...Organizations are intent on human recourses as a benefit to their firm so that it can help the organization achieve its competitive advantage. Changes in the environment such as widespread globalization, rapid technology and other such factors have led to organizations realizing the significance of controlling human resources in a firm. Since organizations have also become more dynamic and complex, the need to manage human resources has become more essential. In recent years, many individuals demanded for a more strategic approach to managing people in a firm, rather than the traditional methods, and thus the idea of strategic human resource management (SHRM) was adopted. Strategic human resource management is a branch of human resource management, and it can be defined as ‘ the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation, flexibility and competitive advantage.’ (Sinha, R 2007). This essay is going to focus on how strategic human resource management helps organizations achieve a sustained competitive advantage. Sustainable competitive advantage is the position a firm develops in relation to its competitors that are not duplicable an unsurpassable than its competitors. Recently scholars have come to the basis of HR skills and competences as sources of competitive advantage. Human resource practices as well as competitive strategies are based on the assumption...
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...Innovative changes and Managing Evolving Generations Wayland Baptist University Management 5305 Organizational Theory Course Instructor: Dr. William Cojocar, Ph.D. Herlinda Sifuentes (January 31, 2012) Abstract Building a culture for Innovation, creativity, smart technology, non-traditional work environment, business management and new strategies sum up the focus of innovation in todays’ competitive changing world . Todays’ economy brings opportunities, moves quickly, and marks innovation as the only way to stay ahead of fast-moving developments and increasing competitive pressures. In their book “Innovation, The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want” Curtis Carlson and William Wilmot (2006) provide a developed disciplined process of innovation. This paper will analyze challenges the business environment faces in developing new ways to lead, inspire creativity, innovation, and challenges in managing the evolving generational gaps in the workplace. Introduction For organization be successful in the current business world is not an easy task. A strong Corporate culture and efficient leadership is essential to face challenges that are presented by competitors and the changing environment. Todays’ organizations must keep themselves open to creativity and continuous innovation, not only to prosper but merely to survive in a world of disruptive change and increasingly stiff competition. These challenges usually make an organization engage itself...
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...STUDENT REGISTRATION NUMBER: STU21489 Email Address: lou@tstt.net.tt ASSESSMENT PERIOD: April 2012 MODULE: Managing the Human Resource WORD COUNT: 3,302 The purpose of this study is to critically evaluate the role of the HRM function in delivering service quality to the Hilton Group. “The principles of HRM today are people-first, high-performance and high-commitment” RDI (2012) Module 8, Managing the Human Resources - Introduction "Human resource management is responsible for how people are treated in organizations. It is responsible for bringing people into the organization, helping them perform their work, compensating them for their labors, and solving problems that arise" (Cherrington, 1995, p. 5). HRM can also be considered as a strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people and the workplace culture and environment. The Effective use of HRM enables employees to contribute effectively and productively to the overall company direction and in so doing achieve competitive advantage. Every organization business strategy is driven by numerous factors. Some of these may include external market factors, organizational factors which may include core competence and also people focusing factors. HRM must be explicitly aligned to support the organizations strategy in order to achieve success. In today’s fast grown organization, every successful company should pay utmost attention to HRM and its effective role. In paying attention to HRM, we focus...
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...difference among the employees of organizations. In a diverse workforce, managers are compelled to recognize and handle the similarities and differences that exist among the people in the organization. Employees’ conceptions of work, expectations of rewards from the organization, and practices in relating to others are all influenced by diversity. The importance of renewed interest in diversity is that it helps organizations reap the benefits of all the similarities and differences among workers. Diversity helps bring together ideas from cultures all over the world, in addition to new attitudes and perspectives that can help a company be truly competitive. The workforce is only going to continue to diversify through the years. The change is inevitable, and soon minority groups will become the majority. Managers must first recognize that diversity exists in organizations in order to manage it appropriately. Managers who do not recognize diversity may face an unhappy, disappointed, and underutilized workforce. Chapter 2: Review of the Literature "Diversity Management: Expert-Identified Leading Practices and Agency Examples." MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO, 14 Jan. 2005. Web. 11 June 2013. A high-performance organization relies on a dynamic workforce with the requisite talents, multidisciplinary knowledge, and up-to-date skills to ensure that it is equipped to accomplish its mission and achieve its goals. Such organizations typically foster a work environment in which people are enabled...
