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Theories of strategic management of Human resources
Theories of strategic management of Human resources
Understanding the link between organizational strategy and human resources
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Human Resources have been believed to be a cost to the organization that needs to be minimized and controlled. However, in recent years, the connection of human capital to financial performance has been well recognized. Many organizations battle not only the tough competition, but also a world financial crisis. An increasingly competitive environment, many companies turn to human resources (HR) in order to stay in business and achieve goals, and maintain profitability. “Resources are invaluable and limited sources of any organizations which cannot be easily replaced” (Zohreh, M; Napsiah, I; Zulkiflle, L; Norzima, Z., 2013). Organizations turn to strategic management of human resources to accomplish its mission. Sustained competitive advantage …show more content…
The individual versus collective approach to human capital is the first key issue discussed. There is a problem in combining the individual behavior, skills or experiences on a unit level. The process fails to give an explanation of the mechanisms driving the performance. “Approach such that each incremental addition of human capital will increase performance and fails to explain where the human capital resource originates, how it is created and how it is transformed” (Wright, P., and McMahan, G., 2011). The specific versus general approach aligns the human capital characteristics, along various dimensions, from more general to pure specific. The approach suggests that competitive advantages of the organization can be achieved by development of firm-specific human capital. The general human capitol characteristics are wildly used by many firms, for a market level compensation. Therefore, general human capital skills can be easily found and obtained. On the other hand, the specific characteristics approach only has value within the organization itself. Therefore, the strategic HRM should reimburse the specific human capital in order to encourage and retain employees. However, the general human capital can also be a source of a sustainable competitive advantage. The sustainability of the human capital emphasizes “better recruitment and retention of employees, cost savings, and improved corporate reputation and relations with stakeholders and financial returns” (Zohreh, M; Napsiah, I; Zulkiflle, L; Norzima, Z., 2013). Skills versus motivation versus behavior theory concentrates on building motivational bridges between human capital and behavior. Supporters of such a theory argue that the characteristics of an employee (skills, knowledge, education, etc.) only provides a base but,
Noe, Raymond A., et al. Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2010. Print.
Lengnick-Hall M.L.; Lengnick-Hall, C.A.; Andrade, L.S.; Drake, B. 2009. “Strategic human resource management: The evolution of the field.” Human Resource Management Review, 19, pp. 64-85.
Organizations’ other resources can be hired, retained and discarded at any time but human resources needs special treatment. It needs to be carefully hired, deserve an extra effort to retain it and requires training & development to upgrade and improve its capabilities. Other resources depreciate with the passage of time but when the human resource gains more and more experience, it becomes more beneficial for the organizations. These characteristics have brought human resources to be the central element for the success of an organization. (Mohammed, Bhatti, Jariko, and Zehri, 2013, pg. 129, para. 2)
" This global London-based mining and mineral company was severely impacted by the global recession in 2008. Such an impact forced unprecedented workforce reductions worldwide and decentralized HR management had to be brought in under a single umbrella to ensure an orderly and efficient system that would support the organization’s future productivity."( Case Study OneRedesigning HR HRMG 5000 - Student Simple). Human resources have a strategic significance if managed efficiently and productively. The company revamped and managed its HR functions in a manner so as to achieve the strategic goals of the
In the 1980’s, the birth of a new concept called ‘Human Resource Management’ was born. This trend comes after an intense period of Taylorisation, Fordism and now, McDonaldisation. HRM came to counter balance these trends and to consider the concept of the Man as a Man and not as a machine. For the last several decades, the interests of companies in "strategic management" have increased in a noteworthy way. This interest in strategic management has resulted in various organizational functions becoming more concerned with their role in the strategic management process. The Human Resource Management (HRM) field has sought to become integrated into the strategic management process through the development of a new discipline referred to as Strategic Resource Management (SHRM). In current literature, the difference between SHRM and HRM is often unclear because of the interconnections linking SHRM to HRM. However, the concepts are slightly different. Thus, we can ask, what is strategic human resource management? What are the main theories and how do they work? What do they take into account and how are they integrated? What are the links between SHRM and organization strategy? In order to answer to these questions, we will precisely define strategic human resource management, followed by a look at the different approaches built by theorists, and finally, we will see the limits between the models and their applications depending on the company’s environment. Discussion Strategic Human Resource Management: definition Strategic human resource management involves the military word ‘strategy’ which is defined by Child in 1972 as "a set of fundamental or critical choices about the ends and means of a business". To be simpler, a strategy is "a statement of what the organization wants to become, where it wants to go and, broadly, how it means to get there." Strategy involves three major key factors: competitive advantages (Porter, 1985; Barney, 1991), distinctive capabilities (Kay, 1999) and the strategic fit (Hofer & Schendel 1986). Strategies must be developed with a relevant purpose to sustain the organizational goals and aims. SHRM is one of the components of the organizational strategies used to sustain the business long-term. SHRM defined as: “all those activities affecting the behaviour of individuals in their efforts to formulate and implement the strategic needs of the business. (Schuler, 1992)” or as “the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable the firm to achieve its goals.
