HR Practices of IT-Based Companies in Korea

The research question in this study was to see whether there were similarities and differences in HR practices of IT-based companies in Korea. Interviews with 12 HR executives and a survey of 51 IT-based companies showed that there were IT industry-specific HR practices, but no group differences except one. The only one difference between two groups (small- and medium-sized firms versus multinational corporations) indicated that the latter was better positioned in various HR practices. Four HR themes emerged from analyses of interviews and a survey data: business environment, workforce management, HR practices, and HR for competitive advantage. The fact that none from large companies was found to have female HR executive calls for an in-depth study of what is occurring and what could be done to better the workplace in terms of diversity. A large-scale study using diverse methods in the future will produce more meaningful findings on HR practices in IT-based firms in Korea.