Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Definition
Many of the elements of HRM model are drawn from organizational behaviour theories,
such as leadership and team building. It may be helpful to consider them in terms of two
dimensions. The first is a ‘soft-hard’ dimension, depending on whether the emphasis is
primarily on human resource with its softer connotations of McGregor’s theory Y and
utilization of individual talents or on management with its implications of strategy and
quantification. The second is a ‘loose-tight’ dimension, depending on whether the
definition is general or precise. At the loose’ end, HRM is simply a retitling of the
personnel department. As old wine in new bottles, this may serve the useful function of
giving a somewhat jaded personnel department a new and more contemporary image. At
the ‘hard’ end, HRM considers human resource as just another resource to be taken into
account in business decisions. It emphasizes strategic human resource management and
considers how human resources fit into and are utilized in the organization.
Welfare Management
Organization Culture
1900 Strategy objectives
1940 1980 Environment
HR Strategy
Training and
Development
Reward
Out put
management
Employee
relation
The theory is that polices of mutuality will elicit commitment which in turn will yield
both better economic performance and greater human development.
Similarities
1) Both the models emphasize the importance of integrating personnel/HRM
practices with organizational goals.
2) Both models rest personnel/HRM in line management.
3) Both models, in the majority of instances, emphasize the importance of
individuals fully developing their abilities for their own personal satisfaction and
to make their best contribution to organizational success.
Differences
1) The traditional concept of personnel management was based on a very narrow
view of human motivation. The basic assumption underlying that view was that
human beings are primarily motivated by comforts and salary, and necessary
attention may be given to rationalize these, so that people do not get dissatisfied.
The human resource management attaches more importance to people in the
organization. This is mainly because organization are realizing that human assets
are the most important assets they can have and their contribution to the
organization is much more than of any other resource being used. This emphasis
can partly be attributed also to the new emerging values of humanism and
humanization.
2) The management of people becomes a key, if not the key element in the strategic
planning of the business; and attempts are made to integrate polices both with one
anther and with business planning. By implication, a different time span is
involved; whereas personnel management might be said to deal with the short
term, HRM is concerned with the long term.
3) In most HRM models, top management is given prime responsibility for cultural
leadership. The purpose of culture is to provide employees with a commitment to
beliefs and values that are ‘large than ourselves’.
4) The role of line management is given a different emphasis in HR M: much greater
stress is placed on the line managers’ responsibility of co-ordinating and directing
all resources to generate commitment and enthuse subordinates to innovate. In
another words, HRM is too important for corporate success to be left to HR
specialists.
5) HRM emphasizes in theory, the importance of individual man growth and
developing the management ‘team’.
Conclusion
These five differences suggest that HRM is a proactive central strategic management
activity which is different from conventional personnel management with its implied
passive connotations. However, what may be of more significance is not the message,
but the messenger: that ‘human resource management by chief executives’. It is
legitimate to define HRM as a particular approach to the management of the
employment relationship with a distinctive set of HR polices and practices designed
to produce specific outcomes: to secure the greater commitment of employees and
promote synergy in order to increase organizational effectiveness.
WHAT IS HRD?
As a manager, one is constantly called upon to solve problems and for some of
them HRD can be an appropriate response. Using HRD effectively can make the job
easier and contribute to success. This does not require that one knows enough about it to
be able to make the necessary managerial decisions.
You will benefit by involving your HRD people during the strategic planning
process, because they can begin to plan for the HRD programmes that will help you reach
your strategic goals. Engaging in the process may mean that your people will need to
learn skills in working together in small groups in identifying problems and opportunities
and in featuring.
There are several ways HRD can help in a changing environment and one of them
is to keep your work force in a constant state of learning readiness. Through HRD you
can help your people learn how to deal with the stress, strain and anxiety that come with
any change, There are several techniques which are helpful, both before and during a
transition.
Some managers consider HRD to be “the kiss of death”. Being assigned as the
HRD manager may be construed as being shunted off to one side or to a position that
nobody really wants. But, given the increased concern about human resources, being
assigned to any human resource function can be an important part of a manager’s career
path
This can also be asked another way; what will it cost me if I do not provide HRD?
Your employees learn, but they may be learning the wrong things. By providing
organized learning programmes, you can reduce cost, improve quality, and provide the
work force you need.