Evolution of Concept and Practice in Personnel Administration/Human Resource Management (PA/HRM)

Abstract
This review describes the evolution of personnel administrationlhuman resource management (PAIHRM) and discusses current trends and issues in the field. Recent shifts in orientation, such as changes from personnel to human resources, from administration to management, andfrom human relations to organizational effectiveness, are surveyed. These shifts are interpreted as indicative of a search for a unifying analyticalframeworkfor PAIHRM. Integrative concepts from the organization sciences, particularly the idea of different labor market structures, are viewed as possibilities for synthesizing HRM strategy. Approaches for future research and practice are suggested.