Benevolent authoritarianism, paternalism and religious humanitarianism in Sri Lanka: a dependent or autonomous HR?
Article
Hettiarachchi, C., Parsa, S. and Roper, I. 2024. Benevolent authoritarianism, paternalism and religious humanitarianism in Sri Lanka: a dependent or autonomous HR? The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 35 (20), pp. 3475-3495. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2024.2421343
Type | Article |
---|---|
Title | Benevolent authoritarianism, paternalism and religious humanitarianism in Sri Lanka: a dependent or autonomous HR? |
Authors | Hettiarachchi, C., Parsa, S. and Roper, I. |
Abstract | This article examines the cases of five Sri Lankan export-oriented companies, each situated within global production networks (GPN) with British companies at the apex. In examining their managerial practices, a strong similarity to the practices associated with Anglo-Saxon paternalism is identified. However, these observed parallels are a product of local circumstances and the particular location within the GPN rather than a consequence of any emulation of British practices. The resulting system reflects a high power-dependency relationship that employers hold over employees. In this sense, the emergent HR system is partly dependent on the position in the GPN and partly autonomous. The system is characterised by a gendered division of labour and by the proximity of managerial oversight over the issue of worker autonomy. The factory setting has lower levels of worker autonomy and dependency compared to tea harvesting. One outlying exception to the general paternalistic approach, in one of the companies studied, is where the religious and ethnic makeup of the workforce is not shared with management, leading to increased conflict with the unionised workforce. The nature of Sri Lankan paternalism is specific and endogenous, but the conditions creating this paternalism are likely to be replicated elsewhere. |
Keywords | Paternalism; Sri Lanka; Global Production Networks; Benevolent Authoritarianism; Global South |
Sustainable Development Goals | 8 Decent work and economic growth |
Middlesex University Theme | Sustainability |
Publisher | Taylor & Francis (Routledge) |
Journal | The International Journal of Human Resource Management |
ISSN | 0958-5192 |
Electronic | 1466-4399 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 29 Oct 2024 |
12 Nov 2024 | |
Publication process dates | |
Submitted | 23 Aug 2023 |
Accepted | 19 Oct 2024 |
Deposited | 04 Nov 2024 |
Output status | Published |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Copyright Statement | © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2024.2421343 |
Language | English |
https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/1vz475
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Benevolent_authoritarianism_paternalism_and_religious_humanitarianism_in_Sri_Lanka.pdf | ||
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | ||
File access level: Open |
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