Strategic Human Resource Management in Organizations: Dr. Radhika Kapur
Strategic Human Resource Management in Organizations: Dr. Radhika Kapur
Strategic Human Resource Management in Organizations: Dr. Radhika Kapur
Abstract
Environmental Analysis
Strategic Formulation
Strategy Implementation
Strategy implementation is an area of activity that puts emphasis upon the techniques
and methods used by the managers to implement strategies. It refers to the tasks and functions
that deal with various factors. These include, leadership style, the structure of the
organization, the information and control systems, and the management of human resources.
The managers and supervisors are required to inculcate leadership skills that would enable
the individuals to carry out their tasks and activities in a well-organized manner. They need to
guide and lead them in the right direction. The structure of the organization also needs to be
enhanced to ensure the members are rendering a good-quality performance and incurring the
feeling of job satisfaction. Within the structure of the organization, there should be provision
of technologies, facilities, infrastructure and resources, which would contribute efficiently in
the achievement of organizational goals.
The information and control systems are the ones, which help the individuals to make
provision of information to the employees. A control system manages, commands, directs, or
regulates the behaviour of other devices or systems by making use of control loops.
Management of human resources is regarded as one of the indispensable factors that is
necessary for promoting effective growth and development of the organization and
employees. Hence, it is necessary to implement strategies and approaches that are regarded as
important in efficient management of human resources. When these four factors are taken
into consideration, then the model of strategy implementation will be carried out in a suitable
manner.
Strategy Evaluation
Strategy evaluation is an activity that determines to what extent the actual change and
performance is compatible with the desired change and performance. When the members of
the organization have worked diligently and resourcefully towards the formulation of
measures and strategies that are crucial in the attainment of desired goals and objectives, they
need to make sure that strategies and methods are worthwhile. Therefore, it is vital for them
to put into operation the evaluation procedures. The main objective of strategy evaluation is
to identify the limitations and bring about improvements. For instance, when members have
formulated strategies that would be productive and beneficial to them in the implementation
of job duties and have found out through strategy evaluation that there are limitations. Hence,
they would have to work towards putting into operation the methods and procedures, which
would help in identifying the limitations and bringing about improvements. Therefore, it can
be stated that strategy evaluation is regarded as one of the indispensable models of
identifying the limitations and bringing about improvements.
Hierarchy of Strategy
Corporate level strategy makes provision of strategies and methods that describes the
overall direction of the corporation. The direction is in terms of general philosophy towards
the growth and management of its various business units. These are the strategies that
determine the business and functions that the corporation wants to get involved in. In order to
augment ones business, the members need to understand what business units should be
acquired, modified or sold. This strategy provides answers to the question of what is the main
objective of business. In devising a strategy for a multidivisional organization involves the
implementation of four types of initiatives. These include, establishment of investment
priorities and steering corporate resources into most of the attractive business units; initiating
actions to improve the combined performance of those business units with which the
organization got first involved; finding ways to bring about improvements in the synergy
between related business units in order to lead to an increase in job performance and making
decisions, when dealing with diversification.
Business level strategy deals with decisions and actions pertaining to each business
unit. The main objective of the business level strategy is to make the unit more competitive in
the marketplace. This level of strategy addresses the question of how do we compete.
Business level strategy is guided by upstream, and corporate level strategy. Business unit
management must formulate a strategy that is appropriate for own operating situation. In
acquiring an efficient understanding of the business level strategy, there are three competitive
strategies, which need to be taken into consideration. These include, cost leadership,
differentiation and focus. The cost leadership strategy makes an attempt to lead to an increase
in the organization’s market share by having the lowest cost unit and price compared with the
competitors.
The alternative to cost leadership is the differentiation strategy. In this strategy, the
managers differentiate between their services and products from those of the competitors in
the same industry, by making provision of distinctive levels of service, product or high
quality for which the customer is prepared to pay the premium price. With the focus strategy,
the managers are prepared to focus upon a specific buyer group or regional market. A market
strategy can be narrow or focused. This allows the organizations to make a selection from
four generic business-level strategies. These are, low-cost leadership, differentiation, focused
differentiation and focused-low cost leadership. Competing organizations within a single
industry can make a selection between any one of the four types of strategies and adopt a
corresponding combination of structure, culture and processes consistent with the strategy in
response to the environment.
Functional level strategy pertains to the major functional operations within the
business unit, including research and development, marketing, manufacturing, finance and
human resources. This strategy level is primarily concerned with maximising resource
productivity and addresses the question, i.e. how can business level competitive strategy be
supported? In other words, it is vital for the members of the organization to generate
awareness in terms of methods and approaches, which would render a significant contribution
in achieving organizational goals. The human resource management policies and practices are
stated to render an indispensable contribution in the achievement of organizational goals.