Armstrong ( 2010) defined Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) as “an approach to making decisions on the intentions and plans of the organisation in the shape of the policies, programmes and practices concerning the employment relationship, resourcing, learning and development, performance management , rewards and employee relationships,” ( p. 115). There is a paradigm shift from a functional role to a tactical one through the strategic management process. SHRM is very important to the effectiveness of my learning organisation because it ensures that the needs of the learning community are met and provides the opportunity for instructional leaders to “add value to the learning community” (Introduction to Human Resource Management, 2012, p.6) while achieving the goals and objectives of the institution.
...an approach of partnership is critical for organizations that want to gain competitive advantages. Butler, Ferris & Napier (1991) state this as, “the more management believes that HRM contributes to corporate success, the more its role will be integrated into the firm’s strategic planning process.” (as cited by Rose & Kumar, 2006, pg. 3). Additionally, organizations that apply energy and resources to HRD benefit from an increase in human capital. López-Cabrales, Real & Valle (2011) state the benefits of building human capital as, “If the company adopts appropriate procedures of personnel management, human capital can be orientated to the achievement of sustainable competitive advantages” (pg. 5).
Introduction A comprehensive Human Resource Management Strategy plays a vital role in the achievement of an organisation’s overall strategic objectives and visibly illustrates that the human resources function fully understands and supports the direction in which the organisation is moving. A comprehensive HRM Strategy will also support other specific strategic objectives undertaken by the marketing, financial, operational and technology departments. In essence, an HRM strategy’s aim should be to capture the ‘people’ part of an organisation and its medium to long-term projection of what it wants to achieve, ensuring that. It employs the right people, those have the right mix of skills, employees show the correct behaviours and attitudes, and employees have the opportunity to be developed the right way.
Strategic management is viewed as the set of decisions and actions that result in the formulation, implementation and control of plans designed to achieve an organization’s vision, mission, strategy and strategic objectives within the business environment in which it operates (Pearce and Robinson, 2007). Strategy formulation has for the past decades been widely regarded as the most important component of the strategic process – more important than strategy implementation or strategic control. Nonetheless, strategic planning has taken on new importance in today’s world of globalization, deregulation, advancing technology, and changing demographics, and lifestyles. At the same time, there is also discussion whether we can separate “execution” and “implementation” from strategy formulation. Roger Martin, a professor and author, has joined the discussion and argue
However you define the activities of management, and whatever the organisational processes are, an essential part of the process of management is that proper attention be given to the Human Resource function. The human element provides a major part in the overall success of the organisation. Therefore there must be an effective human resource function. In the past, most organisations viewed Human Resource Management (HRM) as an element function, that is an activity that is supportive of the task functions and does not normally have any accountability for the performance of a specific end task. Because of the emphasis on analysis and precision there is a tendency for strategists to concentrate on economic data and ignore the way in which human elements and values can influence the implementation of a strategy. 'Economic analysis of strategy fails to recognise the complex role which people play in the evolution of strategy - strategy is also a product of what people want an organisation to do or what they feel the organisation should be like.?(1).
In globalisation era, managing resources in organisation is a challenge that must be faced by every entity. Their competitive advantages rely on their ability in managing their resources effectively and efficiently. This including human capital as one of the organisation resource.
Human resource is the most valuable and unique asset of an organization. The successful management of an organization’s human resource is an exciting, dynamic and challenging task , especially at a time when the world has become a global village and economies are in a state of flux. The lack of talented resource and the growing expectation of the modern day employee has further increased the difficulty of the human resource function.
Noe, Raymond A., John R. Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart, and Patrick M. Wright. Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. 7th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2010. Print.
Group 6 Strategic Management Strategic management is the process where organization managers reach the goals and aspirations of the organization on behalf of its owners. This is done through formulation and implementation of ways and methods to fulfill the organizational goals and objectives (Brian, 2011). This is done with in-depth consideration of both the internal and external environments that the organization operates in, in order to allow the organization to make the right decisions. Strategic management is an important element that firms must put together through strategic thinking as well as strategic planning (Nag, R., Hambrick & Chen, 2007). In order for a firm to compete within its industry, it must plan and relate to the industry dynamics, determine its strengths and weaknesses before determining the best way to match and overcome competitors.
Whether an organization consists of five or 25,000 employees, human resources management is vital to the success of the organization. HR is important to all managers because it provides managers with the resources – the employees – necessary to produce the work for the managers and the organization. Beyond this role, HR is capable of becoming a strong strategic partner when it comes to “establishing the overall direction and objectives of key areas of human resource management in order to ensure that they not only are consistent with but also support the achievement of business goals.” (Massey, 1994, p. 27)