Bridging the gap: Aligning human resource theory and practice

This special issue of Human Resource Management Review addresses the enduring divide between human resource (HR) theory and practice, building on the theme of the HR Division International Conference (HRIC2023), Bridging the gap: Aligning human resource theory and practice. The collection highlights...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human resource management review Vol. 36; no. 1; p. 101123
Main Authors: Linde, Bennie, Schalk, René
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Inc 01.03.2026
Subjects:
Comparative institutionalism
Decent work outcomes
Global South
Human resource management (HRM)
Implementation
Practice-based research
Theory-practice gap
Human resource management (HRM)
Practice-based research
Comparative institutionalism
Theory-practice gap
Decent work outcomes
Implementation
Global South
ISSN:1053-4822
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:This special issue of Human Resource Management Review addresses the enduring divide between human resource (HR) theory and practice, building on the theme of the HR Division International Conference (HRIC2023), Bridging the gap: Aligning human resource theory and practice. The collection highlights conceptual and contextual sources of this gap, including the decontextualised use of Western-derived HR models, challenges in translating theory into practice-based tools, neglect of Global South contexts, and weak integration of practice-based evidence into theoretical frameworks. Drawing on comparative institutionalism, implementation research, and decolonial perspectives, the editorial outlines how HRM practices operate as mediating mechanisms between legal frameworks, collective rights, and workplace realities, shaping outcomes such as economic development, labour peace, workplace democracy, and social justice. Six articles included in the special issue provide complementary perspectives: leadership in times of crisis, hybrid scholar–practitioner roles, co-creation in research, HR practitioners as brokers, inclusive approaches to talent management, and the psychological impact of HR analytics. Together, these contributions demonstrate pathways for strengthening construct clarity, implementation fidelity, and contextual relevance, while promoting more inclusive, globally representative HR knowledge. By foregrounding both theoretical innovation and practice-based insights, this special issue advances a dual agenda: to refine HRM theory through engagement with practice, and to enhance practice through evidence-informed, contextually sensitive research. Ultimately, bridging the theory–practice gap requires institutional innovation, methodological rigour, and sustained collaboration between scholars and practitioners.
ISSN:1053-4822
DOI:10.1016/j.hrmr.2025.101123