The three levels of strategies, corporate, business and functional form a hierarchy of
strategy within large multidivisional corporations. In different corporations, the specific
operation of the hierarchy of strategy might vary between top-down and bottom-up strategic
planning. The top-down approach resembles a cascade in which the downstream strategic
decisions are dependent on higher upstream strategic decisions. The bottom-up approach to
strategy making recognizes that individuals deep within the organizations might render a
significant contribution to strategic planning. Strategic management literature puts emphasis
upon the fact that strategies at different levels must be completely integrated. Strategies at
different levels need to interrelate. The strategy at the corporate level must build upon the
strategies and approaches at the lower level of the hierarchy. However at the same time, all
parts of the business are required to work to accommodate the overriding corporate goals.
(Bratton, n.d.).
Since the early 1990s, academics have proposed three models to differentiate between
ideal types of human resources strategies. These are, control-based model, resource-based
model and integrative model. These have been stated as follows: (Bratton, n.d.).
Control-based Model
Resource-based Model
Integrative Model
The integrative model integrates the two main models of the human resources
strategy. One has to put emphasis on the strategy’s underlying logic of managerial control
and the other is focusing on the reward-effort exchange. Acquisition and development are
concerned with the extent to which the HR strategy develops the human capital approach as
opposed to the external recruitment of human capital. In other words, the organizations are
leaning towards making their workers more competent. Hence, they are making high
investments in the training and development programs. These programs are considered
indispensable in making provision of knowledge to the employees. The up-gradation of
competencies and abilities among employees has to be in accordance to the goals and
objectives of the organization. They need to be well-equipped in terms of usage of
technologies, materials and other resources. Therefore, it can be stated, integrative model is
also beneficial in leading to growth and development of human resources and organization as
a whole.
The strategic human resources framework has the main objective to align the human
resource practices to augment the capabilities that enable the organization to achieve the
goals and objectives. Strategic management makes provision of both financial as well as non-
financial benefits to an organization, which practices it (Unit – I. Introduction to Strategic
HRM, n.d.). The benefits have been stated as follows: (Unit – I. Introduction to Strategic
HRM, n.d.).
Gap Analysis – In the gap analysis, one is able to observe where the organization is in
the present existence and where it has to be in future. In conducting gap analysis, there are
certain aspects, which need to be taken into consideration. These include, number of
employees, skills and aptitude, provision of infrastructure, technologies, materials and
equipment and the resources, which will be required to achieve desired goals. In this case,
one of the important steps that need to be put into operation is, identification of HR processes
and practices. The current HR processes and practices are taken into consideration and one
has to be aware of measures that need to be put into operation to bring about changes. It is
comprehensively understood that with advancements taking place, there is a need to bring
about transformations and put into operation, modern, scientific and innovative methods.
Therefore, it can be stated that gap analysis contributes in bringing about changes and
introducing modern, scientific and pioneering methods in implementation of tasks and
functions.
Training and Development – When the individuals get recruited and selected within
the organization, they are required to go through training and development programs. In these
programs, the trainers make provision of information to them in terms of various aspects of
the organization. These include, history, departments, personnel, infrastructure, technologies,
civic amenities and facilities, job duties and so forth. In these programs, the trainers are
required to make use of modern and innovative teaching and learning methods in the
implementation of instruction. Within various organizations, the training methods used are of
various types. These include, case studies, vestibule training, lecture methods, role plays and
so forth. Within the course of their jobs also the individuals are required to undergo training
and development programs to augment their knowledge and understanding in terms of
advancements taking place and use of innovative methods. Therefore, it can be stated that
training and development programs are regarded as significant in generating the desired
outcomes.
Coping with Problems and Challenges – Within the organization, there are occurrence
of problems and challenges in number of areas. The members of the organization are required
to cope with number of problems and challenges, irrespective of their job duties and
responsibilities. The members of the organization are required to generate awareness and
augment their understanding in terms of various areas that would facilitate in providing
solutions to the problems. For instance, when the members of the organization need to bring
about improvements in infrastructure, technologies and equipment, they need to pay adequate
attention towards the management of resources. There are three types of resources, which
need to be managed, these include, technical, financial and human resources. Management of
resources is not regarded as an easy task. In other words, the individuals need to cope with
problems and challenges. Therefore, it can be stated, the members need to be aware of
methods and strategies, which would enable them to provide solutions to problems and
achieve organizational and personal goals.
Conclusion
from otaru-uc.ac.jp
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