Introduction
A broad body of literature in the management field is cantered around the idea of people as assets and emphasizes the importance of Human Resource Management (HRM) to improve firm’s performance and underpin its strategy.
While there is evidence that HRM practices can improve organizational performance, a key issue is understanding if such improvement qualifies as competitive advantage or merely achieves competitive parity.
Several authors agree that people are sustainable source of competitive advantage [Pfeffer, 1995]. This statement triggers several questions: do people generate competitive advantage by delivering superior performance, because they have managerial talent to conceive and implement winning strategies, or
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Agency theory has been used to explain this relationship. Scientific Management practitioners were concerned with maximizing capacity utilization, and hence efficiency, of production processes securing workforce compliance via strict monitoring and incentives. Williamson [1981] analysed efficiency properties of hierarchies that promoted productive behaviours (above perfunctory compliance) in boundedly-rational and opportunist employees. Shareholders of public corporations often struggle to exert control over managers towards profitable use of corporate assets. Therefore, people within firms, both employees and managers, have often been considered as “problematic agents”.
In contrast, subsequent development of management theory emphasized the value of people as resources for the firm. Pfeffer [1995] and other authors suggested that specific HRM practices (e.g.: employment security, selective recruiting, training, incentive pay, etc…) are capable of improving firm’s performance by influencing employees’ behaviours and effectiveness. The so-called high-performance work practices have been associated to effectiveness measures of the organization (profitability, productivity, profit, stock price, etc…) in several studies
In today’s competitive and ever changing economy, the challenges of Human Resource Management (HRM) is becoming more demanding of strategic responses to its functions as the new era unfolds. The primary function of human resources is to use strategic goals and objectives in order to improve performance outcomes and develop organisational culture that foster innovation and flexibility. Staffing, training and performance management are important functions of human resources, if carried out effectively the success of a setting becomes imminent.
Schuler and Jackson (1987) propose the model of Human Resource Management as the business strategic policies and practices of the organization. This framework is to achieving competitive advantage in different industry condition. They argue for fit in different industry condition and business strategic. It includes innovation, quality enhancement and cost reduction. This business strategic associated with particular employee role behaviors and HRM policies and practices.
How well a business manages its assets and resources predicates its overall success. Companies that spend financial resources foolishly are apt to find themselves in bankruptcy. Companies that work capital equipment resources beyond the machine’s capabilities or for other than intended purposes are apt to experience downtime and/or lose the equipment to failure. The same premise holds true for a company’s human assets. However, unlike other company assets, which depreciate over time, human assets appreciate over time when managed properly. The article, Importance of Human Resource Investment for Organizations and Economy: A critical Analysis, explains the importance of managing human assets as follows:
In today’s job market we see many human resource management changes and challenges evolving with the changes in a competitive market environment. One goal of the human resource department is to hire employees that will be as productive as possible, which in turn leads to more revenue and the success of an organization.
The article tries to find the relationship between effective human resources and the performance of the firm. The company
The labour process theory (LPT) is the embodiment of the capitalistic frame of thought. It views relationships between management and employees not as human actors but rather an interaction between capital and those who serve to protect and increase it (Harley et al. 2010, p. 743). Therefore it can be logically concluded that this theory puts the utmost importance on the interest of the firm’s capital irrespective of any negative effects that may result to employees and relevant parties. Furthermore it can be observed that organizations practicing LPT tend to favour work intensification to a greater degree (Thompson 2010, p. 9). In addition research shows an increasing drive by organizations to maximize the utilization of labour skill and knowledge over the last 25 years (Thompson 2010, p. 9).
In order to be distinctive, human resource management plays an important role as it deals with the workforce (Anthony et al. 2002, p.749, What Intel is and What it isn’t 2001). This is because, the quality of the workforce would have a huge impact on the quality and the distinction of services or products sold (Samson & Daft 2005; Anthony et al. 2001, p.749, What Intel is and What it isn’t 2001). A good example for this would be Toyota, a renowned car manufacturing giant, famous for its extensive employees benefits, whilst making tremendously high profit each year (The Economist January 29th, 2005). According to an article published in the magazine The Economist, The Car Company in Front (January 29th, 2005) under its human resource management, Toyota allows flexible positive working condition and gives its workers a certain degree of power to attain access to business information, and control the production line to encourage an increase in the production capacity and the company’s performance as a whole. This shows how an effective human resource management robustly affects a company’s performance.
Human resource is one of the important factors to be utilised for achieving organisational goals. Human Resource management (HRM) is a premeditated methodology to manage the human resource of the organization with the help of functions like recruitment, training and development, utilizing and retaining this asset etc. (Simons, 2011). The nature of workforce in every organization demographically and psychologically vary. Therefore, every organization has its own tailor made HRM policy and the procedures.
All Human Resources Departments face challenges on a daily basis. Although the body of literature on the role of HR policies is growing steadily, several methodological ambiguities persist concerning the measurement of the contribution of HRM practices to organizational performance (Chenevert & Trembly, 2009). When an HR department can implement the practices they are best at this will help their organization to become stronger. Some things to consider are if these practices will influence the organization. The HRM has to make sure that the internal as well as the external contingencies are known concerning the organization because this will help to link their performance. No matter what problem the HRM
The field of Human Resource Management is necessary for most businesses to grow and succeed into larger and successful companies. HR can be defined as the part of the company that focuses on the people rather than the business itself. HR does improve the business, but the key focus is on the people. Responsibilities that HR usually holds includes finding new employees, hiring new employees, teaching the new employees the culture of the company and their role in the company, as well as taking care of former employees. The way that Human Resource departments accomplish all these tasks is going to change in 2016 because of the introduction of new technology.
Over the years, human resource management has attracted a vast amount of interest over different disciplines due to the effect and contribution it had on the fundamental issues within the organisation (Singh, Darwish, Coster & Anderson 2012). Arthur states, HRM practices essentially contribute to the organisations competitive advantage and the achievement of organisational performance (Arthur 1997, cited in Singh, Darwish, Coster & Anderson 2012). This not only emphasizes on the significance of human capital in achieving organisational performance and attaining competitive advantage but also recognizes the importance of developing the best human resource competencies in order to compete in the global economy (Slavic, Berber & Lekovic, 2014)
The manner in which an organisation’s personnel are managed has a tangible influence on the productivity of the employees, which ultimately acts upon the firm’s bottom line. Corporate success is dependent upon the integration of the human resource plan and the corporate strategic plan.It has become a widely held premise that people provide organisations with an important source of sustainable competitive advantage and that the effective
Human resource activities are claimed to be related to the performance of a firm. Appelbam et al. (2000) investigated the link between high performance work systems (implemented through HRM) and company performance. The results showed that HRM helped employees in three vital areas; ability, motivation and opportunity.
The strategic importance of HRM means that a number of key concepts must be applied.
People are usually considered to be the critical resource in the new approach that is Human Resource Management. The management of people within every organization, therefore, is very vital as it deals with their acquisition, attaining motivation for higher levels of attainments, skills development as well as ensuring that the level of commitment of every individual is maintained. Much effort, therefore, must be made considering events that aim at improving personal development, attaining employees’ satisfaction and to comply with employment-related laws that accommodate their rights within working environment. Various authors have different definitions for HRM. HRM, therefore, entails planning, implementing, conducting recruitment and