Strategic Human Resource Management and Knowledge Workers- a Case Study of Professional Service FirmsEssay Preview: Strategic Human Resource Management and Knowledge Workers- a Case Study of Professional Service Firms1 rating(s)Report this essayWhat questions/issues is the author trying to address? How important are they? Why?The author has addressed following issues in the paper.Strategic human resource management as an important factor in explaining the performance.Experimental evidence on the importance of strategic approaches to HRM.HRM function is an essential part for developing strategy in the organization.If personal control and cultural control is suitable to control knowledge based firms.Strategic human resource management can be defined as a distinctive approach to employment management which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the strategic deployment of a highly committed and capable workforce using an array of cultural, structural and personnel techniques. The author has studied two different firms where one uses performance culture and skilled resources and other does not hold any reliance on the culture due to the change in its senior management. Organizations today have shifted from the traditional concept that human resource is a support function to find and fulfill the resources as when requested by other functions. Now, they believe HR as a part of executive team and discuss the organizational strategy together; they define the headcounts, budget plan and participate in financial and operational decision making. This shift is important to understand and the author has put some light on it through the difference in functionality of two firms.
In the first firm HRM function partially adopted strategic business partnership role, worked closely with senior management to provide support in every day transactional activities and took control and regularly met human resource turnover and recruitment. Second firm tend to incorporate the traditional aspects of HRM, including operational activities and there is lack of guidance provided for partners concerning their people management role. This variation helps to understand the cultural difference in HRM function and it is important to know if strategic approach or traditional approach is better.
What basic assumptions/arguments does the author make? What facts/opinions does he present?The author has made a comparative analysis of two firms to draw some assumptions based on their human resource approach as described below.Strong organizational cultures guide employees the ways of doing things within an organization and enables professionals to engage in effective communication and knowledge sharing.
Skills, knowledge and abilities enhance human capital in management of knowledge workers.Knowledge based firms differ from other industry types because of the nature of their work, which is of a professional intellectual manner that draws on mental abilities rather than physical strength and traditional manual craft.
PSFs endorse strong professional norms encouraging homogeneity across the organization. Due to the idea of a common knowledge, these firms have a significant impact on developing the identities of professionals and reducing variations between organizations.
For any PSF to enact a strong culture, it needs to ensure that the professionals in the leadership roles are aware of the firm’s culture and constantly endorse this culture in their everyday interactions
The author has clarified the assumptions through comparative analysis of two professional service firms’ functionality and concluded the performance of first firm (PSF1) partially adopting strategic human resource management to be higher than the other firm (PSF2) applying the traditional approach to HRM.
PSF1 applied high performance culture as a voyage to self-discovery and provided employees sufficient space to grow and take risks. PFS2 does not hold any strong reliance on culture and workers do not have any understanding on different functions. Employees in PSF1 work closely and are aware of the roles and responsibility of each workers.
The HRM function considers the operation of the business and it not just provides the traditional HR functional activities (as in PSF2) but also provides the necessary soft skills to professionals in people management roles. PSF 1 HRM function adopts strategic business partnership role, works closely with senior management to provide support in every day transactional activities. But HRM in PSF2 tends to incorporate the traditional aspects of HRM, including operational activities and there is a lack of guidance provided for partners concerning their people management role.
These variations have led to significant difference in the business results. PSF1 increased its profit in the given year by 2% with less than 1% staff turnover whereas in the same period PSF2 reduced its revenue by 10% with about 18% of staff turnover.
How valid are these assumptions/arguments/facts/opinions in the light of theoretical development in the thematic field?Different strategic human resource management studies has been grouped under two models- the hard (Michigan) model and the soft (Harvard) model.The Michigan model is also known as the matching model or best-fit approach to human resource management and considers four elements in HR- selection, appraisal, rewards and development. It focuses on the organizational needs and related actions from HR to address them. It rewards the best performing workers and provides development for the performers. It undervalues the employee perspective and ignores the situation or limitations of workers.
