There is limited empirical research on the application of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in staff retention and management. This study aims to examine and analyse the impact of quality human resource information systems (e.g. recruitment information, personnel information, and audit of training sessions) on staff turnover factors at the recruitment and selection stage (e.g. remuneration, human resource planning, quality of training programmes, and lack of promotion opportunities), and consequently the impact of HIRS in managing staff retention. This research is conducted in the context of the hospitality sector. The research aim is achieved through satisfying the objectives and the development of a relevant and a novel framework. A conceptual framework is developed to address the use of HRIS with regard to the recruitment and selection process and in aiding managers in staff retention within the context of the hospitality sector. The framework consists of three phases: recruitment and selection process including human resource management (HRM) and information technology systems (ITS) in the recruitment and selection stage; human resource information systems (HRIS) application areas; and staff turnover factors (external and internal). This framework developed by using two theories, the institutional theory and job characteristics theory, as the theoretical underpinning of this study. A single case study with multiple subcases strategy is employed to evaluate, extend and theorise the effect of HRIS on staff retention. The data for this research is collected by using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data are collected from four branches of the UK based hospitality organisation. 27 employees completed in-depth narrative interviews (13 managers and 14 non-managers), which the results were used to confirm and validate the developed framework. The findings are triangulated by the adoption of a series of techniques, including focus group discussion, and document analysis. This study has made use the qualitative analysis computer software NVivo V.10.This research study contributes to the literature of both HRM and IT/IS by developing a comprehensive theoretical framework that considers the relationship between staff retention and HRIS functions at the recruitment and selection stage. The research findings support and showed that, not all the factors affected staff turnover can be monitored by HRIS, and some staff turnover factors may require other strategies with respect to monitoring. The framework will benefit scholars and managers in understanding the impact of a quality HRIS on staff retention, and extends the knowledge in this regard. The framework is extended for usage by different hospitality organisations with similar business nature to the one understudy. Also, the findings show that relevant retention strategies could be applicable during the entire employment period, e.g. before, during and after recruitment. These strategies enable the organisation to be stable and improve managing retention at the very beginning period of employment and avoid the costs of staff turnover. The empirical findings also advance our understanding of the various HRM activities that are linked to retention at the recruitment and selection stage. More importantly, the research findings identify the immediate activities after recruitment which is linked to improving retention. The study aims at providing a valid framework that integrates both HRM, ITS, and identifies the role of HRIS with regard to improving retention, by identifying staff turnover factors and put in place retention strategies to deal with them, for new jobs’ applications at the recruitment and selection stage. The originality of this study is that provide fresh insights on the subjective of retention in the hospitality sector in the UK. This research complements and advances the current literature on having a quality IT/IS which provides vital information to help managers to make the right decisions on retention of members of staff. In addition, this research could prove beneficial to practitioner’s (managers) who involve in the decision making in the recruitment process, thus better retention in the hospitality sector.

Abstract The research of the thesis is a human- and context-oriented qualitative study in the field of information systems (IS) discipline. The thesis has five research concepts: human resource information systems (HRIS), leadership, human resource management (HRM), tacit knowledge and emotional intelligence (EI). HRIS and leadership are two main concepts of the research, whereas HRM provides an application area and managerial activities of leadership for HRIS. Tacit knowledge and EI, for their part, are used to describe and interpret actions that make good leadership activities human, sensitive and successful. The theoretical framework of the thesis consists of two ideas, 1) when thinking and acting in the current way, what kind of information systems it produces, and 2) when thinking and acting in another way, what kind of information systems it creates. The framework has its base on thinking and acting in a conventional, routine and stereotyped way, which hinders the process of observing, finding out, applying and using alternative thoughts and actions although they might provide useful and innovative solutions or activities for IS design. The research has been carried out and accomplished using hermeneutic phenomenography as a research method to understand, interpret and to describe the phenomenon of the activities of good leadership and the phenomenon of the role of HRIS in the case organizations. As a result of the interviews, the good leaders’ main activity is to learn to know their employees. The essential finding is that the role of HRIS is partly unclear and even non-specific in organizations. The results indicate that the leaders do not use HRIS willingly. In their opinion HRIS do not serve or support their leadership activities. The use of HRIS is more a burden for them than a useful system. The data of HRIS benefits the managerial activities partly but does not benefit the human activities that the leaders have described and emphasized. Thus, a construct of hermeneutic phenomenography has been developed as a contribution to describe the research phenomena and to demonstrate how the role of HRIS could be developed for the activities of good leadership.

