THE STRENGTH OF HR PRACTICES IN INDIA AND THEIR EFFECTS ON EMPLOYEE CAREER SUCCESS, PERFORMANCE, AND POTENTIAL

This study explores the role of HR practices for individual and organizational success via a survey of 4,811 employees from 32 units of 28 companies operating in India. We report on employee perceptions of the effectiveness of three specific human resource practices within their firms and the relationship of these practices to career success, performance, and potential. Companies operating in India appear to be creating strong human resource climates based on structured HR practices in performance management, professional development, and normalized performance ratings. The perceived effectiveness of these HR practices influences employees' perceptions of career success and, to a lesser extent, organizationally rated performance and potential. We report differences in perceptions of HR practices among national, international, and global companies and among the industries of information technology (IT), manufacturing, and services. The relationship to perceived HR practices and outcomes was partially contingent on firm geographic scope and industry sector. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.