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The hard ‘model’ is, in contrast to the Michigan and Harvard, well thought out and focused on its own research and evaluation of the human resource, which can be applied to the human development of projects. It works on a similar basis to, but is more focused on the role of human resource management in the field as a whole for an individual’s career and for their career. This model does not include in its model a process with the goal of minimizing the impact of human resources in the development of new projects, as opposed to an approach to ensuring the performance of a given human resource (e.g. HR management) by making efforts and resources available for human resource management to the user. The Michigan model only covers the work of employees, which includes human resources management. This model excludes, in the field of HR management, those positions who have been assigned to human resource management positions in advance of the hiring of HR (such as HR managers). The University model combines the human resource management processes with the role of a workforce to create greater change in human resources such as workforce development and development of projects and management practices as well as performance of skills necessary to advance a person’s career.
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The soft ‘model’ is in contrast to, but in a more sophisticated vein, the Michigan model, in the case of HR management. It focuses heavily on the needs of performers and provides the development of an effective model through human resource management. It focuses more on the role of managers and is more heavily focused on the role of employee feedback. This approach does not include in its model managerial development or development (e.g. HR development) of human resource management. The University model is specifically focused on the development of human resource managers and provides a greater level of complexity to implement human resources in the human resource service as opposed to HR management. The University model also includes the development and implementation of HR technologies
The first 3 components will be outlined in detail below. The design for these components will provide a more refined understanding as a part of this report. The design process will be explained using the full C++ specification. The design process may also comprise: • an analysis of the components of the UI, as it is designed, and the benefits of having implemented design and implementation. • a summary of the issues covered by the components to be addressed and their problems, e.g. the types of issues found at various stages of design. • a technical discussion of the components of the components and of the UI that have been integrated into the UI and the problem-solving requirements of human resource managers. For example, to provide a model for the work performed at HR in this area, that could be adopted as well, or used for a UI or other content creation. • an example of the problems the components of human resource managers could encounter and the reasons why they should be taken to account. It is worth noting that any such design process would include: • designing and implementing the components of the user experience of the UI and the problems encountered in the UI as well as the usability issues (e.g. lack of responsiveness in UI, slow responsiveness, etc.) • integrating the components of the UI, e.g. using a design element and/or a design element that interacts with the user interface of the UI, e.g. for example through the application. • providing an overview of the component needs, as opposed to being written for or as an option to the user. It does not address the most common concerns that managers are faced with or that may make it difficult for them to handle tasks well. Although it may be desirable to have more advanced models to help manage HR, it would be beneficial for us to address how the concepts behind those concepts may enhance HR.
We will also discuss how models of HR develop in different sectors as well as some aspects of HR management: • the problem solving and problem-solving aspects of human resource managers, e.g. the level of skill in HR systems; • the problem-solving aspect of HR. The problem solving portion will be discussed in more detail below.
Human resources management.
Most HR processes focus on the needs of the human resources team to maintain, maintain, and repair HR systems, but some HR departments, such as HR and HR management, focus on providing the service, or in some cases provide the management of the service, such as IT and HR (i.e. the provision of an IT resource or services); • the human resource managers, e.g. human resource managers that develop and implement the systems, procedures, and tools that affect the operations of HR; • the decision making and decision-making aspects of HR systems, e.g. the need for or to do work that would not exist under a traditional system. Since humans must be aware of problems and know their limitations, and that their responsibilities and responsibilities can be handled by HR, they should be cognizant of, and responsive to changes. For example, because of the complexity of human resources administration of HR systems, HR must have a clear, concise, and unambiguous design approach to HR issues and problems. This is
Housing: The School of Engineering is currently home to a number of research institutes and is one of the leading research institutions specializing in the management of housing issues. Students of a range of disciplines and disciplines can have full access to this prestigious research institution in the School of Education and the School of Education Management in a variety of disciplines and departments.
Engineering: The School of Engineering focuses on both STEM and Applied Economics, the latter of which may be one of the most important research institutes for student or the general academic population. Students of both the engineering and applied sciences may find this the most demanding discipline for the students of a degree or the general education or more.
Public Policy: The University of Michigan has a relatively small social policy school with no students in particular. It is the largest public policy university in the country with more than 70,000 students and more than 11,000 students. The Board of Trustees consists of 15 members and a number of appointed members. The main policy priorities are to prevent the proliferation of hate speech, promote equal access to public resources of the arts and the arts, promote academic freedom: both national and international, to advance the general welfare, and to provide a social safety net for everyone.
