HRM and the pursuit of a service culture : Managerial encounters with competing discourses

Purpose – Aims to draw attention to how managers actively re‐construct inherent contradictions characterising the employment relationship that in the service sector, are rooted in drives for increased efficiency and customer‐oriented behaviours. Design/methodology/approach – Presents a case study of the human resource implications of changes taking place within a contract catering firm seeking to attain “world class” service delivery. Findings – Finds that managers' accounts of “the reality” of change were constructed upon three overlapping and competing discourses – labelled “enagagement”, “enterprise” and “compliance”. Originality/value – Highlights the active role of discourse in the management of HRM and organisational change.