Chapter 3 “Web Mining” as a Novel Approachin e-HRM Research

Numerous research questions in e-HRM research are directly related to the usage of diverse information systems by HR professionals, line managers, employees, and/or applicants. Since they are regularly based on Internet technologies, information systems in e-HRM automatically store detailed usage data in log files of web servers. Subsumed as “web mining,” such data are frequently used as inputs for innovative data analysis in e-commerce practice. Though also promising in empirical e-HRM research, web mining is neither discussed nor applied in this area at present. Our chapter therefore aims at a methodological evaluation of web mining as an e-HRM research approach. After introducing web mining as a possible approach in e-HRM research, we examine its applicability by discussing available data, feasible methods, coverable topics, and confirmable privacy. Subsequently, we classify the approach methodologically by examining major issues. Our evaluation reveals that “web mining” constitutes a promising additional research approach that enables research to answer numerous relevant questions related to the actual usage of information systems in e-HRM.