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...map of HRM territory. ← The Harvard model acknowledges the existence of multiple stakeholders within the organization. ← These multiple stakeholders include shareholders various groups of employees, government and the community at large. ← The recognition of the legitimacy of these multiple stakeholders renders this model a neo - pluralist model. ← This model emphasizes more on the human/soft side of HRM. ← Basically this is because this model emphasizes more on the fact that employees like any other shareholder are equally important in influencing organizational outcomes. ← In fact the interest of the various groups must be fused and factored in the creation of HRM strategies and ultimately the creation of business strategies. Source : Beer et al (1984 : 16) ← A critical analysis of the model shows that it is deeply rooted in the human relations tradition. ← Employee influence is recognised through people motivation and the development of an organization culture based on mutual trust and team work. ← The factors above must be factored into the HR strategy which is premised on employee influences, HR flows, reward system etc. ← The outcomes from such a set up are soft in nature as they include high congruence, commitment, competencies etc. ← The achievement of the crucial HR outcomes has got...
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...Introduction This study examines the linkages between Human Resource Management, Organisational Strategy and Organisational culture. With every single link exists between them we studied the relations and how that effects management and ultimately helps the Human resource managers through several of theorists and management theories to achieve their goal and benefit the organisation in order to bring profitability. Human Resource Management (HRM) In simple and short form Human resource management is the process of hiring and developing employees so that they can become more valuable to the organisation. HRM is also strategic and comprehensive approach to managing people and the workplace culture and environment. Effective HRM enables employees to contribute effectively and productively to the overall company direction and the accomplishment of the organisation’s goals and objectives. HRM is moving away from traditional personnel, administration, and transactional roles. Now HRM is expected to add value to the strategic utilization of employees and that employee programs impact the business in measurable ways. The new role of HRM involves strategic direction and culture. Developments in the field of HRM are well documented (see Sisson and Storey, 2000). The history of HRM goes back as far as the 1950s. This was succeeded by the ‘Behavioural science movement’ in the 1960s headed by Maslow, Argyris and Herzberg. These theorists argued for a better quality of working life...
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...CHAPTER 2 THE CONTEXT OF MANAGING STRATEGICALLY DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE A. Managing strategically means formulating and implementing strategies that allow an organization to develop and maintain competitive advantage. B. Competitive advantage is what sets an organization apart or its competitive edge. 1. Having something that competitors don't 2. Doing something better than other organizations do 3. Doing something other organizations can't C. Competitive advantage is a key ingredient for long-term success and survival of all organizations, including not-for-profits and governments. 4. Failure can be traced to: a) Failure to recognize the impact of important external factors b) Failure to capitalize on organizational resources and capabilities D. Represent different perspectives on what it takes to capture competitive advantage—that is, how to manage strategically (refer to Table 2.1). 5. Industrial Organization View (I/O) The industrial organization (I/O) view suggests organizations look at the impact of important external factors. Focus is on: a) The structural forces within an industry b) The competitive environment (i.e., the firm's position within the industry) c) How these influence competitive advantage 1) Firm’s position in the industry and the underlying industry characteristics will, determine profitability...
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...i STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ii For free online support material please go to the Kogan Page website: www.koganpage.com/strategichrm Password: SHRM53756 iii STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT A GUIDE TO ACTION 4TH EDITION Michael Armstrong London and Philadelphia iv Publisher’s note Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publishers and author cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editor, the publisher or the author. First published in Great Britain and the United States in 1992 as Human Resource Management: Strategy and Action Second edition published as Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action 2000 Third edition 2006 Reprinted 2006 Fourth edition 2008 Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licences issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers...
