Critically evaluate the usefulness of definitions of Human Resource Management in understanding the Hospitality Industry

Human Resource Management (HRM) has been placed, at least in terms of prescriptive theory, above all the other primary activities of a business and the importance of HRM to businesses in general has been argued to be central and fundamental in order to better enable their business activities and for the fulfilment of their business objectives. In discussing the Resources, Competences and Strategic Capability of Businesses, Johnson and Scholes (1997, Ch 4, p147), say of HRM - “This is a particularly important area which transcends all primary activities. It is concerned with those activities involved in recruiting, managing, training, developing and rewarding people within the organisation”. Others have found evidence that HRM practices can significantly improve a firms performance and for example Dessler (2000 p18) cites research which claims as much as 30% differences (improvements) in financial performance which were attributed to differences in HR practices in banks. He continues to note a study (p 19) which identifies that in 97 metalwork manufacturing plants “Similar evidence of the HR-Performance link has been found”. Elsewhere, as Redman and Wilkinson, Editors (2001 Ch 1, p10) point out, Strategic Human Resource management (SHRM) theory holds that “an organisation’s human resource assets are potentially the sole source of sustainable competitive advantage” This serves to illustrate that HRM has been placed in a central position in an idealised corporate strategy (as in Storeys 1992 normative or prescriptive model) and that some academics have sought to support this theoretical position with analysis and research. Counter to this have been those who have observed a lack of empirical or more informal evidence on the ground and a