’s role in managing cultural differences and diversity in organisations.

Topic 106: Can HR eliminate diversity-related discrimination from workplaces? Assessing its role

Research Aim: This research will talk about HR’s role in eliminating diversity-related discrimination from organisations, and whether it will be successful in doing so or not.

Topic 107:Training managers for diversity – How difficult is it for companies and HR

Research Aim: This research will discuss and analyse the role of HR and companies in ensuring manager’s learning and development for diversity.

Topic 108:Training the newly hired staff for diversity in a large and diversified business organisation

Research Aim: This research will investigate the role of HR in training employees and staff to deal with, manage and coexist with diverse employees.

Important Notes:

As a human resource management student looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment with existing human resource management theories – i.e., to add value and interest to your research topic.

Human resource management is vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like management , operations management , project management , business , international business , MBA and more. That is why it is imperative to create a human resource management dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic creditability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in writing your dissertation , as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

While developing a research topic, keeping our advice in mind will allow you to pick one of the best human resource management dissertation topics that fulfil your requirement of writing a research paper and add to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample human resource management dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your HRM Dissertation

A well-structured dissertation can help students to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes the project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review : This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analyzing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths while identifying research gaps. Break down the topic and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology : The data collection and analysis methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes research design , research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods, and data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis : Findings of the research are analysed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include graphs, charts, and tables in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and Conclusion : The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and state whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is establishing the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References : Make sure to complete this following your University’s requirements
• Bibliography
• Appendices : Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to complete the dissertation but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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• Research HRM trends and challenges.
• Explore workplace issues or diversity.
• Investigate HR technology impact.
• Analyze employee well-being.
• Consider performance management.
• Select a topic aligning with your passion and career path.

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Top 100 Human Resources Research Topics and Ideas

Table of Contents

Human Resources (HR) is a fascinating subject to study. Typically, this course covers a wide range of important topics including employee management, consistent ways to manage and lead a team, reviewing industry best practices, and much more. However, things get a little difficult for Human Resources Management (HRM) students, when they are required to generate some engaging human resources research topics. This is because the topics they choose should be distinctive and provide adequate scope for significant research and analysis.

Since many students experience difficulties with identifying an ideal topic for their HR research papers, in this blog, we have listed 100 outstanding HR research paper topics and titles as suggested by our experts. If you are wondering how to choose a good human resources research topic, then read this blog. Here, you will get amazing ideas for your HR research paper writing.

Understand How to Select a Human Resources Research Topic

Generally, the topic that you pick will play a significant role in the success of your research paper. So, when it comes to writing a human resources research paper, first, make sure to pick an ideal topic by following these steps.

Determine your area of interest

In the beginning, put some effort into identifying the human resources research area that you have strong knowledge and interest in. Working on a research topic from a passionate area or theme will help you conduct research with a lot of excitement and satisfaction. The HR research areas that you may consider are recruitment and selection, workplace compliance and safety, risk management, career development, etc.

Conduct a Preliminary Search and Gather Ideas

After finding out your field of interest, conduct a basic search and gather unique human resources research ideas. To collect research topics, you may read the latest credible materials such as magazines, journals, and published research papers that are relevant to the theme you have selected.

Narrow down the list

Once you have collected various human resources research titles, analyze them all and find out whether they have a good research scope and are feasible to complete the research process before the deadline. Never pick HR research topics that have limited or no research scope. Also, narrow down the list by ignoring the research topics that are already discussed and the ones with fewer sources for references.

Perform analysis

Analyze all the shortlisted research ideas and pick a topic that is unique, researchable, and contains a lot of sources and facts to prove a thesis statement. Most importantly, the topic that you give preference should match your university guidelines and align with your needs. Furthermore, the topic you select should allow you to achieve your goal.

Consult with your supervisor

Once you have selected a topic for your human resources research paper, discuss it with your supervisor and get their approval for the topic. By using their experience and subject knowledge, they will share some insights on whether the topic you have chosen will help you create wonders or not.

List of the Best Human Resources Research Topics

In case, you are unsure what human resources research paper topic to choose, take a look at the list published below. The list will provide you with 100 fascinating human resources research topics that are worth exploring.

Simple Human Resources Management Research Topics

• Explain how HR helps companies stay competitive in a global market.
• Analyze the most effective team-building strategies.
• Suggest a simple and effective way to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
• Examine how the agile method helps.
• Suggest some best methods for disciplining employees.
• Discuss how to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
• Explain how to manage international employees.
• Analyze the latest innovations in human resource management.
• Explain the role of a human resource management system in job selection.
• Discuss how to monitor productivity and performance in Human Resource management.

