Human vs technology: a cross-cultural comparison of HR professionals' perceptions

Purpose This quantitative study seeks to explore HR professionals' perceptions regarding the adoption of technological applications under the fourth industrial revolution on 25 critical human resource management (HRM) challenges. Additionally, the authors compare data for potential cross-cultural differences. Design/methodology/approach A total sample of 251 HR professionals from 11 countries was divided into four different cultural clusters. They were asked about their attitudes to the most important HRM challenges when managing industrial relations. A 25-item structured Likert five-point scale questionnaire was used to explore the human vs technology relation and examine if there were any significant differences between clusters for each of the challenges. Findings The results suggest that most HR professionals believe that the use of technology instead of people cannot solve entirely human-centered and emotional based challenges, as those seem to be less exposed to machinery. Moreover, their views on only two of the 25 challenges present significant differences between cultural clusters, regarding making decisions solely on personal interest and managing confidential information after terminating employment. Originality/value This paper constitutes the first attempt of addressing the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on HRM challenges at a cross-cultural level. It is plausible that globalization and the fourth industrial revolution affect the perceptions of HR professionals worldwide. The study shows that respondents' perceptions about the “human vs technology” dilemma point toward the same direction, irrespective of their cultural background: that of enhancing human worker's role in business in the age of rapid technological advancements. In addition, the way our sample was drawn, taking into account the top Global Competitiveness Index 4.0 countries, makes our results robust and reliable.