Journal of Human Resource Management

Journal of Human Resource Management

Methodological Challenges in Public Sector Human Resource Management Research

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hassan Danaeifard 1
Samaneh Yazdani 2
1 . Prof., Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management and Economics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Assistant Prof., Department of Management and Accounting, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/jhrs.2026.579513.2567
Abstract
Background & Purpose: Human resource management in the public sector plays a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of public organizations and achieving good governance. Despite the quantitative growth of research in this field in Iran over the past decade, the methodological quality of these studies has rarely been systematically evaluated. The aim of this study is to provide a critical review of the methodological literature on public sector human resource management with a special focus on Iran and to identify its main gaps and challenges.
Methodology: This study was conducted using a semi-systematic review approach based on the PRISMA 2020 framework. Out of 520 initial records, 128 selected sources—including 75 international studies and 53 Persian/Iranian studies—were examined through descriptive and critical analysis. A six-dimensional conceptual framework encompassing research design and causal inference, data sources, levels of analysis, methodological diversity, quality of tools and data analysis, and institutional embeddedness served as the basis for evaluation. The reliability of qualitative coding was confirmed with Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.87.
Findings: The existing research is predominantly quantitative, cross-sectional, and based on self-reported data. Control for common method bias is rarely reported, and longitudinal, multilevel, and genuinely integrated mixed-methods studies are almost absent. The application of emerging data-driven methods is not observed in the domestic literature. These patterns stem from institutional and educational constraints and have led to the production of static knowledge with limited generalizability and explanatory power.
Conclusion: The identified methodological challenges undermine the credibility of produced knowledge and the capacity for evidence-based policymaking in the public sector. Strengthening longitudinal and mixed-methods research, utilizing secondary and multi-source data, employing multilevel models, and reforming methodological training are key pathways to enhance methodological rigor and generate more applicable and valid knowledge in public sector human resource management.
Keywords
Human resource management
Public sector
Methodological challenges
Critical review
Methodological rigor
Institutional context
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Journal of Human Resource Management
Volume 16, Issue 1
Spring 2026
Pages 43-68

  • Receive Date 25 April 2026
  • Accept Date 15 June 2026