Interesting Human Resources Research Topics

• Explain how to manage equal-opportunity employment.
• Focus on the steps to improve the long-term retention of employees.
• Explain how big data is useful to human resources.
• Examine the importance of HRM in the healthcare industry.
• Analyze the role of data analytics in ensuring constructive job selection.
• Evaluate the satisfaction level of employees in the hospitality sector.
• Focus on the key components of recruitment and labor markets.
• Elaborate on compliance management in HRM.
• Take a look at compensation management in HR management.
• Why should HR consider conducting regular audits?

Engaging Human Resources Research Topics

• Explain how to prevent unfair discrimination against LGBT+ employees.
• Analyze performance appraisal essentials and bonus payments.
• Explain the role of HR in helping employees maintain the right work-life balance
• Explore the importance of job analysis in HRM.
• Explain the role of HR in preventing OSHA violations
• Elaborate on the significance of KPI in HR management
• Explore the role of HR in ensuring the psychological well-being of employees
• Focus on factors that may hinder how HRM works.
• How to sustain the odds of employee attrition rate
• Explain how to guide employee appraisal in the business.

Excellent HR Research Paper Topics

• Explain how to handle overqualified employees or applicants.
• Discuss the role of HRM in combating sexual harassment in the workplace
• Explain how to attract ideal employees.
• Examine the risk factors associated with employee retention.
• Discuss the pros and cons of 360-degree feedback in HRM.
• Elaborate on the 3T’s of leadership competency in HRM
• Prepare a research paper on the LMS.
• Focus on fun Friday activities and the role of HR
• Explore the role of HR in the employee termination process.
• How HR can utilize the fullest potential of AR and VR in the workplace?

Human Resources Research Topics on Recruitment

• Analyze the importance of recruitment, selection, and training of employees.
• Elaborate on the major requirements of recruiting a fresher in an organization
• Examine the biggest issues in recruitment and employee selection.
• Focus on the best and worst time to recruit a new employee.
• Take a look at the best platforms to recruit on.
• Analyze how HR evaluates a newly recruited employee.
• Suggest best practices for improving employee retention.
• Examine the dos and don’ts of criminal background checks.
• Explain the selection process in HRM.
• Analyze what makes recruitment a vital part of the HR management system.

Also Read: 200 Captivating Human Rights Topics To Consider

Unique HR Research Ideas on Talent Management

• Analyze the principles of talent management in HR.
• Prepare a detailed research paper on the onboarding process of employees in a company.
• Examine the correlation between performance and talent management.
• Elaborate on succession planning with examples.
• Take a look at various talent acquisition strategies.
• Focus on the talent management approaches followed by MNCs in the USA.
• Write about the talent management process in small and medium enterprises.
• Explain the role of recruitment in talent management.
• Prepare a research paper on corporate talent management.
• Focus on different talent management tools.

HR Performance Management and Appraisal Research Topics

• Examine the legalities associated with the process of employee performance management.
• Take a look at some good performance appraisal activities and practices
• Focus on the different types of performance appraisal slabs in HR management
• Explore the role of communication in ensuring a streamlined appraisal cycle.
• Describe the benefits of having performance standards.
• Prepare a research paper on the link between reward system and performance management
• Focus on the essential elements of trait-based appraisals.
• Write about the performance appraisal approaches followed by corporate companies.
• Examine the impact of on-the-job training on employee performance.
• Analyze the advantages and drawbacks of automated performance management systems.

Human Resources Research Topics on Risk Management

• Examine the different types of risks that HR managers have to handle.
• Focus on risk management when working from home.
• Analyze what role HR takes in risk management.
• Explain when HR should take legal action.
• Elaborate on the latest trends and practices in risk management.
• Write about the risk identification process in the HRM field.
• Address the various risks and healthcare issues in the Workplace.
• Explain how to identify bullying in the workplace
• Focus on HR risk management in the ‘#metoo’ movement.
• Explain how to respond to a legal action taken by an employee.

HRM Research Paper Topics on Career Development

• Discuss the key elements of creating leaders among employees.
• Explain how career development is beneficial for both employees and companies.
• Examine the best approaches and practices for on-the-job training.
• Take a look at the professional certification training for employees.
• Analyze the pros and cons of leading professional development sessions.
• Write about the must-have training and development program for all employees.
• Explain how active professional development affects productivity.
• Examine the impact of cross-training on organizational efficiency
• Focus on the key skills that all employees should develop.
• Explain the role and significance of HR management in career development.

