Merit Based Human Resource Management Practices: Case of Tigray National Regional State

Abstract

Successful merit based human resource management is a corner stone to build government institutions during the implementation of public policies and strategies, which in turn has an impact on the development performance of the country. In the course of the study we explored and assessed the factors that affect the implementation of merit based HRM in relation to recruitment, selection and promotion. Descriptive and exploratory research types were applied and the relevant data were collected from both primary and secondary sources by using key informant interviews, questionnaire and document analysis. The analysis and finding of the study shows that, in professionalizing the civil service, the city administration was not successful, there was a merit distortion and lack of neutrality to attract qualified, experienced, competent and effective civil servant and the recruitment and selection committee lacks the knowledge and experience in the recruitment, selection and promotion procedures. Besides, there was lack of exam security and nepotism as well as officials and human resource manager’s involvement in merit based recruitment and selection which are the manifestations of corrupt practice and unnecessary political interference. Therefore, the recommendation forwarded is that, governments should have to take a remedial action to avoid the distortion of merit principles and it must ensure the creation of a neutral policy implementer civil service, the application of merit based recruitment, selection and promotion should be free from unnecessary political interference and it must be supported by legal framework and documentation, and the civil servant selected for promotion should be of the most meritorious one who is able and ready to perform duties at a higher rank based on his/her job performance.