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3.3.2.1 Sought case organisation characteristics

Before I sought research access within Sri Lanka, I established a set of

preliminary criteria for my research setting that stemmed from both theoretical and practical considerations. First, I sought organisations that were large

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enough to house a dedicated HR team, while also having a dedicated HR manager or HR director. Whilst the literature has expressed considerable interest in understanding if HR practices and policies of larger organisations apply in smaller settings (Baron, 2003; Barrett & Mayson, 2006; Huselid, 2003; Katz, Aldrich, Welbourne, & Williams, 2000; Mayson & Barrett, 2006), a larger organisation offered the potential to establish greater variations of praxis and practices not only throughout the organisation, but within the HRF itself.

Larger organisations typically have bigger HRFs, which in turn afford a greater potential for variation. Larger organisations have commonly been a focus of SHRM scholarship (Mayson & Barrett, 2006), in which HR practices have been linked to performance, business objectives and competitive

advantage (Ferris et al., 2004; Wright, Dunford, et al., 2001; Wright, Gardner, Moynihan, & Allen, 2005). Accordingly, a larger organisation was more fitting with my research objectives, offering a more conducive environment to

achieving them.

Second, I sought case settings where human capital has been discussed or understood to contribute significant value to an organisation. This included either seeking a case location within a knowledge intensive organisation in which human capital is valued more than financial capital (Alvesson, 1993), or within a professional services sector where human capital plays a

significant role (Luthans, Luthans, & Luthans, 2004) within the organisational dynamics. With this initial criterion established, I employed the guidance and help of a colleague to facilitate case selection and access.

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My colleague from whom I sought assistance is a well networked CEO within Sri Lanka who held significant personal and professional social capital needed to engage organisations at the executive management level. In this respect he provided a wealth of market knowledge and contacts. Feldman, Bell, and Berger (2004) note that using your networks and contacts to access extended networks in preparation for site access is a successful and worthwhile strategy to pursue – something I too can concur. If I had not leveraged this help, but instead solicited access myself, it is highly probable that my prospective case setting options would have been significantly less. Ultimately my choice to access perspective case locations through a known and respected third party all but eliminated the persistence, flexibility and luck that is often required to gain organisational access (Feldman et al., 2004).

I articulated to my networked colleague my preference for an organisation where senior managers were known to be open and accommodating. This was done looking ahead to the practicalities of accessing information once access to the organisation had been gained. After a verbal discussion of my criteria with my CEO colleague I was provided with a list of twelve publicly listed or large family owned companies in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka.

3.3.2.3 Selecting possible case organisations

Emails were then sent from my colleague to the CEOs of each of the twelve companies on my behalf. The email included core details of my study and a request for access across the entire organisation with a more detailed research

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statement attached. Of the twelve companies emailed, eight responded offering access. A response was then sent thanking each CEO for their offer, while advising them that I would select the most fitting organisation given my research scope. I then reviewed each organisation with my CEO colleague to best understand the situation on the ground, and to anticipate practical obstacles that could be encountered during data collection – essentially exploring elements such as organisational culture and cooperation. I also accessed company webpages and annual reports (where the information was publicly available) to further understand each organisation. I then relayed core elements to my doctoral supervisors in which methodological and practical implications were discussed. The bank in this study was then selected as a tentative first choice option.

However, given the varied choice of possible case options available, my PhD supervisory panel and I determined it was prudent to contact the HR Director of the bank via telephone. This was to ensure that he was supportive of me being granted access, rather than him following instructions, but in reality, resistant to the idea. This step was useful for me to gauge the tone of the conversation and ascertain through verbal cues if formal access would also mean a likelihood of acquiring useful data - as “what good does it do if one is inside yet has no access to information” (Feldman et al., 2004, p.34).

Following this discussion, I determined that the bank met my criteria for professional services, human capital, size, and practical access. The HR Director was highly supportive of the idea of my study, and very interested in what my findings would uncover. In return for this access a summary report

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would be provided on completion of the data collection which offered practical implications for change. This was explicitly stated as being of significant value to him and his team, as well as the broader bank.

3.3.2.4 ‘Close-with’ relationships

The willingness of both the CEO and the Director of HR to help facilitate access was the last significant access hurdle to overcome. With these last steps taken, I not only became confident that I had built the beginnings of a personal rapport, but felt that the strong relationship between my colleague and these two critical stakeholders had begun to be transferred to me by association. Competition in the banking sector is high, and having worked in the market myself I was aware of how social capital from a personal reference increases trust and openness – something also experienced and asserted by Feldman et al. (2004).

Fully leveraging close-with or close-to relationships that facilitate deep and significant access to areas behind the scenes is only granted to those with strong existing relationships (Johnson et al., 2010). As I was still an outsider, I hoped that the beginnings of establishing rapport through associated network ties would facilitate better access and openness given my mutual connection.