Top management's misperceptions over OSH-HRM functions in manufacturing firms in Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh

• Main Authors: Sharif, Mohmad Yazam, Ahmed, Aqeel, Joader, Mohd Hasanur Raihan
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/23803/1/CBMM%202017%20733%20744.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/23803/

The objective of this paper is to show the perceptions of top organizational leaders on the roles of occupational safety and health (OSH) functions and the human resource management (HRM) functions in the manufacturing sectors in Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.Since the HRM concept was created by American scholars in the early 1980s, the general understanding among Western scholars was that OSH was regarded as an important part of HRM in organizations. But since then scholars did not show the connection between OSH and HRM in various types of organizations. OSH was looked upon as a separate function in the management of organizations and it was believed to be more related to the works of safety engineers (and medical doctors).In terms of HRM, this perception was thought to be wrong.This study had adopted a case study approach and the interview protocol was used to solicit data from CEOs of three manufacturing firms respectively in Malaysia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.It was found that CEOs of manufacturing firms in the three countries regarded OSH as technical functions within the jurisdictions of safety engineers.HRM functions had nothing to do with OSH.So the OSH department and the HR department existed separately in these firms.It was also found that HR departments in these firms were still regarded as “administrative”. There was big potential for adopting strategic HRM in these firms.When this happens (and also the perceptions of CEOs change), then only the OSH department and the HR department can be integrated.