Contingency Approach : The Best Fit Model

It is important that HRM consultants create a strong and sound strategy to keep and gain the competitive advantage. By successfully implementing good HRM strategies, companies can provide excellent talent and improve by staying current on the latest technologies and other information talent (Welcome to HR Consultants, Inc., 2009). This will allow clients to increase productivity within the organization; which in turn will increase profits. The greatest organizations realize that effectively managing the HRM strategies and know that employees are their greatest asset and that they are important to their survival. A sound understanding of HRM strategies will allow clients to keep their competitive advantage (Welcome to HR Consultants, Inc., 2009).

HR must enact its own strategies which can aid the organization in meeting its goals and mission. They are referred to as strategic human resource management (SHRM). SHRM is “a pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals” (Noe et al., 2002, 55). The following are examples in which HR strategies can positively impact an organization in meeting its desired outcomes.

Critically compare and contrast the ‘best fit’, BP and RBV models of HRM strategy – explain how EACH approach is argued to contribute to improve organizational performance.

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

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the largest expert alliance committed to human resource management in the world. The main objective of the foundation is

Strategy is defined as: a way of doing something, or a game plan or plan of action. As a HR manager you must possess the ability to look at things from a strategic approach (Anthony, Kacmar, & Perrewe', 2010). Over the years the whole approach to HR has changed drastically and continues to change. This approach requires an employer to see human beings as a resource to the organization. The development of people is now the most important asset of improving the performance of an organization; this is accomplished through improving designs and methods of Human Resource Management.

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.’

Using the CHRM Decision-Making Framework, consider an organisation’s actual or potential SHRM response to influential factors and link them to the organisation’s internal HRM.

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).

Human resources management is a core of the organization, because those people responsible for interviewing people and checking their professional skills. The contingency management theory is based on the premise that manager’s preferred actions or approaches depend on the variables of the situations they face (p.50,2008).

It makes it realistic by motivating the workforce, developing commitment in them and improving communication.(Armstrong M,2003) Traditional Personnel management deals with short term planning and controlled externally. With employee relations’ perspective, it has low trust and less communication. It has lot to do with labour management.(limited to the people and not deals with strategy) On the other hand, HRM emphasizes that employees are critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage and is central to organisational strategic performance.(Bratton and Gold,1999).HRM plays great role with organisation’s corporate strategy. But to do this, all HR strategies must be integrated and must be in line with overall business strategies.(Lecture Notes,2004 Topic 1)

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.

To ensure a high probability of success in the implementation of strategic human resource management, the HRM function needs to be truly strategic in its orientation.

Within this essay an in depth analysis will be conducted on the difference between Human Resource Management and Strategic Human Resource Management using contemporary perspectives. Human Resource Management (HRM) is the process of managing human resources in a systematic way. It is a practice devised to maximise the performance of employees and is concerned with the application of management principles to manage organisational personnel while paying attention to the policies and systems of the entity (Delaney & Huselid, 1996). Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is a function of management which entails development of policies, programmes and practices related to human resources, which are aligned with business strategy so as to achieve the strategic objectives of the organisation (Patrick M. Wright, 1992). Its primary purpose is to improve the performance of the business and maintain a culture that encourages innovation and works continuously to gain competitive advantage. In this essay the Resource-Based View, High Performance Management and High Commitment Management perspectives of Strategic Human Resource Management and Traditional and Collaborative