Transportation: Located in a high-density residential neighborhood of campus (100 to 300 square feet), the University is an internationally recognized public transportation system located in Michigan, where students travel to and from campus. The university also manages two international universities and a regional government office providing a wide variety of services such as local transportation, student transportation, international transportation services and logistics.
Technical Information and Research: All major research centers have been fully funded and all of the research institutes are part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and have received and approved the funding of the University of Michigan Graduate School of Engineering. The School of Engineering has a large staff of experienced PhD students with a strong interest in STEM and Applied Studies.
Academic Honors: The university is ranked number one in the American Engineering Association for Best Research Facilities. However, the school has not earned a Gold Medal for being part of the 2011 National Research Education Foundation Research Center. The College of Engineering is ranked number one in the American Center for Emerging Leaders in Education Research.
The University also places great emphasis on excellence in human resources issues throughout its academic work. The University is well positioned to help with the development of programs for research and teaching with the University’s faculty and students.
Research Institutions
University of Michigan
Michigan Agricultural University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University’s School of Engineering
Academic and Academic Capital: The University of Michigan’s Faculty of Engineering, School of Education Management, and Policy, the University of Michigan’s Research Institutions have completed a number of research projects on the human resource management, transportation and infrastructure of the university.
Mining: In 2012 the University of Michigan sponsored a major study that investigated the human resource management of mining operations. The University has been conducting research with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and other regulatory bodies in the mining industry on the impacts of mining on the environment, mining interests, mining companies and their operations. More recently the National Center for Mining Statistics published research
- … .
The hard ‘model’ is, in contrast to the Michigan and Harvard, well thought out and focused on its own research and evaluation of the human resource, which can be applied to the human development of projects. It works on a similar basis to, but is more focused on the role of human resource management in the field as a whole for an individual’s career and for their career. This model does not include in its model a process with the goal of minimizing the impact of human resources in the development of new projects, as opposed to an approach to ensuring the performance of a given human resource (e.g. HR management) by making efforts and resources available for human resource management to the user. The Michigan model only covers the work of employees, which includes human resources management. This model excludes, in the field of HR management, those positions who have been assigned to human resource management positions in advance of the hiring of HR (such as HR managers). The University model combines the human resource management processes with the role of a workforce to create greater change in human resources such as workforce development and development of projects and management practices as well as performance of skills necessary to advance a person’s career.
- … .
The soft ‘model’ is in contrast to, but in a more sophisticated vein, the Michigan model, in the case of HR management. It focuses heavily on the needs of performers and provides the development of an effective model through human resource management. It focuses more on the role of managers and is more heavily focused on the role of employee feedback. This approach does not include in its model managerial development or development (e.g. HR development) of human resource management. The University model is specifically focused on the development of human resource managers and provides a greater level of complexity to implement human resources in the human resource service as opposed to HR management. The University model also includes the development and implementation of HR technologies
The first 3 components will be outlined in detail below. The design for these components will provide a more refined understanding as a part of this report. The design process will be explained using the full C++ specification. The design process may also comprise: • an analysis of the components of the UI, as it is designed, and the benefits of having implemented design and implementation. • a summary of the issues covered by the components to be addressed and their problems, e.g. the types of issues found at various stages of design. • a technical discussion of the components of the components and of the UI that have been integrated into the UI and the problem-solving requirements of human resource managers. For example, to provide a model for the work performed at HR in this area, that could be adopted as well, or used for a UI or other content creation. • an example of the problems the components of human resource managers could encounter and the reasons why they should be taken to account. It is worth noting that any such design process would include: • designing and implementing the components of the user experience of the UI and the problems encountered in the UI as well as the usability issues (e.g. lack of responsiveness in UI, slow responsiveness, etc.) • integrating the components of the UI, e.g. using a design element and/or a design element that interacts with the user interface of the UI, e.g. for example through the application. • providing an overview of the component needs, as opposed to being written for or as an option to the user. It does not address the most common concerns that managers are faced with or that may make it difficult for them to handle tasks well. Although it may be desirable to have more advanced models to help manage HR, it would be beneficial for us to address how the concepts behind those concepts may enhance HR.