Magister Commercii - MCom / Impact of data quality on utilisation and perceived usefulness of integrated Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS). Integrated HR Information systems have become prevalent in modern organisations. These systems promise operational efficiencies and competitive advantage. In order to deliver these benefits, the systems should be effectively utilised and perceived as a useful business tools. The utilisation and perceived usefulness of the HRIS could be influenced by quality of data it produces. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of data quality on the utilisation and usefulness of the HRIS. The aim was to ensure that organisations realise their investments in HRIS. This would be achieved by improving qualities that ensures effective utilisation of HRIS. Moreover, the study sought to enhance the body of academic knowledge in HRIS as far data quality is concerned. Mixed research method was used to meet the objectives of the study. Survey research and qualitative interviews techniques were employed. Statistical and deductive analysis was applied to raw data in order to draw conclusions. The study found that data quality positively influence utilisation and usefulness of HRIS. Moreover, findings revealed that the HRIS was predominantly used for operational, rather than strategic tasks. HRIS data is also not generally perceived to be of poor quality. HR practitioners emphasise accuracy over other quality dimensions. Organisations that seek to maximise their investment in HRIS should implement data quality improvement initiatives. This will ensure that the system is effectively utilised and produces high quality information for decision-making. This could lead to competitive advantage. Further research could be undertaken to understand; success factors for HRIS data quality initiatives, determinants of HRIS user satisfaction, drivers for dedicated HRIS management roles and the impact of having HRIS manager among others.

This dissertation thesis identifies critical factors of implementation and operation service of Human Resource Information Systems with all its specifics. In detail, the lifecycle of the system is described, system elements and types of organizations that might use it. The thesis aimes at four hypotheses that try to confirm or reject the importance of usage of Human Resource Information Systems in companies of various sizes on Czech and Slovak market. The thesis also describes detailed feedback of company representatives in areas of benefits and usage of these systems and presents a list of critical factors that were discovered and confirmed during the preparation of the thesis and related research.

The relevance of this thesis is in addressing information systems business leadership HRIS use issues.The thesis explains acceptance and use issues central to Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) within South African State Owned Agencies (SOAs). Organisations typically deploy HRIS with a view to automate Human Resource (HR) service delivery and administrative functions. Among other values, HRIS produces useful data and information which optimises HR operations and improves decision-making. However, the use of HRIS, notably within SOAs, is poorly understood owing to inadequate literature and contextualised studies. Despite the tremendous amount of investment into such systems, SOAs continuously identify emerging challenges and issues pertinent to HR operations and administration. For instance, despite HRIS automation, job applications and recruitment are still manually processed, which means that the costly implemented HRIS is not effectively used, and is thus underutilised. The burning questions for business leadership remain - why is HRIS not optimally utilised given significant organisational investment on such systems, and the mixed return-on-investments? The other question relates to what the level of acceptance is and actual use of these HR systems. There is also a need to determine to what extent do these systems enable or improve the delivery of human resource services and administration. Moreover, what influences the use of HRIS? Previous literature and organisational practice inadequately addresses these questions. This thesis, therefore, addresses these key issues to bridge these preceding knowledge gaps. In order to explain the use and subsequent effective use of HRIS, the study triangulated three theories as theoretical lenses. These theories are the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), Self Determination Theory (SDT), and the Representation Theory (RT). These theories are employed to explore and explain the individual use, and subsequent effective use of HRIS. In this respect, the ontological stance for this thesis is that reality is objective. Thus, the study followed a positivist research paradigm, whilst the research the approach was deductive. A survey research strategy was employed during the study to obtain primary data. Survey participants included executives and individuals from speciality units e.g. HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Support departments (including IT and Help Desks) as well as other HRIS users. Participants were drawn from various South African SOAs. Structural equation modelling and hypothesis testing show that there are myriad of determinants influencing use and effective use of HRIS. The results further show that certain constructs are inconsistent with the existing literature. Nevertheless, this inconsistency speaks to the unique South African SOA contexts. The outcome of the study is a model which theoretically and practically explains those factors which must be considered to effectively use and utilise HRIS. That is, the theoretical, practical, methodological, and contextual contributions of the thesis is in explaining the determinants which are significant for effective use of HRIS. / Centre for Business Manangement / D.B.L.