Abstract
This study explored (1) to what degree corporate strategy, organization structure, and practices of personnel management were integrated, and (2) whether the fit among strategy, structure, and personnel management was really related to high performance. Questionnaire data were obtained from managers of personnel or planning sections in 131 firms which have headquarters in the Tohkai district.
The results indicated that practices of personnel management tended to lag behind development of strategy and structure, although the appropriate structure for implementing strategy was likely to be attempted. While we could not collect enough data to test the hypothesis that in high performing firms, strategy, structure, and personnel management tend to be congruent, a preliminary analysis conducted by using several firms' data turned out not supporting the hypothesis. The reasons why this “fit-high performance” hypothesis was not supported and practices of personnel management were likely to be incongeruent with strategy and structure are examined, and the implications for developing strategic human resource management are discussed.