Workplace Safety Topics for HR Research Paper

• Analyze the most critical issues in worker protection and workplace safety.
• Examine the effects of not following workplace safety.
• Explain how to ensure all employees follow health and safety protocols.
• What are the most concerning elements affecting worker protection and workplace safety?
• Explore the role of an HR manager in enhancing worker safety and protection standards.
• Explain how to build a diverse workplace.
• Explain the preventative steps to be taken for workplace hazards.
• Discuss how to identify workplace vulnerability in terms of safety and protection.
• Explain how to prevent workplace violence.
• Examine the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Final Thoughts

From the list suggested above, choose any topic related to your passion and begin writing your human resources research paper. If you need expert help with human resources management research paper topic selection, writing, and proofreading, call us immediately.

At greatassignmenthelp.com, we have a team of highly skilled HR professionals and subject matter specialists to offer excellent online human resources assignment help at an affordable cost. According to the guidelines and requirements you share with us, our scholarly writers will create and deliver a plagiarism-free human resources research paper ahead of time. Furthermore, by getting our HR research paper help , you can improve your subject knowledge and enhance your grades.

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• Human Resource Planning (HRP)
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Human Resource Planning (HRP) Meaning, Process, and Examples

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

What Is Human Resource Planning (HRP)?

Human resource planning (HRP) is the continuous process of systematic planning to achieve optimum use of an organization's most valuable asset—quality employees. Human resources planning ensures the best fit between employees and jobs while avoiding manpower shortages or surpluses.

There are four key steps to the HRP process. They include analyzing present labor supply, forecasting labor demand, balancing projected labor demand with supply, and supporting organizational goals. HRP is an important investment for any business as it allows companies to remain both productive and profitable.

Key Takeaways

• Human resource planning (HRP) is a strategy used by a company to maintain a steady stream of skilled employees while avoiding employee shortages or surpluses.
• Having a good HRP strategy in place can mean productivity and profitability for a company.
• There are four general steps in the HRP process: identifying the current supply of employees, determining the future of the workforce, balancing between labor supply and demand, and developing plans that support the company's goals.

Michela Buttignol

What Is Human Resource Planning (HRP) Used For?

Human resource planning allows companies to plan ahead so they can maintain a steady supply of skilled employees. The process is used to help companies evaluate their needs and to plan ahead to meet those needs.

Human resource planning needs to be flexible enough to meet short-term staffing challenges while adapting to changing conditions in the business environment over the longer term. HRP starts by assessing and auditing the current capacity of human resources.

Here, identifying a company's skill set and targeting the skills a company needs enables it to strategically reach business goals and be equipped for future challenges. To remain competitive, businesses may need advanced skills or to upskill their employees as the market environment evolves and changes.

To retain employees and remain competitive, HRP often looks at organizational design, employee motivation, succession planning, and increasing return on investment overall.

Challenges of Human Resource Planning (HRP)

The challenges to HRP include forces that are always changing. These include employees getting sick, getting promoted, going on vacation, or leaving for another job. HRP ensures there is the best fit between workers and jobs, avoiding shortages and surpluses in the employee pool.

To help prevent future roadblocks and satisfy their objectives, HR managers have to make plans to do the following:

• Find and attract skilled employees.
• Select, train, and reward the best candidates.
• Cope with absences and deal with conflicts.
• Promote employees or let some of them go.

Investing in HRP is one of the most important decisions a company can make. After all, a company is only as good as its employees, and a high level of employee engagement can be essential for a company's success. If a company has the best employees and the best practices in place, it can mean the difference between sluggishness and productivity, helping to lead a company to profitability.

What Are the Four Steps to Human Resource Planning (HRP)?

There are four general, broad steps involved in the human resource planning process. Each step needs to be taken in sequence in order to arrive at the end goal, which is to develop a strategy that enables the company to successfully find and retain enough qualified employees to meet the company's needs.

Analyzing labor supply

The first step of human resource planning is to identify the company's current human resources supply. In this step, the HR department studies the strength of the organization based on the number of employees, their skills, qualifications, positions, benefits, and performance levels.

