The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) has recently announced the list of research projects awarded grants in 2013. A research project led by Professor and Honorary Dean Zhao Shuming of Nanjing University School of Business entitled “Research on Employment Relations Model and HRM Innovation in Chinese Enterprises” has been awarded a NSFC grant of RMB2.25 million yuan.  The project will be conducted over five years from 2014 to 2018.  Collaborators on the research project include ZHANG Zhengtang, JIA Liangding, JIANG Chunyan, CHENG Dejun and MAO Yina of Nanjing University, China; Russell D. LANSBURY and Chris WRIGHT from Australia, and Dong LIU from the United States.

The employment relations in Chinese enterprises are experiencing dramatic changes during the process of rapid institutional transformation and economic globalization.  The research study will investigate the types of employment models that are more suitable for today’s Chinese enterprises.  In addition to economic effectiveness, the study will examine factors of social and humanistic well-being in organizations.  Specifically, what are the factors that influence the choice of an employment model by enterprises?  The research project has been subdivided into four interrelated projects including a description of the status quo, theoretical discussion, systematic empirical research, and practical applications.  The research should make contributions toward an effect model of humanistic well-being that integrates internal and external perspectives with an employment relation model and the antecedents and outcomes of employment relations in Chinese enterprises.  Emphasis in the study will be on the impact mechanisms of HRM practices on an employment relations model.

This research should have important implications for establishing a China-based employment relations model and HRM theoretical knowledge, and at the same time, it will offer practical references for improving the employment relations model in Chinese enterprises and promoting the humanistic well-being among society, enterprises, and employees.