People decisions drive productivity, equity, and risk in every organization, and the evidence base around those decisions is growing fast. We are TopicSuggestions, and we approach Human Resource Management as an academic field that blends psychology, economics, law, analytics, and technology—now reshaped by remote work, AI screening, and renewed attention to wellbeing and inclusion. Today we will share a concise, student‑friendly set of HRM research paper topics that are timely, specific, and feasible with accessible data and literature.
Good HR Management Research Paper Topics
We will group them by major themes—strategy and workforce planning; talent acquisition and employer branding; performance, pay, and rewards; learning and careers; DEI and ethics; wellbeing and safety; technology and analytics; law and compliance; and global or sector contexts—so you can quickly find a focus that fits your course level and preferred methods.
1. We design micro-weather-priced creative rotations for ultra-local quick commerce campaigns
How do we quantify incremental basket size when we rotate creatives based on 500m grid rain/UV data in real time?
Can we detect and prevent cross-neighborhood cannibalization when only some grids receive weather-triggered promos?
How should we set guardrails so we avoid fairness harms while maximizing LTV uplift during extreme-weather spikes?
What if we combine storm-threshold regression discontinuity with uplift modeling to set optimal trigger intensities?
2. We build a carbon-shadow price label as a premiumization lever in crowded CPG categories
How do we elicit willingness-to-pay shifts when we surface a standardized “shadow carbon cost” next to price on digital shelves?
Can we frame the label (savings vs stewardship) so we convert climate skeptics without alienating core eco-segments?
Do we observe competitor retaliation dynamics that dilute our advantage or expand the premium tier?
What if we couple the label with tiered offsets to engineer a credible green moat around our brand?
3. We orchestrate TikTok micro-dramas to narrate supply-chain provenance and test price elasticity
How do we map narrative arcs (conflict, reveal, resolution) to memory lift and willingness to pay for provenance-rich SKUs?
Can we quantify spillovers when creators duet our provenance content across unrelated niches?
Do we reduce perceived greenwashing risk if we embed third-party audit receipts as creative props?
What if we simulate crisis scenarios to test whether provenance narratives buffer against price hikes?
4. We prototype a zero-party data cooperative with tokenized dividends as a next-gen loyalty program
How do we price data dividends so we maximize opt-in while maintaining profitable CAC/LTV economics?
Can we build a trust loop where transparent value statements increase data depth without increasing churn?
Do we outperform traditional CDPs on lookalike accuracy when members co-curate feature preferences?
What if we stress-test regulatory shocks to see whether the cooperative forms a durable competitive moat?
5. We deploy on-device LLM brand guardians to personalize outbound without drifting from brand voice
How do we measure incremental revenue and unsubscribe rates when the guardian edits sales emails per user embeddings?
Can we audit and bound hallucination risk while preserving creative novelty that lifts CTR?
Do we maintain long-run brand consistency across cohorts if we fine-tune locally with feedback loops?
What if we optimize human-in-the-loop costs by triaging only high-variance segments to copywriters?
6. We engineer AR haptic micro-incentives in virtual try-on to lower return rates and boost confidence
How do we link specific haptic cues (texture, tightness) to reductions in size-related returns for apparel?
Can we construct a Sensory Backing Index that predicts retention and upsell probabilities after try-on?
Do we see accessibility or inclusivity gains when haptics assist neurodivergent shoppers in decision-making?
What if we redeploy saved reverse logistics budget into post-purchase nurturing to compound CLV?
7. We test repair-as-loyalty marketing to convert durability into recurring revenue
How do we quantify NPS and CLV lift when we subsidize first repair and bundle care plans as status tiers?
Can we model cannibalization of new-unit sales versus referral amplification from repair advocates?
Do we design win-back journeys that trigger at “time-to-fail” predictions instead of generic drip campaigns?
What if we co-market with independent repair shops to expand reach while preserving brand equity?
8. We craft culture-aware emoji and sticker taxonomies to optimize cross-border social ads
How do we estimate CTR and conversion lift when we localize emoji clusters by cultural sentiment maps?
