masters in human resource management

masters in human resource management

The Evolution and Impact of Human Resource Management in the Modern Business Environment

1. Introduction to Human Resource Management

The term ‘human resource management’ or HRM has largely replaced the term ‘personnel management’ or PM as a description of the processes involved in managing people in organizations. There are differences as well as similarities when comparing the two fields of academic study and application. In the first successful textbooks on the new topic, PM was still the subject heading but HRM was the title of the first chapter, such was the prominence given to developing thinking about people management. These differences and similarities will be discussed in more detail later in the chapter. What has created this increasing emphasis upon the management of people? The title of the chapter, The Evolution and Impact of HRM, suggests that a gradual evolution over a long period of time has been taking place. It is also true that the impact of HRM as an issue, topic, policy, and practice area has been growing in a wide range of organizations. Such a pervasive impact would not have become so evident if there had not been some forces driving, guiding, or directing such changes. Furthermore, the effectiveness of such practices will have evaluated and their impact demonstrated. Hence, much empirical research has been conducted into the links between the best management of people practices and measures of organizational effectiveness. Results and findings of these studies will also be briefly reviewed.

The term ‘human resource management’ (HRM) has a range of meanings related to the management of people. The many definitions of HRM all involve the management of people, and thus the subject is studied by people management professionals, academics, and consultants. Whereas human resource development (HRD) is concerned with personal development as an aspect of an organization’s ability to innovate, adapt, and change, HRM is primarily about managing people in organizations. These two areas are related and some of the readings in this chapter overlap them. HRM is a super-set that contains HRD. HR is the management of people. It involves all the decisions, strategies, factors, principles, operations, practices, functions, activities, and methods related to the management of people as employees in any type of organization.

2. Key Concepts and Theories in Human Resource Management

Another superstructure is the intention of Turnover Model with specific attention to Turnover Propensity. Jobs are held as a reference point for such concepts. Another set of predictor variables that are inherent variables includes intrinsic and extrinsic components of current job satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and alternative employment inclination components: labor market rightness, and expected continuance capitalization. Wehsack presents the model and demonstrates a correlation between different intentions of turnover and turnover behavior.

The Exploration Turnover Model focuses on the turnover intention of the employee for continued employment. Redistributions are discussed in terms of emotional service, corporate support, and recognition. The learning on how reluctance influences turnover can be derived from this model, suggesting that high responsiveness, when handled triangulately, promotes increased decision, desire, and dependence willingness, producing a competitive threat to it. Such competence facilitates effective relationship efforts.

Another superstructure for the Intention Turnover Model, with specific attention on Work Transitions, is the Verrier’s Human Concept Code. The mediator concept is the Organizational Validity concept, and the different sets of predictor variables are fitness-competitive to potential, balance of yes standing (including personal and career development) trade-offs, the role of publication philosopher of operator in decision transfers, equity experiences, psychological safety, and reason.

The Turnover Intention Model represents a model for the Stanford Mobility Center. The mediator variables are satisfaction and the extrinsic components of job satisfaction, but generalized to satisfaction with several facets related to self and job. There are two independent sets of predictor variables related to satisfaction and its understanding, and to human capital and alternative inclination. Policies derived from this model also include employee control and discretion, ensuring public justice, and sufficient direct and indirect compensation, while considering the people and the self-discrepant shadow side of the psychological contract.

2.1. Key Concepts and Theories in HRM

3. Strategic Human Resource Management Practices

SHRM practices focus on the business strategies that organizations employ to be more competitive and obtain solid operational success from their employees. The focus is based on two fundamental ideas. First, the HR department is a line (not staff) function, and the business (not HR) managers are responsible for most HR practices. In most large organizations, the role of HR has moved to be more of a service-based center providing consulting help, information, and technical assistance as internal clients utilize a variety of HR assessed technologies and approaches. Second, SHRM is perspective, and refers to all of the ways that HRM practices can be used to adjust organizational ability to better meet the strategic direction that the business leaders select. The SHRM approach is not about firm-specific solutions, nor can it be developed primarily by HR departments.

Organizations have long been concerned with the human resource management (HRM) policies and the uses of those policies to enhance organizational operations. In the last decade, strategic human resource management (SHRM) has explored the ways that HRM enables organizations to enhance the operational success of their employees. SHRM practices address the business strategies that organizations use to be highly competitive and achieve the desired strategic success not only in the workplace, but also in the market. This chapter examines how HR departments are aligning their practices with the operations of the business in more strategic and meaningful ways.

4. Challenges and Opportunities in Human Resource Management

Increasingly competitive external environments provide one set of challenges for HR management. Another, evident for quite different reasons, is the threat to the labor force from decreased state intervention and the concurrent weakening of traditional forms of state social protection. HR models are being replaced by HR tasks and corporate visions of model tasks. As these threats grow, the social responsibility of business can turn to very practical internal questions of survival. Although it might be argued that the social responsibility of business concerning the workforce is essentially external, being based on a definition of industrial relations as an industrial restructuring of the whole of existing social order, there is no ignoring element of self-interest too. Consideration of social consequences is a functional requirement, which must be seen in terms of a positive relationship between the workforce and the business enterprise on which the workforce depends.

All managers are change managers. Change is an undeniably integral component of business; innovative design is the first requisite to strategizing change leadership; HR management is an indispensable partner in introducing change in the workforce.

It is important to acknowledge that many of the challenges confronting HR professionals in the current business environment are not new; in fact, they are familiar and persistent. The challenge of adapting to change is a constant one. What is new, however, is the intensity of the challenge, the accelerating pace of change, and the need to create change through best HR practice. Top management is no longer in a position to simply respond to change; it is now expected to be proactive in initiating change. There is also more at stake nowadays; the price of poor HR practice is not just failure but extinction.

5. The Future of Human Resource Management

It is the least a dedicated human resource office’s management should be planning for in a rapidly plunging human value environment. We can continue passing life’s headless bodies on the way to make a profit. The question maverick business leaders are asking is whether, as partners, they can prevent this chaotic and undesirable human, social evolution. The business achievement to cure our present human maladies might in the stereotyped, historical perspective appear to be attempts working backward, but the fallout would be desirable human business partners. Their products, goodwill, and profits would benefit society as well as the vibrant organizations.

Finally, a structured involvement of the employee, not as a kind of indentured servant but as a vital contributor, could provide the redeeming satisfaction many business activities are attempting to regain in a society that had few real metabolisms. A future human resource management concept dealing directly and effectively with employee involvement could offset management’s decline of status and supremacy in a much more desirable course as a controller or a more clearly directing partner of society’s business segments. Business could continue to produce superior physical products, but the human beings who provide them could consciously participate significantly in this achievement. The obsolete organizational hierarchies belief would be exposed. The autocrat, the faceless servants, and service employees would be gone. There would still be authority and hierarchy, but control and direction would be an open matter discussed and agreed to with feedback support provided by a fully operational employee involvement.

Recent key management and managerial developments provide serious warnings to the contemporary human resource management process. The key factor influencing existing and future management procedures is man’s fast-growing social consciousness. Funds and time to alleviate social problems have been slow, inadequate, grudgingly monitored, and far from the expectations of a great number of dedicated management leaders. Also, scaled-down business expectations, both in growth and simplified operational goals, ensure faceless corporations.