Prof. Dr. David Bendig, Dr. Kathrin Haubner, Prof. Dr. Sabrina Jeworrek und Jonathan Hoke (from left to right)

The International Journal of Human Resource Management recently published an article by Prof. Dr. David Bendig, Dr. Kathrin Haubner, Jonathan Hoke from the Institute for Entrepreneurship, and Prof. Dr. Sabrina Jeworrek from the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle (IWH) and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. The article examines the growing significance of the chief human resource officer (CHRO) on the top management team. The article “The chief human resource officer in the C-suite: peer prevalence and environmental uncertainty” examines why certain company boards prioritize human resources while others do not. The authors argue that the appointment of CHROs is often a response to uncertainty, with companies imitating the leadership structures of their industry peers. The statement implies that the composition of top management is not only a strategic decision but also a result of mimetic isomorphism.

The study examines the relationship between the prevalence of CHROs on the boards of large listed companies from 2006 to 2020. The authors find a positive relationship between the prevalence of the CHRO position among firms’ peers and a focal firm having a CHRO in its top management. Additionally, the authors find that environmental factors, such as industry growth and dynamics, moderate this imitation behavior. These findings contribute to understanding the evolution of human resource structures in the C-suite and promote the integration of strategic and human resource considerations in corporate management.

The full text of the study is available as open access at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2024.2324104