State-owned versus private enterprises in China: adoption of modern HRM practices

Human resource management (HRM) practices change rapidly in China, at the initiative of both multinational corporations (MNCs) and local enterprises. Differences in the implementation of modern HRM practices by MNCs and local enterprises have been widely investigated. However, differences between Chinese private and state-owned enterprises have not yet been precisely considered. State-owned enterprises, because of strong personal management tradition and institutional pressures, may be slower to introduce some human resource management practices. However, this research finds that, despite some differences, mimetic mechanisms lead to the convergence of practices between state-owned and private Chinese enterprises.