Does Ownership of Higher Education Institute Influence its HRM Patterns? The Case of Pakistan

Abstract

This paper compares HRM patterns - variables pertaining to HR department, HR strategy, integration, devolvement and organizational policies about long-term recruitment targets, monitoring of training effectiveness and means of communications - in public and private higher education institutes (HEIs) of Pakistan. Results of the survey from fifty-two HEIs show that public and private sector institutes are similar in most of their patterns of HRM. The significant difference of age and size has made no impact at all on structure, strategy and other characteristics of HRM. The centralized structure inherited from colonial period is prevailing especially in the public owned institutes. The presence of elite classes created during colonial period is resisting to any change. Private sector has shown a tremendous growth. Individuals or group of individuals representing the elite classes owns most of the private institutes. Therefore, the private institutes are not much different from the public one. There is resistance to HRM convergence in Pakistan and the high power distance culture is shaping many HRM policies and practices.

Keywords: Comparative HRM, Ownership, Higher education, Sectors, SHRM, Pakistan