Can we price the misinterpretation penalty when a symbol backfires in a specific dialect community?
Do we transfer-learn creative rules from high-signal markets to low-data countries without brand risk?
What if we integrate brand safety classifiers that flag emerging symbols before they trend?
9. We create dynamic climate risk alerts in fintech/insurance apps as contextual cross-sell triggers
How do we time alerts so we increase uptake of add-on coverage without alert fatigue or panic?
Can we calibrate lead scores that blend hazard proximity with user liquidity and past responsiveness?
Do we maintain fairness across vulnerable populations when benefits cluster near frequent-risk zones?
What if we A/B test disclosure framings to balance conversion with ethical clarity?
10. We launch voice-twin brand ambassadors (synthetic voices) for voice commerce and service funnels
How do we compare trust, comprehension, and conversion between synthetic voice-twins and human agents?
Can we design disclosure formats that sustain performance while meeting emerging voice-ethics standards?
Do we observe adverse selection where certain segments exploit the assistant for discounts or loopholes?
What if we tune prosody and micro-pauses to reduce cognitive load and improve basket size?
11. AI-mediated Mentoring in the Gig Economy: How algorithmic matching shapes career trajectories
We propose research questions: 1) How do algorithmic mentor-mentee matching systems affect quality and longevity of mentoring relationships among gig workers? 2) How does AI-mediated mentoring influence measurable career outcomes (earnings, skill acquisition, client retention) compared with human-matched mentoring? 3) How do demographic and task-type differences moderate these effects?
We describe an approach: We will combine platform log-data analysis (matching algorithms, interaction frequency, outcome metrics), randomized A/B testing of matching rules on a partnered gig platform, and semi-structured interviews to interpret mechanisms.
12. Emotional Labor Tax Credits: HR policy design for compensating invisible emotional work in remote healthcare teams
We propose research questions: 1) Which forms of emotional labor performed by remote healthcare staff are currently unrecognized by compensation systems? 2) How do different HR policy framings (direct pay, time-off, recognition tokens) affect burnout, retention, and patient outcomes? 3) What measurement instruments reliably capture remote emotional labor for policy purposes?
We describe an approach: We will develop a validated emotional-labor inventory for remote clinicians, pilot three HR compensation interventions in matched units, and use difference-in-differences with wellbeing and performance metrics.
13. Worker-Generated Training Data Governance: HR frameworks for employee ownership and incentives when enterprises train internal generative models
We propose research questions: 1) How does explicit HR policy on ownership of worker-generated data affect willingness to contribute and perceived fairness? 2) What compensation and governance models balance organizational AI benefits with employee rights and retention? 3) How do different disclosure practices change employee trust in employer AI use?
We describe an approach: We will run vignette experiments and discrete-choice surveys across industries, couple with legal-policy analysis, and implement a pilot governance model in one firm to measure behavioral responses.
14. Circadian-Aligned Scheduling for Aging Workforces: HR interventions to preserve cognitive performance and extend employability
We propose research questions: 1) Can circadian-aligned shift scheduling improve cognitive performance, safety, and job satisfaction among older employees? 2) How feasible are personalized scheduling systems within operational constraints, and what HR practices enable adoption? 3) Do benefits differ by job type (knowledge vs. manual)?
We describe an approach: We will conduct a cluster-randomized trial in organizations with mixed-age teams, collect objective cognitive and performance tests, and analyze cost-benefit and operational impacts.
15. Neurodiversity in Rapid-Prototyping Startups: HR practices that enable high-velocity product cycles
We propose research questions: 1) Which onboarding and role-design practices maximize contribution of neurodivergent employees in startups with fast iteration cycles? 2) How do communication norms and sprint structures affect inclusion and productivity for neurodiverse team members? 3) What accommodations are most scalable without slowing product velocity?
We describe an approach: We will combine rapid ethnography in startups, design-thinking co-creation workshops with neurodiverse employees, and field experiments testing specific onboarding scripts and sprint modifications.
