From disaster to discovery: How dynamic capabilities can inform human resource management practices in a VUCA environment

Purpose Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, human resource management (HRM) research focused on theories such as the resource-based view of the firm to understand how organisations build and enhance their human resource capacity, in contrast, to the modern era, characterised by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Baran and Woznyj, 2020), demands alternative theoretical approaches that reflect the unpredictable nature of the environment. We note here how case study research can impact such theoretical research. Design/methodology/approach Through an examination of a small to medium enterprise case study, the research demonstrates how organisations can adapt and realign their human resource practices to enhance workforce resilience and agility amidst continuous disruption, to enhance organisational capabilities and sustained competitive advantage. It also presents a story of how the researchers conducted, influenced and impacted on the research, using practitioner insights and evaluations. Findings The findings offer valuable insights into the potential of dynamic capabilities (DC) as a critical human resource (HR) theory for navigating and thriving in a rapidly changing world. Equally important, the research demonstrated the role of the researchers, with a practitioner ,in curating meaning in HRM research. Originality/value This paper addresses this gap by employing the framework of dynamic capabilities (Augier and Teece, 2009) as a lens for HRM. Specifically, this paper highlights the importance of qualitative research and the use of practitioner input in advancing HRM research.