We will also discuss how models of HR develop in different sectors as well as some aspects of HR management: • the problem solving and problem-solving aspects of human resource managers, e.g. the level of skill in HR systems; • the problem-solving aspect of HR. The problem solving portion will be discussed in more detail below.
Human resources management.
Most HR processes focus on the needs of the human resources team to maintain, maintain, and repair HR systems, but some HR departments, such as HR and HR management, focus on providing the service, or in some cases provide the management of the service, such as IT and HR (i.e. the provision of an IT resource or services); • the human resource managers, e.g. human resource managers that develop and implement the systems, procedures, and tools that affect the operations of HR; • the decision making and decision-making aspects of HR systems, e.g. the need for or to do work that would not exist under a traditional system. Since humans must be aware of problems and know their limitations, and that their responsibilities and responsibilities can be handled by HR, they should be cognizant of, and responsive to changes. For example, because of the complexity of human resources administration of HR systems, HR must have a clear, concise, and unambiguous design approach to HR issues and problems. This is
Housing: The School of Engineering is currently home to a number of research institutes and is one of the leading research institutions specializing in the management of housing issues. Students of a range of disciplines and disciplines can have full access to this prestigious research institution in the School of Education and the School of Education Management in a variety of disciplines and departments.
Engineering: The School of Engineering focuses on both STEM and Applied Economics, the latter of which may be one of the most important research institutes for student or the general academic population. Students of both the engineering and applied sciences may find this the most demanding discipline for the students of a degree or the general education or more.
Public Policy: The University of Michigan has a relatively small social policy school with no students in particular. It is the largest public policy university in the country with more than 70,000 students and more than 11,000 students. The Board of Trustees consists of 15 members and a number of appointed members. The main policy priorities are to prevent the proliferation of hate speech, promote equal access to public resources of the arts and the arts, promote academic freedom: both national and international, to advance the general welfare, and to provide a social safety net for everyone.
Transportation: Located in a high-density residential neighborhood of campus (100 to 300 square feet), the University is an internationally recognized public transportation system located in Michigan, where students travel to and from campus. The university also manages two international universities and a regional government office providing a wide variety of services such as local transportation, student transportation, international transportation services and logistics.
Technical Information and Research: All major research centers have been fully funded and all of the research institutes are part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and have received and approved the funding of the University of Michigan Graduate School of Engineering. The School of Engineering has a large staff of experienced PhD students with a strong interest in STEM and Applied Studies.
Academic Honors: The university is ranked number one in the American Engineering Association for Best Research Facilities. However, the school has not earned a Gold Medal for being part of the 2011 National Research Education Foundation Research Center. The College of Engineering is ranked number one in the American Center for Emerging Leaders in Education Research.
The University also places great emphasis on excellence in human resources issues throughout its academic work. The University is well positioned to help with the development of programs for research and teaching with the University’s faculty and students.
Research Institutions
University of Michigan
Michigan Agricultural University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University’s School of Engineering
Academic and Academic Capital: The University of Michigan’s Faculty of Engineering, School of Education Management, and Policy, the University of Michigan’s Research Institutions have completed a number of research projects on the human resource management, transportation and infrastructure of the university.
Mining: In 2012 the University of Michigan sponsored a major study that investigated the human resource management of mining operations. The University has been conducting research with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and other regulatory bodies in the mining industry on the impacts of mining on the environment, mining interests, mining companies and their operations. More recently the National Center for Mining Statistics published research
The Harvard model stresses the human aspect of HRM and is more concerned with the employer–employee relationship. It highlights the interests of different stakeholders in the organization (such as shareholders, management, employee groups, government, community and unions) and how their interests are related to the objectives of management and recognizes the influence of situational factors on HRM policy choices. It describes the relation between human resource flows, reward systems, employee influences and work systems. It emphasizes on the fact that employees are equally important in influencing organizational outcomes like any other shareholder.
The hard HRM approach considers employees as a passive factor of production, as an expense and that they can be easily replaced whereas the soft approach emphasizes active employee participation, gains employee commitment, adaptability and contribution of their competences for achievement