Using narrative evidence synthesis in HRM research: An overview of the method, its application, and the lessons learned

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using narrative evidence synthesis in HRM research

T2 - An overview of the method, its application, and the lessons learned

AU - Madden, Adrian

AU - Bailey, Catherine

AU - Alfes, Kerstin

AU - Fletcher, Luke

N1 - Funding Information: This article is based on an independent research project that was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (Health Services and Delivery Research, 12/5004/01). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, or the Department of Health. We acknowledge the guidance of Professor Graeme Currie in the conduct of the synthesis and the help of the Institute for Employment Studies. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - The use of systematic approaches to evidence review and synthesis has recently become more common in the field of organizational research, yet their value remains unclear and largely untested. First used in medical research, evidence review is a technique for identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing existing empirical evidence. With greater demand for the best evidence about “what works” in organizational settings, nuanced approaches to evidence synthesis have evolved to address more complex research questions. Narrative synthesis is perceived to be particularly suited to evaluating diverse evidence types spanning multiple disciplinary fields, characteristic of the HRM domain. This article evaluates the narrative evidence synthesis approach, explains how it differs from other techniques, and describes a worked example in relation to employee engagement. We consider its strengths, the challenges of using it, and its value in HRM research.

AB - The use of systematic approaches to evidence review and synthesis has recently become more common in the field of organizational research, yet their value remains unclear and largely untested. First used in medical research, evidence review is a technique for identifying, evaluating, and synthesizing existing empirical evidence. With greater demand for the best evidence about “what works” in organizational settings, nuanced approaches to evidence synthesis have evolved to address more complex research questions. Narrative synthesis is perceived to be particularly suited to evaluating diverse evidence types spanning multiple disciplinary fields, characteristic of the HRM domain. This article evaluates the narrative evidence synthesis approach, explains how it differs from other techniques, and describes a worked example in relation to employee engagement. We consider its strengths, the challenges of using it, and its value in HRM research.

KW - employee engagement

KW - Narrative evidence synthesis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044364046&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/hrm.21858

DO - 10.1002/hrm.21858

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85044364046

SN - 0090-4848

VL - 57

SP - 641

EP - 657

JO - Human Resource Management

JF - Human Resource Management

IS - 2

ER -