16. Framing Reskilling for the Green Transition: How HR messaging affects enrollment and outcomes in net-zero skill programs
We propose research questions: 1) Which message frames (threat, opportunity, civic duty, career growth) most increase uptake and completion of green reskilling across demographic groups? 2) How do framing effects interact with incentives (monetary vs. certifications vs. career-path guarantees)? 3) What persistent behavior change results post-training?
We describe an approach: We will run randomized communication experiments across organizational units enrolling employees into green-skill programs, measure uptake/completion and post-training workforce mobility, and run mediator analyses.
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17. Cross-Cultural Remote Onboarding: The role of gestural and paralanguage cues in video-based socialization
We propose research questions: 1) How do gestural framing and paralanguage (tone, pacing) in onboarding video calls affect perceived belonging among hires from different cultural backgrounds? 2) Can tailored nonverbal onboarding scripts reduce early turnover and improve integration? 3) What training can HR provide to managers to adapt nonverbal cues for multicultural remote teams?
We describe an approach: We will design controlled lab experiments with simulated onboarding sessions varying nonverbal behaviors, combine with field pilots in multinational firms, and analyze short- and medium-term socialization metrics.
18. Embedding Algorithmic Fairness Audits into HR Performance Systems on Gig Platforms
We propose research questions: 1) How can algorithmic fairness audit outputs be operationalized into transparent HR performance adjustments for gig workers? 2) Does integrating fairness audit findings into performance feedback improve perceived fairness and platform retention? 3) Which audit presentation formats best support worker comprehension and trust?
We describe an approach: We will co-design an audit-to-HR pipeline with a gig platform, deploy alternative feedback formats in an experiment, and measure trust, appeals, and behavioral outcomes.
19. Augmented Reality Apprenticeship: HR-led AR programs for transferring tacit, high-skill manual knowledge
We propose research questions: 1) Does AR-guided apprenticeship accelerate skill acquisition and retention compared with traditional mentorship for high-skill manual roles? 2) How does AR change mentor workload and organizational knowledge diffusion? 3) What HR structures (rotation, certification, incentives) maximize AR program scalability?
We describe an approach: We will implement AR training modules alongside standard apprenticeship in manufacturing or medical-technical settings, measure learning curves, retention, and mentor capacity, and conduct cost-effectiveness analysis.
20. Micro-Transparency of Compensation via Distributed Ledgers: HR implications of block-level pay visibility
We propose research questions: 1) How does implementing fine-grained, blockchain-enabled pay transparency (micro-transparency) affect perceptions of procedural justice, pay bargaining, and internal mobility? 2) What unintended behaviors (gaming, morale shifts) emerge from sustained micro-transparency? 3) How should HR mediate disputes arising from immutable compensation records?
We describe an approach: We will simulate micro-transparency platforms in experimental organizational games, pilot a prototype ledger in a consenting unit with governance protocols, and analyze effects on trust, turnover, and compensation dynamics.
21. AI-mediated reverse mentoring in multinational firms
We propose studying how AI tools that facilitate reverse mentoring (junior → senior) change learning, power dynamics, and career trajectories across cultures.
Research questions:
– How might we measure whether AI-mediated reverse mentoring improves senior leaders’ digital fluency without harming junior mentors’ career progression?
– What can we do to detect and correct cultural or gender biases introduced by AI suggestion engines in mentoring pairings?
– To what extent can we integrate AI feedback loops while preserving psychological safety for junior mentors?
We suggest a mixed-methods design combining platform logs, pre/post skills tests, and ethnographic interviews across three country offices with an experimental pairing algorithm.
22. Algorithmic fairness in gig-worker scheduling platforms
We aim to investigate how scheduling algorithms affect income stability, health outcomes, and perceived fairness among gig workers.
Research questions:
– How might we audit platform scheduling algorithms to reveal systematic disadvantaging of specific demographic or geographic subgroups?
– What can we measure about the relationship between algorithmic predictability and gig workers’ mental health and financial resilience?
