Abstract:
The role of the human resource management (HRM) function and its consequent
contribution to Organizational culture and strategic management have been much
debated. This relationship has not been empirically tested in the Australian local
government sector. This paper explores the types of organizational culture and the
role effectiveness of the HRM function as perceived by 217 senior managers in 71
New South Wales·and Queensland local government entities. We found four
clusters of local govemment entities, each with different profiles of Organizational
culture and perceived effectiveness of the HRM role. While most organizations
are undergoing a transition in their cultural ualues, over one-third of the
organizations exhibit a market-oriented culture. These market-oriented
organizations have a higher level of human resource role effectiveness. The
present study contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the status and influence
of HRM as a value-adding corporate function.