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...Learning in Strategic Alliances Strategic alliances that bring organizations together promise unique opportunities for partners. The reality is often otherwise. Successful strategic alliances manage the partnership, not just the agreement, for collaborative advantage. Above all, they also pay attention to learning priorities in alliance evolution. The resource-based view of the firm that gained currency in the mid-1980s considered that the competitive advantage of an organization rests on the application of the strategic resources1 at its disposal. These days, orthodoxy recognizes the merits of the dynamic, knowledge-based capabilities2 underpinning the positions organizations occupy in a sector or market. Strategic alliances—meaning cooperative agreements between two or more organizations—are a means to enhance strategic resources: self-sufficiency is becoming increasingly difficult in a complex, uncertain, and discontinuous external environment that calls for focus and flexibility in equal measure. Everywhere, organizations are discovering that they cannot “go” it alone and must now often turn to others to survive.3 Preamble 1 2 3 The resources that the theory deemed of strategic importance were valuable, rare, inimitable, and nonsubstitutable (leading to charges of tautology). Importantly, the list of what constitutes a resource was expanded in the 1990s with the refinement that the encompassing construct previously called resources should be segregated into...
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...Organizational Change management for competitiveness edge in Safaricom Kenya limited Introduction: In today’s uncertain economic climate, many organizations are forced to make changes in order to survive. They are needed to react quickly to the global revolution while at a local and national level have to keep up with new technology and competition if they want to stay ahead of the game. In an ever-changing global economy, Johnson and Scholes (2003) notes that organizations must find ways for operating by developing new competences as the old advantage and competences gained is quickly eroded owing to environmental changes. Because of the fact that changes are a necessity in private as well as public sector, every organization must change with the environment otherwise, it would become irrelevant. Kotter (2007,p 101) observes that changes in the service institutions arise out of the need for efficiency, economy, effectiveness, performance evaluation ethics and market concerns. Rising demand for services and expectations of quality of those services have placed extreme pressure on managers and their organizations, depicting change as a continuous episode in the life of corporations. This implies that an organization that fails to introduce their planned change successfully pays a high price. Failure leads to loss of market position and credibility with stakeholders as well as decreased morale among management and staff resulting in a de-motivated workforce...
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...objectives of the organization in order to improve performance. ‘If a global company is to function successfully, strategies at different levels need to inter-relate.’ 1 ‘An organization’s [human resource management] policies and practices must fit with its strategy in its competitive environment and with the immediate business conditions that it faces.’ 2 ‘The [human resources–business strategy] alignment cannot necessarily be characterized in the logical and sequential way suggested by some writers; rather, the design of an HR system is a complex and iterative process.’ 3 Chapter outline Introduction p.38 Strategic management p.38 Strategic human resource management p.45 Human resource strategy models p.49 Evaluating strategic human resource management and models of human resources strategy p.56 Dimensions of strategic human resource management p.59 International and comparative strategic human resource management p.61 Chapter objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Explain the meaning of strategic management and give an overview of its conceptual framework 2. Describe the three levels of strategy formulation and comment on the links between business strategy and human resource management (HRM) 3. Explain three models of human resources (HR) strategy: control, resource and integrative 4. Comment on the various strategic HRM themes of the HR–performance link: re-engineering, leadership, work-based learning and trade...