– To what extent can we design transparent scheduling interventions that maintain platform efficiency while improving fairness?
We recommend field audits with synthetic worker profiles, longitudinal surveys of workers, and collaboration with a platform to A/B test fairness-aware scheduling rules.
23. Neurodiversity-aware performance appraisal metrics
We want to design and validate appraisal systems that account for neurodivergent employees’ strengths and different work patterns.
Research questions:
– How might we reconceptualize performance indicators to capture task-specific strengths of neurodivergent employees without lowering standards?
– What can we do to ensure appraisal tools do not pathologize neurodivergent communication or productivity styles?
– To what extent do adjusted appraisal metrics improve retention and promotion parity for neurodivergent staff?
We propose participatory co-design with neurodivergent employees, pilot psychometric validation, and difference-in-differences analysis of retention and promotion rates.
24. Climate-change-driven labor mobility and HR contingency planning
We examine how climate-induced migration patterns affect talent pools, local labor markets, and multinational HR strategies.
Research questions:
– How might we forecast regional talent inflows/outflows caused by climate events and integrate these forecasts into HR workforce planning?
– What can we do to design mobility policies that are equitable for displaced workers and sustainable for host locations?
– To what extent can proactive reskilling programs mitigate productivity shocks from climate-driven labor shifts?
We suggest combining climate-risk mapping, labor-market modeling, employer surveys, and scenario-based HR contingency plan simulations.
25. Invisible digital labor (“digital sweat”) measurement and compensation frameworks
We seek to quantify unpaid digital work (notifications, status maintenance, microtasks) that employees undertake and propose compensation models.
Research questions:
– How might we operationalize measurement of invisible digital labor across communication tools and devices?
– What can we estimate about the productivity and well-being costs borne by employees performing digital upkeep beyond formal job duties?
– To what extent are pay- or time-based compensation schemes feasible and accepted by employees and employers?
We recommend instrumenting corporate digital tools for time-use analytics (with consent), surveying perceived burden, and piloting compensation or time-credit interventions.
26. HR governance in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)
We explore how DAOs handle onboarding, accountability, disputes, and performance without traditional HR hierarchies.
Research questions:
– How might we map the norms, smart-contract rules, and informal governance practices that substitute for HR functions in DAOs?
– What can we learn about contributor motivation and retention when compensation and reputation are automated on-chain?
– To what extent can hybrid HR frameworks (legal entities + on-chain governance) improve scalability and worker protections?
We propose comparative case studies of DAOs, participant surveys, smart-contract audits, and stakeholder workshops to design hybrid governance prototypes.
27. Biometric emotion-sensing in remote work: ethics, accuracy, and HR policy
We investigate the technical validity and ethical implications of using biometric emotion detection (facial, voice, physiological) for remote employee monitoring.
Research questions:
– How might we validate emotion-sensing models across diverse demographics to avoid systematic misclassification of emotions?
– What can we learn about how such monitoring affects trust, autonomy, and job satisfaction among remote workers?
– To what extent can policy safeguards and consent frameworks mitigate harms while allowing legitimate productivity or safety uses?
We recommend lab validation studies stratified by demographics, randomized field pilots with consented teams, and normative policy analysis with legal and ethics experts.
28. Intergenerational knowledge transfer in AI-augmented hybrid teams
We study how teams combining senior tacit-knowledge workers and junior AI-proficient employees transfer expertise when AI tools mediate workflows.
Research questions:
– How might we characterize knowledge flows when AI intermediates communication and documentation between generations?
– What can we design in team structures and incentives to preserve tacit knowledge while accelerating AI-assisted learning?
– To what extent does AI mediation affect the durability of institutional knowledge and succession planning?
We propose social network analysis, process-tracing of task handovers, and controlled experiments altering AI transparency and reward structures.
29. Circular-economy workforce reskilling: HR strategies for product-life extension industries
We look at HR approaches to reskill workers as firms shift from linear to circular business models emphasizing repair, remanufacturing, and product-as-service.