Forecasting labor demand

The second step requires the company to outline the future of its workforce. Here, the HR department can consider certain issues like promotions, retirements, layoffs, and transfers—anything that factors into the future needs of a company. The HR department can also look at external conditions impacting labor demand , such as new technology that might increase or decrease the need for workers.

Balancing labor demand with supply

The third step in the HRP process is forecasting the employment demand. HR creates a gap analysis that lays out specific needs to narrow the supply of the company's labor versus future demand. This analysis will often generate a series of questions, such as:

• Should employees learn new skills?
• Does the company need more managers?
• Do all employees play to their strengths in their current roles?

Developing and implementing a plan

The answers to questions from the gap analysis help HR determine how to proceed, which is the final phase of the HRP process. HR must now take practical steps to integrate its plan with the rest of the company. The department needs a budget , the ability to implement the plan, and a collaborative effort with all departments to execute that plan.

Common HR policies put in place after this fourth step may include policies regarding vacation, holidays, sick days, overtime compensation, and termination.

The goal of HR planning is to have the optimal number of staff to make the most money for the company. Because the goals and strategies of a company change over time, human resource planning must adapt accordingly. Additionally, as globalization increases, HR departments will face the need to implement new practices to accommodate government labor regulations that vary from country to country.

The increased use of remote workers by many corporations will also impact human resource planning and will require HR departments to use new methods and tools to recruit, train, and retain workers.

Why Is Human Resource Planning Important?

Human resource planning (HRP) allows a business to better maintain and target the right kind of talent to employ—having the right technical and soft skills to optimize their function within the company. It also allows managers to better train the workforce and help them develop the required skills.

What Is "Hard" vs. "Soft" Human Resource Planning?

Hard HRP evaluates various quantitative metrics to ensure that the right number of the right sort of people are available when needed by the company. Soft HRP focuses more on finding employees with the right corporate culture, motivation, and attitude. Often these are used in tandem.

What Are the Basic Steps in HRP?

HRP begins with an analysis of the available labor pool from which a company can draw. It then evaluates the firm's present and future demand for various types of labor and attempts to match that demand with the supply of job applicants.

Quality employees are a company's most valuable asset. Human resource planning involves the development of strategies to ensure that a business has an adequate supply of employees to meet its needs and can avoid either a surplus or a lack of workers.

There are four general steps in developing such a strategy: first, analyzing the company's current labor supply; second, determining the company's future labor needs; third, balancing the company's labor needs with its supply of employees; and fourth, developing and implementing the HR plan throughout the organization.

A solid HRP strategy can help a company be both productive and profitable.

International Journal of Business and Management Invention. " Human Resource Planning-An Analytical Study ," Page 64.

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Design Team Member Supply Chain Management (SCM)

• Madison, Wisconsin
• GENERAL SERVICES/ADMINISTRATIVE TRANSFORMATION PRE-PLANN
• Administration
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: Apr 30 2024 at 10:05 CDT
• Closing at: May 14 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

ATP is transforming the finance, human resources, and research administration support environment across the UW-System, including the selection and implementation of a new Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system (Workday) to support the changes. The activities will include the review and redesign of business processes (including use of shadow and bolt-on IT systems), redesign of the chart of accounts, and integration of efforts with several ongoing University and UW System projects. As part of this effort and in preparation for a new ERP, the University is assembling functional Design Teams in the areas of finance, research administration and human resources. Design Teams will be responsible for proposing standardized future roles and processes which will be validated by stakeholders and approved by ATP leadership and/or Governance.

ATP is hiring a design team member for the Finance team in Supply Chain Management (Procurement to Payables including Inventory) The Design Team Member is responsible for the review of business processes and system, campus, divisional and departmental operational needs and designing refined business processes for the future state ERP. These future state recommendations will, in turn, be provided to the Functional Lead, Strategy Lead, Finance Governance, Project Sponsors and Steering Committee for review and subsequent system adoption. The Design Team Member will coordinate with the SCM Functional Lead, System Implementation Partners, Workday team, and ATP program teams to develop these recommendations in several areas, including but not limited to business processes, roles, accountability structures, roles of secondary systems (shadow and bolt-on), and integration of institution and UW System initiatives. The Design Team Member will participate in all business process design activities, work activities, meetings, content development, content review, and review of related critical materials within the identified functional area. The Design Team Member will report to the SCM Functional Lead.

