Running head: REVIEW OF ATTRIBUTIONS THEORIES IN HRM Attribution Theories in Human Resource Management Research: A Review and Research Agenda Rebecca Hewetta, Amanda Shantzb, Julia Mundyc, Kerstin Alfesd aRotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Netherlands bTrinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland cBusiness School, University of Greenwich, UK dESCP Europe Wirtschaftshochschule Berlin, Germany a Corresponding author: Mandeville Building, Burgmeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands;
[email protected], Tel: +31 (0)10 408 8640, Twitter: @DrBexH, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccahewett/ b Aras an Phiarsaigh, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland, Tel: +35 (0)31 896 1000 c Old Royal Naval College, 30 Park Row, London SE10 9LS Tel: +44 (0)20 8331 8000,
[email protected] d Heubnerweg 8-10, 14059 Berlin, Germany, Tel: +49 (0)30 32007 202,
[email protected] Reference for published paper: Hewett, R., Shantz, A., Mundy, J. and Alfes, K. (2017) Attribution Theories in Human Resource Management Research: A Review and Research Agenda. International Journal of Human Resource Management. Online First: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2017.1380062 2 Attribution Theories in Human Resource Management Research: A Review and Research Agenda There is no doubt that attribution theories have made their mark in social psychology and other related disciplines, but their application and extension to the field of human resources (HR) is in its infancy. Indeed, HR scholars have recently realized that understanding the process by which individuals explain the causes of behaviors and events provides insight into a host of HR-related issues. In our review of 65 papers, we identified three research streams with different foci – those that focused on HR system strength, on attributions that influence judgements and behaviors within functional HRM domains, and on the attributions employees make of the intent of HR practices.