Research questions:
– How might we identify the specific competency transitions needed for roles shifting from production to refurbishment and service models?
– What can we evaluate about the effectiveness of on-the-job microcredentials, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships in accelerating reskilling?
– To what extent do HR incentives and career pathways influence employee uptake of circular-economy roles?
We suggest competency mapping, employer-employee longitudinal studies, co-created curriculum pilots, and ROI analysis of different reskilling delivery models.
30. Quantum computing talent pipeline and organizational readiness
We assess how organizations can recruit, train, and retain talent for nascent quantum-computing roles and prepare HR systems for rapid emergent-skill demands.
Research questions:
– How might we forecast demand for quantum-related skills across industries and translate that into talent-sourcing strategies?
– What can we implement in internal training, university partnerships, and cross-functional rotation to build hybrid quantum-classical teams?
– To what extent do alternative credentialing (micro-credentials, bootcamps) match employer needs compared with traditional degrees?
We recommend Delphi forecasting with industry experts, gap analyses within firms, pilot training tracks combining theoretical and applied projects, and evaluation of hiring outcomes.
31. HRM strategies for managing employee cognitive load from persistent multiform notifications
We pose research questions: How does persistent cross-platform notification exposure affect employee attention, error rates, and task switching? Which organizational policies reduce harmful cognitive load without reducing responsiveness? What role can HR play in designing notification norms tailored to job roles?
We outline how to work on this: We will combine ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with workplace log data to quantify notification exposure, run field experiments implementing notification-scheduling policies, and interview employees and managers to assess acceptability and perceived productivity impacts.
32. Impact of neurodiversity-inclusive scheduling algorithms on productivity and well-being
We pose research questions: How do scheduling algorithms that incorporate neurodiverse preferences (sensory sensitivities, focus windows) affect performance and retention? Do inclusive schedules change team cohesion or perceptions of fairness? Which algorithmic features most strongly predict positive outcomes?
We outline how to work on this: We will design constraint-based scheduling prototypes, recruit mixed neurotype teams for A/B trials, collect performance metrics and well-being scales, and run qualitative focus groups to refine algorithm design and fairness constraints.
33. Using organizational digital twins to forecast talent attrition and skill gaps
We pose research questions: Can a digital twin of workforce flows reliably forecast attrition hotspots and emergent skill shortages at department-level granularity? Which input features (social network ties, promotion pipelines, workload trajectories) add predictive value? How actionable are the twin’s scenario simulations for HR planning?
We outline how to work on this: We will construct a digital twin combining HRIS, collaboration metadata, and learning platform data, validate forecasts against historical outcomes, run counterfactual simulations for policy levers (retention bonuses, reskilling), and evaluate decision-maker uptake through usability studies.
34. Cultural transmission of ethical AI practices among HR professionals in multinational firms
We pose research questions: How do norms about ethical AI in HR propagate across locations and units? What local adaptations or resistances emerge, and how do they affect consistency of AI governance? Which diffusion mechanisms (training, local champions, policy mandates) are most effective?
We outline how to work on this: We will use social network analysis of HR teams, longitudinal surveys on AI attitudes and behaviors, ethnographic case studies in selected subsidiaries, and experiment with training interventions to observe diffusion dynamics.
35. Effects of asynchronous global work norms on career boundary perceptions and advancement
We pose research questions: How do asynchronous work practices across time zones reshape employees’ perceptions of career visibility, boundary management, and promotion fairness? Which organizational signals mitigate biases against asynchronous contributors?
We outline how to work on this: We will deploy vignette experiments with managers to measure promotion decisions, analyze promotion and performance data by communication timing patterns, and run interviews to capture lived boundary-management strategies and career narratives.
36. Micro-mentoring networks enabled by wearable technology: effects on rapid skill transfer
We pose research questions: Can wearable-facilitated micro-mentoring (short on-the-job prompts, haptic cues to request help) accelerate tacit skill transfer? What design features (timing, anonymity, reciprocity signals) optimize mentor-mentee uptake?