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...the strategic objectives of the organization in order to improve performance. ‘If a global company is to function successfully, strategies at different levels need to inter-relate.’ 1 ‘An organization’s [human resource management] policies and practices must fit with its strategy in its competitive environment and with the immediate business conditions that it faces.’ 2 ‘The [human resources–business strategy] alignment cannot necessarily be characterized in the logical and sequential way suggested by some writers; rather, the design of an HR system is a complex and iterative process.’ 3 Chapter outline Introduction p.38 Strategic management p.38 Strategic human resource management p.45 Human resource strategy models p.49 Evaluating strategic human resource management and models of human resources strategy p.56 Dimensions of strategic human resource management p.59 International and comparative strategic human resource management p.61 Chapter objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: 1. Explain the meaning of strategic management and give an overview of its conceptual framework 2. Describe the three levels of strategy formulation and comment on the links between business strategy and human resource management (HRM) 3. Explain three models of human resources (HR) strategy: control, resource and integrative 4. Comment on the various strategic HRM themes of the HR–performance link: re-engineering, leadership, work-based learning and trade unions 5. Outline...
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...Review on Workforce Diversity Training Abstract Diversity training has significantly influence equality and fairness in the workplace. Many organizations may face challenges how to balance diverse workforce, and they have realised the importance of diversity as a key of their business in order to quickly respond the needs of customers. Accompanying with the global economic integration, diversity has been a priority on the development of human resource. Creating equal and fair working environment would be significantly associated the profitability of organizations. This essay will mainly review the literature of workforce diversity training from several perspectives: definitions of diversity, benefits of diversity, diversity training and organizational attitude, evaluation of diversity training, challenges and resistance to diversity. The major benefits of diversity include increased quantities of high quality decisions, high employee loyalty and low turnover, and improved business performance. Diversity training approaches can be categorized into awareness-based training and skill-based training, and six major training techniques such as lecture, questioning, brainstorm, small-group discussion and role-playing can be adopted. Evaluating diversity training should be aligned with organizational business goals, and four steps could be used to evaluate diversity training programmes. Diversity blindness and diversity hostility are recognized as the major challenges...
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...Scholes and Whittington Table of contents Chapter 1 Introducing strategy 2 Chapter 2 The environment 3 Chapter 3 Strategic capability 4 Chapter 4 Strategic purpose 7 Chapter 5 Culture and strategy 9 Chapter 6 Business-level strategy 12 Chapter 7 Strategic directions and corporate-level strategy 14 Chapter 8 International strategy 18 Chapter 10 Strategy methods and evaluation 21 Chapter 11 Strategy development processes 23 Chapter 1 Introducing strategy Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. Strategic decisions are about… * The long-term direction of an organization * The scope of an organization’s activities * Gaining advantage over competitors * Addressing changes in the business environment * Building on resources and competences capabilities * Values and expectations of stakeholders which affect operational decisions Therefore strategic decisions are likely to be complex in nature, are made in uncertain situations, affect operational decisions, require an integrated approach and do involve considerable change. Levels of strategy 1. Corporate level strategy is concerned with the overall purpose and scope of an organization and how value will be added to the different business units. 2. Business level strategy...
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...4 QUESTION ..................................................................................................................... 4 OVERVIEW ..................................................................................................................... 5 HR AS A STRATEGIC PARTNER .................................................................................. 5 A GLANCE AT STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ............................. 7 VARIOUS HR STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY ORGANIZATIONS ................................. 7 Fig 1 Strategic Framework for Human Resources .......................................................... 8 LOYAL SOLDIER (INTERNAL/COST HR STRATEGY) .............................................. 8 BARGAIN LABORER (EXTERNAL/COST HR SRATEGY) ......................................... 9 COMMITTED EXPERT (INTERNAL/ DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY) .................. 10 FREE AGENT (EXTERNAL/DIFFERENTIATION HR STRATEGY) .......................... 10 ALIGNING HR STRATEGIES WITH COMPETITIVE BUSINESS STRATEGIES ......... 11 Table 1 Compitetive strategies and HR strategies ........................................................ 11 SHRM & ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE ........................................................... 12 DEVELOPING & IMPLIMENTING A HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK SYSTEM (HPWS) ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Fig 2 Integrating Core functions to create a...
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