Evaluating levels of strategic integration and devolvement of human resource management in the UK

Evaluates the levels of strategic “integration” of human resource management (HRM) into the corporate strategy and “devolvement” of responsibility for HRM to line managers in the UK manufacturing sector. Summarises, initially, some of the primary theoretical debates existing in the HRM literature and then presents empirical results of a large‐scale study. Bases the findings on a questionnaire survey and in‐depth interviews. Not only highlights the present scenario regarding the concepts of integration and devolvement from the “subject‐matter experts”’ viewpoint, but also reveals the main logic surrounding them and the main factors and variables which determine these two practices in the UK. Contributes to the field of strategic HRM and opens avenues for further research.