Hybridisation of human resources management practices: the case of local government in France
| Published date | 01 March 2021 |
| Author | Arnaud Bichon,Sandra Dubouloz,Céline Desmarais |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020852319864151 |
| Date | 01 March 2021 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International
Review of
Administrative
Sciences
Hybridisation of human
resources management
practices: the case of
local government
in France
Ce
´line Desmarais
University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland
Sandra Dubouloz
Universite
´Savoie Mont Blanc, France
Arnaud Bichon
Universite
´Savoie Mont Blanc, France
Abstract
The dissemination of New Public Management principles is transforming human resour-
ces management practices in the public sector. The transformations that have taken
place follow four logics: the logics of formalisation, contractualisation, individualisation
and politicisation. The article examines the consequences of the interplay of these
logics on the hybridisation of human resources management practices. To this end,
two complementary methodologies were used: a quantitative methodology based on
a survey of 223 local authorities within a French department; and a qualitative meth-
odology based on interviews conducted with 25 of these authorities. The results show
that these logics coexist, raising questions about the micro-negotiations that allow this
coexistence.
Points for practitioners
Human resources management practices in public organisations are the composite
outcome of a set of different, even contradictory, logics: the logics of individualisation,
Corresponding author:
Ce
´line Desmarais, HES SO, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Western Switzerland.
Email: celine.desmarais@heig-vd.ch
International Review of Administrative
Sciences
2021, Vol. 87(1) 171–190
!The Author(s) 2019
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/0020852319864151
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contractualisation, formalisation and politicisation. There is no common shift towards a
single new human resources management model within French local authorities. The
fact that these logics are always present in different combinations is explained mainly by
the internal dynamics between the stakeholders (elected officials, human resources
professionals, management, etc.).
Keywords
human resources management, hybridisation, politicisation
Introduction
The spread of the performance ideal of New Public Management (NPM) through
the public sector results in the hybridisation of management practices (Emery and
Giauque, 2014). This is the case with public human resources management (HRM)
practices. In many countries, practices based on the administrative tradition and
the politicisation of management compete with logics based on NPM doctrines
(Desmarais, 2008) that promote contractualisation and individualisation, as well as
an increasing formalisation of HRM practices.
As at 31 December 2015,
1
local government in France had a 1889 million-strong
workforce, employed by approximately 48,000 employers (municipalities, French
departments, regions, inter-municipal organisations and public establishments).
While it may not have undergone a radical reform, it is nevertheless characterised
by developments inspired by NPM. In fact, the quest to control their management
has prompted local elected officials to argue in favour of the contractualisation and
individualisation of careers and remuneration (Biland, 2009). At the same time, the
traditionally strong involvement of elected officials in recruitment and their close
presence in day-to-day management lead some authors to consider French local
authorities as an island of politicisation (Chevallier, 2002). Finally, the profession-
alisation of human resources (HR) leads to a more formalised process, hence the
competition within French local authorities between the demands for modernisa-
tion, professionalisation and the involvement of elected officials.
It is therefore necessary to identify whether certain logics predominate and to
analyse how the different logics present in local HRM relate to each other. Are HR
practices integrated and consistent or are they disjointed and muddled?
The purpose of this article is therefore twofold: (1) to characterise HRM prac-
tices in French local authorities; and (2) to gain an in-depth understanding of the
hybridisation processes at work. To do this, it uses both a quantitative (223 terri-
torial authorities) and qualitative (30 semi-directive interviews with 25 authori-
ties) approach.
We begin by outlining the theory behind the logic of individualisation, contrac-
tualisation, politicisation and formalisation. We then explain the methodologies
used and present our main results, which we discuss in a final section.
172 International Review of Administrative Sciences 87(1)
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