Human Resource Development Practices in State-Owned Enterprises: Case Studies in China

The purpose of this research was to identify the current st atus of HRD (Human Resource Development) by select ing five state-owned enterprises (SOEs) by industry (food, automobile, machinery, satellite communications, and construction) as case studies. More specifically, the study was intended to address three research questions: 1) How is training and development taking place in China's SOEs? 2) Second, how is career development taking place in China's SOEs? 3) Third, how is organizational development t aking place in China's SOEs? This study used the method of a multi-case study to examine the HRD practices of five SOEs from different industries. Case studies show that in terms of training and development, the state-owned enterprises issue certificates after conducting educat ion and training, which promote members' willingness to learn. Moreover, cooperation in education and training between companies and universities was frequent. Furthermore, the characteristics of the personnel system of China's state-owned enterprises have been shown to hinder the career development of employees. In addition, the organizational development of state-owned enterprises was not systematically undertaken. The conclusion of this paper reveals six themes of HRD practice status and puts forward six suggestions for HRD in SOEs in China. Based on the results of the study, this study suggest s development strategies for HRD in SOEs, implications of HRD practice in SOEs, and future research directions.