Best Practice Models of HRM & Strategy

In response to criticisms of the ‘best fit’ and ‘best practice’ approaches, the ‘resource based view’ model focuses on leveraging competitive advantage through both tangible and intangible organisational resources. However, questions arise regarding whether there is a best way of achieving strategic HRM. Evidence suggests that firms rarely adopt a single style of management and that it is likely that they use a mix of approaches for different groups (Wilton 2011).

Furthermore, it is stated that HRM practices can also be categorized on the basis of their emphasis into three sets viz., quality focus, cost reduction, and differential innovation (Guest, 1997). The importance of effective HR practices can be judged by the fact that with the effective execution of HR practices, the employees tend to be more committed to their work and they go the extra mile to add to organization’s benefit.

2. TAYLOR S, and WOODHAMS C – Studying Human Resource Management, (2012) page 104, London Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Today 's fast-paced, competitive business environment has resulted in "rediscovery" of the human resource management function as a group that may be able to enhance firm competitiveness and performance by being "strategic" (Dyer & Kochan, 1995; Ulrich, 1997). Strategic Human Resource Management is a term describing an integrated approach to the development of Human Resource Strategy that will enable the organization to achieve its goals (Armstrong, 2005). Whiles strategy is an action that managers take to attain one or more of the organization’s goals. Strategy presents a general direction set for the company and its various components to achieve a desired state in the future. This results from the detailed

Boxall, P and Purcell, J (2011), The Goals of Human Resource Management, Strategy and Human Resource Management, 3rd Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, pp. 1-36.

2. Leatherbarrow, C., Fletcher, J. & Currie, D. (2010) Introduction to Human Resource Management. 2nd Edition. London: CIPD

Wright and McMahan (1994) define strategic HRM as “the pattern of planned Human Resource deployments and activities intended to enable the organisation to achieve its goals.” A HR function should impact the success of an organisation; a policy must remain current and suitable to both the internal and external environment. Ulrich and Lake (1990) affirm, ‘HRM systems can be the source of organisational capabilities that allow organisations to learn and capitalise on new opportunities.’

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the terminology used to illustrate formal systems devised for the management of people within an organization. It is the method of managing an organization or company that is directly related to the employees of that particular organization. The success of a business often rely heavily on the performance of managing human resource. Maximizing the desires and benefits of an organization and helping a business grow by rewarding employees to help motivate and push them in their performance is one of the main aim of HRM. By doing this, it will have a positive impact on both the company and it’s entire organization.

This assignment is a portfolio, based on three current topics in Human Resource Management. The common theme of all the media articles I reviewed is the recognition of people as an asset by the organisations to achieve their strategic goals and objectives. It is observed that organisations are directing their efforts to recruit, retain and develop this asset.

CRITICALLY COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE 'BEST FIT', 'BEST PRACTICE' AND 'RESOURCE-BASED VIEW', MODELS OF HRM STRATEGY AND EXPLAIN HOW EACH APPROACH IS ARGUED TO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE.

The "best-fit" approach questions the universality assumption of the best-practice perspective. It emphasizes contingency fit between HR activities and the organization's stage of development, an organization's internal structures and its external environment like clients, suppliers, competition and labour markets (Redman and Wilkinson 2009). HR policy should be minted by the appropriate context of individual employees and therefore support the overall competitive strategy. Aligning HRM practices to strategies can enable companies to create potential competitive advantages (Schuler and Jackson 1987 in Redman and Wilkinson 2009).

More firms’ business strategy can be better realized using the integrative model of HRM. Both employees and firms’ aspirations can be met if the right strategy is used. . HR professionals must be well trained to implement this strategy.

Their various HRM practices allow them to attract and retain the best staff and deliver on their service mandate. At a functional level they have implemented HRM practices to align the leadership, skills, induction and socialisation, training, development, rewards and recognition, remuneration, career progression as well as transformation with the strategy of the company.

According to Decenzo and Robbins (1994), “Human Resource Management is a process of procuring, developing and maintaining the performance level of the employees to achieve the organizational goals in an efficient and effective manner”. The HRM practices of recruiting and selecting employees, training them for their job, evaluating their

The research done in this proposal attempts to find the role of Human Resources Management for the smooth running of an organization through effective implementation of HRM strategies. HRM today has a much broader range of functions than traditionally it use to have over a decade ago. HR manager also has a lot of