Brief excerpts from Chapter 2 of Human Resource Management in a Business Context
(3rd Edition, 2007) by Alan Price - published by Thomson Learning
Human resource management can seem to be a vague and elusive concept, not least because it seems
to have a variety of definitions. In fact, pinning down an acceptable definition can seem like trying
to hit a moving target in a fog. This confusion reflects the different interpretations
found in articles and books about human resource management. HRM is an elastic term (...).
It covers a range of applications that vary from book to book and organization to
organization. (...)
Pages 28-31 of Human Resource Management in a Business Context 3/e
discuss the use and meaning of the term 'human resource management', consider a number of textbook definitions and
provide a working definition for the book:
'A philosophy of people management based on the belief that human resources
are uniquely important to sustained business success. An organization gains competitive
advantage by using its people effectively, drawing on their expertise and ingenuity to
meet clearly defined objectives. Human resource management is aimed at recruiting capable, flexible and committed
people, managing and rewarding their performance and developing key competencies.'
Maps and models of HRM
This section begins with a discussion of various approaches to HRM, including Keenoy's
hologram comparison and Sisson's 4 main features of HRM models. A key concept is that of Hard and Soft HRM:
'Storey (1989) has distinguished between hard and soft
forms of HRM, typified by the Michigan and Harvard models respectively. 'Hard'
HRM focuses on the resource side of human resources. It emphasizes costs in the
form of 'headcounts' and places control firmly in the hands of management. Their
role is to manage numbers effectively, keeping the workforce closely matched with
requirements in terms of both bodies and behaviour. 'Soft' HRM, on the other hand,
stresses the 'human' aspects of HRM. Its concerns are with communication and
motivation. People are led rather than managed. They are involved in determining
and realizing strategic objectives.'
The section goes on to consider the views of Guest and Legge and then
discusses the classification of HRM models.
You should be aware that
a fundamental element of most rhetorical accounts of HRM is that one of the distinctive features of
human resource management (as opposed to personnel management) is that it is 'holistic'. In other words it is concerned
with the 'big picture' and the way that different aspects of people management fit together.
Comparing the different typologies can be difficult because
they do not use the same underlying logic. But does that mean that individual typologies are not of value?
Three American perspectives on HRM are provided from the work
of Fitz-Enz, Ulrich and Pfeffer on pages 34-35.
Each of these commentators is a 'management guru' to some extent. They have been particularly i
nfluential in the USA in the last decade. Fitz-Enz is, perhaps, the least well-known but has been instrumental in
developing the notion that HR initiatives and their results can (should?) be measured.
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Human Resource Management in a Business Context, 3rd edition
Human Resource Management in a Business Context provides an international focus on the theory and practice
of people management. A thorough and comprehensive overview of all the key aspects of HRM, including articles from HRM Guide and other sources,
key concepts, review questions and case studies for discussion and analysis.
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