We outline how to work on this: We will prototype wearable-assisted micro-mentoring tools, conduct field pilots in operational teams (e.g., manufacturing, healthcare), measure skill acquisition speed and error reduction, and analyze social network shifts and mentor burden.
37. Adaptive pay structures tied to real-time ESG performance metrics
We pose research questions: How do adaptive compensation schemes that adjust according to near real-time ESG indicators influence employee motivation, short-term behavior, and long-term retention? What governance safeguards prevent gaming and ensure fairness?
We outline how to work on this: We will design simulation models linking ESG feeds to pay bands, run controlled trials in units volunteering for adaptive pilots, collect behavioral and attitudinal measures, and conduct policy analysis on legal and ethical constraints.
38. HRM responses to candidate use of deepfake avatars in virtual interviews
We pose research questions: How prevalent is use of deepfake avatars in recruitment, and how does their use affect evaluation accuracy and bias? What verification and policy approaches do HR professionals find effective and ethical?
We outline how to work on this: We will run detection-challenge experiments with hiring panels evaluating synthetic and real candidates, survey and interview recruiters on policy preferences, and develop decision frameworks balancing inclusivity, privacy, and integrity.
39. Cross-linguistic psychometric validity of emotion-aware hiring tools
We pose research questions: Do algorithms that infer candidate emotions from speech and facial cues maintain validity and reliability across languages and cultural display rules? How do language-specific features and translation artifacts affect fairness?
We outline how to work on this: We will assemble multilingual candidate datasets, evaluate emotion detection models across languages, perform differential item functioning analyses on downstream hiring outcomes, and propose calibration or localization approaches to improve cross-linguistic validity.
40. Co-creation of organizational policies with AI-augmented employee assemblies
We pose research questions: Can AI-mediated, large-scale employee assemblies co-create HR policies that are both practically implementable and perceived as legitimate? Which AI facilitation modes (summarization, bias-checking, preference aggregation) shape outcomes and acceptance?
We outline how to work on this: We will run participatory design workshops where AI tools synthesize inputs from employee assemblies, compare co-created policies with top-down counterparts on feasibility and support, and assess long-term compliance and trust through follow-up surveys and behavioral indicators.
41. Algorithmic Performance Management and Employee Sensemaking
We propose a study of how employees interpret and react to AI-driven performance scores in hybrid workplaces.
Research questions: We ask (1) How do employees make sense of algorithmic performance feedback compared with human manager feedback? (2) How do explanations, transparency levels, and perceived fairness mediate trust and behavioral change? (3) How do sensemaking patterns differ by role, tenure, and cultural background?
We outline a mixed-methods approach: we will run vignette experiments manipulating explanation richness, collect longitudinal diary data on reactions to real algorithmic feedback in a partner firm, and conduct thematic analysis of interviews to build a model of sensemaking stages.
42. Micro-Celebrations in Remote Onboarding and Organizational Identification
We examine the cumulative effect of brief, ritualized interactions (“micro-celebrations”) during virtual onboarding on new hires’ organizational identification.
Research questions: We ask (1) Which types of micro-celebrations (peer shout-outs, micro-awards, team rituals) most strongly predict identification? (2) How does frequency versus intensity of micro-celebrations influence role clarity and retention? (3) How do these effects differ for boundary-spanning roles and international hires?
We propose an experimental field intervention across satellite teams, paired with pre/post surveys and survival analysis of early turnover; we will supplement with qualitative interviews to refine design principles.
43. Internal Gig Marketplaces and Identity Work among Full-Time Employees
We investigate how internal gig platforms change employees’ professional identities and career narratives inside large organizations.
Research questions: We ask (1) How does participation in internal gig tasks reshape employees’ self-concepts (specialist vs. generalist)? (2) How do incentives and reputation signals on internal marketplaces affect long-term career pathing? (3) How do managers adapt appraisal and workload allocation in response?
We recommend building a longitudinal panel of marketplace participants, analyzing platform logs for task patterns, and conducting narrative interviews to map identity transitions.
