BRM1: Business Research Methods- Critical Analysis- Get Literature Review Assignment Help at Tvassignmenthelp.com

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Task: Section 1: Researchable Topic The researchable topic encompasses the fields of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management (HRM). To a large extent these areas have been treated discretely with little attention paid to the implications one may have on the other. The focus of the research will be on the micro-level effects an organisation’s CSR activities entail, specifically those impacting on an organisation’s employees. Both areas have risen to prominence in their own right and have been widely accepted as imperative functions for modern day organisations. Rupp et al. (2012) believes the interest in the effects of an organisation’s activities on society is far from a new phenomenon and highlights the influential works of Bowen (1953) and Davis (1960). However, the realisation that an organisation’s CSR performance can have a profound impact on its individual employees is a relatively new area of interest to both practitioners and academia. It is anticipated that the geographical area of concern will be the limited to the Republic of Ireland due to time and travel constraints. Section 2: Aims and Objectives 2.1 Background & Issues The objective of this research is to gain an understanding through an exploratory study of how an organisation’s engagement in CSR affects its employees on an in-depth and personal level. The areas of potential focus will include recruitment, engagement, loyalty, motivation and job satisfaction. Contemporary thinking holds that employees required to engage in cognitively challenging tasks are motivated by autonomy, mastery and purpose (Pink, 2011). The extent to which CSR contributes to an employee’s sense of purpose has not been examined in any meaningful way. The potential implications of gaining a meaningful understanding into CSR’s contribution to an employee’s sense of purpose could be hugely significant for the field of human resource management. It is envisaged that completing the research will result in a greater understanding of numerous micro-level CSR issues. Firstly, what areas of the HRM function does CSR have the potential to support in a meaningful manner will be identified. Secondly, if there is any real intrinsic value for employees of firms who engaged in CSR will be ascertained. Finally, if CSR has the potential to foster an employee’s sense of purpose will be established. It is anticipated that the objectives of the research will become more specific and measurable as the research progresses through the antecedent to the penultimate stages. 2.2 Justification for the Research There is a need to transcend the boundaries of the existing literature that examines the relationship between CSR and individual level effects on a superficial level. A contemporary study conducted by Jones, Willness and Madey (2014) and another by Glavas and Kelley (2014) highlight the positive perceptions of employees/candidates of the organisation that can be obtained from engagement in CSR yet fail to delve deeper into the psychology behind these perceptions. The questions must be posed does CSR have any real intrinsic value for an organisation’s employees and are positive associations with firms engaged in overt CSR affected by pressures on individuals to conform with social expectations. Organisations adopting the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) are increasingly seeing their employees as a key source of competitive advantage. Given how imperative employee engagement is to organisational performance this research has the potential to shed light on the role CSR can play in supporting the HRM function in achieving its various objectives.