Introduction
In this paper, we will be looking into Westport Fuel Systems Inc. Corporate strategy and the alignment of HR strategy. The HR functions, the company growth, innovation and talent management. We will discuss in details how Westport implement its strategies and how effective these strategies are to the growth and development of both the company and employees. Also whether these strategies help in employee retention and general business productivity or not. Business success highly depends on these mentioned key areas. The result of business success depends on how effective corporate strategy is implemented. Recommendations and conclusions will be drawn from our findings after discussing the key points in details.
History and background
Westport Innovations is a company that designs and produces alternative fuel, liquefied natural gas, landfill gas, and compressed natural gas. The company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The company also has facilities in France, China, America, and Sweden. Westport was founded in 1995 by Professor Philip Hill and David Demers at the University of British Columbia. Hill and David worked together with a team of graduate students and research engineers, they are focusing on natural gas as a fuel in diesel engines to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and harmful atmospheric particulate matter. The Company believes in “creating a Better World through Innovative Energy Solutions”. The statement gives voice to who they are as a
Explain why the human resource function should be aligned with an organization’s strategic plan (use ideas from the Module One discussion on this topic).
In order to develop a human resource strategy; there must be a linkage of the entire human resource function with the firm’s business strategy in order to improve business strategy execution. The first recommendation
On the next line down, draw a line of boxes, one for each person directly reporting to the Department Head. Those are the supervisors of staff.
Through this case study I will be discussing strategic management. Strategic management can be defined as a process where an organization attempts to determine what actions need to be taken to achieve the overall objectives and more importantly how to meet them (Mello, 2015, p. 114). For a company to strive and meet their goals, deadlines, and missions they must stay conscious of the strategic plan put in place for the success of the company. If the company does not have a good strategic plan the company could fail. With correct planning a company could succeed without fail. Something that needs to be taken into consideration in the strategic plan should be investing into the company’s human assets. At first it may look like it is causing the company more issues however in the long run it will strengthen the company and moral making a more successful company. This could help with customer relations, and the organization status which will help produce additional revenue for the company.
Armstrong, M. 2003, A Handbook of Human Resources Management Practice, 9th Edition, London, Kogan Page
Lehigh Hanson is the company I chose as my business case. Lehigh Hanson has been supplying cement, aggregates, ready-mixed concrete, asphalt, and other building materials throughout the United States, Canada, and Germany. The high demands on performance and being open minded is what HR and management hold at high demands and they lead by example. To transition the Human Resource department in becoming an innovative and driving force of the organizations to become a driving force of the 21st century, the HR department needs some assistance. This paper covers the human resource management strategy
The Human Resource Function should be aligned with an organizations strategic plan because an organization has a vision of what they want their company to be and in what time frame they would like to achieve it in. By aligning the human resources with the plan they (Human Resources) can make sure that the organization has the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time. (Snell, 2015) For example Harvey Building Products recruits in their slow season (winter) to have the candidate trained in all aspects of the position before their peak season. An example would be a warehouse person would need to be certified in driving a forklift, learning the scanning system and knowing about as much of the product as they can. For someone being hired in the inside sales office they would need to be fluent in SAP by the peak season, get to know the customers and how they prefer things, as well as know as much about the products as they can. Another example would be that existing employees go to sessions to be updated on new product, colors and software.
Human Resources often begins as very tactical policies, records, compliance, discipline, compensation, benefits, job descriptions, hiring, performance management (). Taken to the next level, HR becomes strategic, connecting employees to the business mission, values, and vision, in order to drive business results (). Employee goals and metrics align to the business strategy and rewards tie into results. Additionally, careful consideration is given to developing talent pipelines, employee succession plans, and career planning in order to respond flexibly to the inevitable work flow and staffing changes that all businesses experience ().
Motors & More, Inc. will be using the prospector strategy to ensure success of their business. The role of this strategy is extremely rocky, but if effectively executed correctly will be limitless. A prospector strategy is on growth, innovation, and new product development. Human Resources strategy within any organization is to also be concerned about “the organization’s customers, competition, cost structure, and regulatory environment, on a short note jobs” (Lee, 2013, para. 2). The reason these fundamentals are important when focusing on the Human Resource department, is because it creates the creation of jobs, allows jobs to show equal growth with a strong performance level and job retention. We need to ensure every employee has the support
An effective human resources (HR) strategy is the complete design, or strategic plan, that directs the engagement of specific HR functional areas. Subsequently, HR strategies will guide decisions about company personnel to make sure they are best suited for the company. For this to be successful, all of the functional areas of HR strategies must be directly compatible with the entire business strategy of the company (Wright, Snell, & Jacobsen, 2003). One such company that has been very successful in developing an HR strategy to support the overall business strategy, is the United Services Automobile Association, or more commonly known as USAA.
It is important for HR Management to transform from being primarily administrative and operational to becoming more strategic contributor because of the involvement of competitive advantages through a company s’ employees. Strategic HR managers need proceed with the professional growth by hiring employees with high potential and giving them opportunity to learn and make lot of experience from their job roles where can access to brightest future in the industry. Secondly, the executive succession where the strategic HR managers will hiring the potential successors and grooming them with experience and advancement to be ready for replacement of the owner of company. A company can be in right direction if proceed with the strategic succession planning. Third is the labor cost efficiency. Strategic HR department mainly focus on their top performers who effort the most to organizational goals and long-term company success. A strategic HR philosophy ensures the employees satisfied perfect where by paid to
During 2006, the first part of Alan’s plan was to convince bankers into giving Ford Motor Company billions of dollars to complete this company overhaul. Once they were provided with the right amount of money, the plan was able to be executed. With this plan came a timeline; by the year 2009, the company planned to have the ‘One Ford’ mission in action and to see production increase. Because of such a short timeline, HRD was ultimately involved throughout the entire process. As part of the company’s “One Team” approach, certain areas of the plan are discussed and analyzed to examine if anything can be improved; this is accomplished by using everyone in the company. Employees are able to share how they feel about certain areas of their work and give their opinions on how certain things should change or stay the same; after everything is examined, the leaders of the company are the ones held responsible and accountable for making the changes, if any, to whatever was examined (Ford Motor Company, 2010). During this process, new strategies can also be provided by using the employee’s opinions and assessments of their strengths and weaknesses. This ultimately shows the use of human resource development as part of the company’s competitive strategy. Without the employees understanding how to complete their job correctly, the company would plunder. Thus, the company makes
Throughout this case I will attempt to explain old methodology of doing business with your human resources and other staff components has changed. No longer will any organization try to create a compelling vision without its tools, resources, and staff components gainfully employed to obtain the overall goal. One team, one fight if our subordinates fail then we fail as leaders. I will explore relationships between staff sections, developing strategic activities, preventing a fraudulent atmosphere, and improving communications with human resources. Let’s get started by discussing how the King’s Company relations amongst its staff sections.
Netcare participates in employer surveys, internal surveys gets feedback from patients with patient feedback forms. These results help identify employment issues and are also used to reward and recognise individuals. Managers are even required to wear their name badges, thus enforcing them to lead by example.
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