Sustainable HRM: Bridging theory and practice through the ‘Respect Openness Continuity (ROC)’-model

Although the academic debate on the link between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and HRM is relatively young, it is generating increasing interest. We suggest that sustainable HRM is a next, innovative and promising domain for theory building, research and practice in the field of HRM. It nonetheless poses several new challenges. To date, the literature on this topic is inconsistent, and the field therefore lacks clear lines, fine-tuning and conceptual/practical maturity. In this context, the ‘Respect Openness Continuity (ROC)’-model is introduced. This model proceeds from the proposition that sustainable HRM forms a subsequent stage in the tradition of HRM thinking. In recent years, mainstream HRM has been strongly identified with strategic HRM thinking. In developing a model for sustainable HRM, various theoretical viewpoints beyond the strategic HRM tradition are explored and assessed for their potential contributions to a framework for sustainable HRM that can bridge theory and practice.