Responsibilities:

• 20% Provides consultation, advice, and expertise to stakeholders to identify and solve problems
• 10% Coaches and advises leaders on building organizational capacity and navigating change management
• 10% Conducts gap analyses and develops approaches, strategies, and structures for achieving desired outcomes
• 20% Designs and delivers meetings, retreats, and other engagements to assist clients in aligning organizational goals and resources
• 20% Conducts analysis in support of projects and requests, utilizing independent judgment in selecting information for developing models for consideration
• 20% Actively contribute to and participate in Design Team activities

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Preferred Bachelor's Degree

Qualifications:

Required: 1. Experience collaborating with stakeholders to improve business processes. 2. Minimum 3 years of experience in a financial role. 3. Experience on cross-functional teams of diverse individuals. 4. Experience in analysis, design, and/or implementation of financial business processes. Preferred: 1. Experience working in Workday Supply Chain Management (Procurement to Payables including Inventory). 2. Experience in ERP implementation, Workday or other system. 3. Experience testing business processes, identifying defects in business process designs, then researching and recommending corrective actions to address defects identified. 4. General knowledge of financial reporting and/or compliance requirements.

Full Time: 100% It is anticipated this position will be remote and requires work be performed at an offsite, non-campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Terminal, 19 month appointment. This position has the possibility to be extended or converted to an ongoing appointment based on need and/or funding

Minimum $84,800 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications Well qualified applicants can expect to earn between $84,800 - $100,000, with final salary based on experience and qualifications

Additional Information:

The Administrative Transformation Program (ATP) is hiring for multiple vacancies across transformation areas (Finance, Human Resources, Research Administration, and Information Technology). By applying to this position, applicants may be considered for vacancies in all transformation areas. Current job opportunities with ATP can be found here: https://atp.wisconsin.edu/join-the-team/ .  Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

How to Apply:

To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your related experiences and background as they relate to the qualifications and duties in this job description. Please be sure to demonstrate experiences aligned with the required qualifications. Failure to demonstrate experiences aligned with the required qualifications will result in your application not being considered for employment.

Daniel Mccusky [email protected] 608-263-2482 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Internal Consultant I(AD014)

Department(s):

A02-GENERAL SERVICES/A0201/G SERV/ATP

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Terminal

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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Life on Other Planets: What is Life and What Does It Need?

One day, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, a faraway planet could yield hints that it might host some form of life – but surrender its secrets reluctantly.

Our space telescopes might detect a mixture of gases in its atmosphere that resembles our own. Computer models would offer predictions about the planet’s life-bearing potential. Experts would debate whether the evidence made a strong case for the presence of life, or try to find still more evidence to support such a groundbreaking interpretation.

“We are in the beginning of a golden era right now,” said Ravi Kopparapu, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who studies habitable planets. “For the first time in the history of civilization we might be able to answer the question: Is there life beyond Earth?”

For exoplanets – planets around other stars – that era opens with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Instruments aboard the spacecraft are detecting the composition of atmospheres on exoplanets. As the power of telescopes increases in the years ahead, future advanced instruments could capture possible signs of life – “biosignatures” – from a planet light-years away.

Within our solar system, the Perseverance rover on Mars is gathering rock samples for eventual return to Earth, so scientists can probe them for signs of life. And the coming Europa Clipper mission will visit an icy moon of Jupiter. Its goal: to determine whether conditions on that moon would allow life to thrive in its global ocean, buried beneath a global ice shell.

But any hints of life beyond Earth would come with another big question: How certain could any scientific conclusions really be?

“The challenge is deciding what is life – when to say, ‘I found it,’” said Laurie Barge of the Origins and Habitability Lab at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

With so much unknown about what even constitutes a “sign of life,” astrobiologists are working on a new framework to understand the strength of the evidence. A sample framework, proposed in 2021, includes a scale ranging from 1 to 7, with hints of other life at level 1, to increasingly substantial evidence, all the way to certainty of life elsewhere at level 7. This framework, which is being discussed and revised, acknowledges that scientific exploration in the search for life is a twisted, winding road, rather than a straightforward path.

And identifying definitive signs remains difficult enough for “life as we know it.” Even more uncertain would be finding evidence of life as we don’t know it, made of unfamiliar molecular combinations or based on a solvent other than water.

Still, as the search for life begins in earnest, among the planets in our own solar system as well as far distant systems known only by their light, NASA scientists and their partners around the world have some ideas that serve as starting points.

Life That Evolves

First, there’s NASA’s less-than-formal, non-binding but still helpful working definition of life: “A self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution.” Charles Darwin famously described evolution by natural selection, with characteristics preserved across generations leading to changes in organisms over time.

