Abstract

We measure whether, in a developing country, existence of a ‘hard’ strategic human
resource management (SHRM) strategy developed at high organizational levels or one
designed to enhance employee knowledge inputs and thereby promote employer–
employee interdependence (EEIN) is a stronger antecedent of direct communication to
employees. We use data from a comprehensive survey of HR practices in Mauritius,
one of Africa’s most open and successful economies. We find that both SHRM and
EEIN are antecedents, but that the latter is stronger in public organizations and in
smaller and older companies. We conclude that EEIN is a significant analytic category
for explaining management practices especially in a historic sense in this and possibly
other developing country contexts.