44. Biometric Monitoring, Psychological Safety, and Collective Voice
We study the downstream effects of wearable-based productivity and stress monitoring on team psychological safety and collective voice behaviors.
Research questions: We ask (1) Does awareness of team-level biometric aggregation reduce willingness to report problems? (2) Which governance and communication practices mitigate chilling effects on voice? (3) How do unionized vs. non-unionized settings moderate outcomes?
We will design a quasi-experimental rollout of biometric dashboards with randomized communication protocols, measure psychological safety scales, and analyze incident reporting metrics.
45. Neurodiversity-Affirming Job Design Across Cultures
We explore how job redesign principles for neurodivergent employees translate across cultural contexts and labor systems.
Research questions: We ask (1) Which job accommodations (sensory design, flexible scheduling, task chunking) generalize versus require cultural adaptation? (2) How do stigma and legal frameworks shape implementation fidelity? (3) What performance and retention gains accrue, and for whom?
We plan comparative case studies in three countries, co-design workshops with neurodivergent employees, and pre/post productivity and retention analyses.
46. Blockchain-Verified Micro-Credentials and Internal Mobility
We analyze whether verifiable micro-credentials recorded on blockchain affect internal hiring practices and perceptions of meritocracy.
Research questions: We ask (1) Do blockchain-backed micro-credentials increase transfer rates into high-demand roles? (2) How do hiring managers interpret these credentials relative to traditional signals? (3) What unintended stratification effects emerge?
We propose a field experiment where some training pathways issue verifiable credentials while others do not, combined with HR analytics on internal moves and manager surveys.
47. HR’s Role in Supplier Labor Resilience under Climate Disruption
We assess how corporate HR policies aimed at supplier workforce stability influence social resilience in climate-exposed supply-chain nodes.
Research questions: We ask (1) Which HR interventions (skills transfer, contingent staffing pools, cross-firm agreements) most preserve supplier employment during climate shocks? (2) How do buyer-side HR practices interact with local labor institutions? (3) What metrics best capture supplier workforce resilience?
We will use a multi-stakeholder survey of buyers and suppliers, event-study analysis around climate shocks, and design science workshops to prototype cross-firm HR instruments.
48. Dark Patterns in Employee Nudging via Intranet and Productivity Tools
We investigate the ethical and behavioral implications of persuasive design techniques embedded in internal digital tools that nudge employee behavior.
Research questions: We ask (1) Which nudging patterns (scarcity cues, urgency timers, social proof) are present in corporate tools, and how do employees perceive them? (2) When do such patterns improve compliance versus erode trust? (3) What governance frameworks do employees and managers prefer?
We will perform content analysis of corporate UX elements, run controlled lab studies measuring behavior and perceived manipulation, and develop a principled taxonomy for HR policy.
49. Career Resilience of Displaced Workers in Multi-Modal Gig Ecosystems
We explore career resilience trajectories for workers displaced from traditional roles who enter ecosystems combining platform gig work, internal gigs, and short-term contracts.
Research questions: We ask (1) What portfolio strategies lead to sustainable earnings and career progression? (2) How do social networks and platform reputations interact to create mobility ladders or dead-ends? (3) What interventions by HR or public policy improve upward mobility?
We propose sequence analysis of labor histories from administrative and platform data, supplemented by life-history interviews to map coping strategies and tipping points.
50. AI-Mediated Mentorship: Effectiveness and Power Dynamics
We study AI-driven mentorship agents that augment human mentors and examine their effects on learning, sponsorship, and power asymmetries.
Research questions: We ask (1) How does AI mediation change mentees’ access to sponsorship and promotion pathways? (2) Does AI support reduce or reinforce mentor biases? (3) What configurations (AI-augmented vs. AI-led) maximize developmental outcomes while preserving agency?
We will pilot AI-augmented mentorship programs with random assignment to conditions, track career outcomes over 12–24 months, and collect qualitative data on perceived fairness and agency.
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