Derived in the 1990s by a NASA exobiology working group, the definition is not used to design missions or research projects. It does help to set expectations, and to focus debate on the critical issues around another thorny question: When does non-life become life?

“Biology is chemistry with history,” says Gerald Joyce, one of the members of the working group that helped create the NASA definition and now a research professor at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California.

That means history recorded by the chemistry itself – in our case, inscribed in our DNA, which encodes genetic data that can be translated into the structures and physical processes that make up our bodies.

The DNA record must be robust, complex, self-replicating and open-ended, Joyce suggests, to endure and adapt over billions of years.

“That would be a smoking gun: evidence for information having been recorded in molecules,” Joyce said.

Such a molecule from another world in our solar system, whether DNA, RNA or something else, might turn up in a sample from Mars, say from the Mars sample-return mission now being planned by NASA.

Or it might be found among the “ocean worlds” in the outer solar system – Jupiter’s moon, Europa, Saturn’s Enceladus or one of the other moons of gas giants that hide vast oceans beneath shells of ice.

We can’t obtain samples of such information-bearing molecules from planets beyond our solar system, since they are so far away that it would take tens of thousands of years to travel there even in the fastest spaceships ever built. Instead, we’ll have to rely on remote detection of potential biosignatures, measuring the types and quantities of gases in exoplanet atmospheres to try to determine whether they were generated by life-forms. That likely will require deeper knowledge of what life needs to get its start – and to persist long enough to be detected.

A Place Where Life Emerges

There is no true consensus on a list of requirements for life, whether in our solar system or the stars beyond. But Joyce, who researches life’s origin and development, suggests a few likely “must-haves.”

Topping the list is liquid water. Despite a broad spectrum of environmental conditions inhabited by living things on Earth, all life on the planet seems to require it. Liquid water provides a medium for the chemical components of life to persist over time and come together for reactions, in a way that air or the surface of a rock don’t do as well.

Also essential: an energy source, both for chemical reactions that produce structures and to create “order” against the universal tendency toward “disorder” – also known as entropy.

An imbalance in atmospheric gases also might offer a tell-tale sign of the presence of life.

“In Earth’s atmosphere, oxygen and methane are highly reactive with each other,” Kopparapu said. Left to themselves, they would quickly cancel each other out.

“They should not be seen together,” he said. “So why are we seeing methane, why are we seeing oxygen? Something must be constantly replenishing these compounds.”

On Earth, that “something” is life, pumping more of each into the atmosphere and keeping it out of balance. Such an imbalance, in these compounds or others, could be detected on a distant exoplanet, suggesting the presence of a living biosphere. But scientists also will have to rule out geological processes like volcanic or hydrothermal activity that could generate molecules that we might otherwise associate with life.

Careful laboratory work and precision modeling of possible exoplanet atmospheres will be needed to tell the difference.

Going Through Changes

Barge also places high on the list the idea of “gradients,” or changes that occur over time and distance, like wet to dry, hot to cold, and many other possible environments. Gradients create places for energy to go, changing along the way and generating molecules or chemical systems that later might be incorporated into life-forms.

Plate tectonics on Earth, and the cycling of gases like carbon dioxide – buried beneath Earth’s crust by subduction, perhaps, or released back into the atmosphere by volcanoes – represent one kind of gradient.

Barge’s specialty, the chemistry of hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor billions of years ago, is another. It’s one possible pathway to have created a kind of primitive metabolism – the translation of organic compounds into energy – as a potential precursor to true life-forms.

“What gradients existed before life?” she asks. “If life depends so much on gradients, could the origin of life also have benefited from these gradients?”

Clearer mapping of possible pathways to life ultimately could inform the design of future space telescopes, tasked with parsing the gases in the atmospheres of potentially habitable exoplanets.

“If we want to be sure it’s coming from biology, we have to not only look for gases; we have to look at how it’s being emitted from the planet, if it’s emitted in the right quantities, in the right way,” Kopparapu said. “With future telescopes, we’ll be more confident because they’ll be designed to look for life on other planets.”

Search for Life

This article is one in a series about how NASA is searching for life in the cosmos.

Beginnings: Life on Our World and Others

The Hunt for Life on Mars – and Elsewhere in the Solar System

'Life' in the Lab

Searching for Signs of Intelligent Life: Technosignatures

Finding Life Beyond Earth: What Comes Next?

Related Terms

• Terrestrial Exoplanets
• The Search for Life

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