What is Human Resource Management
A distinctive approach to employment mgmt. 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
Name some of the activities involved in HRM
What is involved in HRM?
Explain the Matching Model of hard HRM
The Matching Model – Hard HRM
Hard HRM: Deployment of human resources to meet business objectives
Two assumptions underpin this model:

Explain the Harvard Model of soft HRM
The Harvard Model of HRM – “Soft HRM”
Aimed at enhancing the commitment, quality and flexibility of employees
Stakeholder interests and situational factors impact HRM policy choices
Strategic Integration
High Commitment
High Quality
Flexibility
This assumes that it is possible to balance the strategic integration associated with ‘hard’ HRM with the ‘softer’ elements of high commitment practices.

What is an example of soft HRM
An example of soft HRM is the Starbucks College Achievement Plan
They pay for their employees’ (known as “partners”) tuition fees
Adds value to their employees, so that they can be promoted e.g. to head offices
Name the different strategic HRM perspectives
Best-fit
Resource-based view
Best-practice
NB in practice it is extremely rare to use just one of these first two perspectives, and instead all need to be considered when developing an HR strategy:
Where in the lifecycle are you?
What is your competitive strategy?
What is your core competency?
What rare qualities do you have in your people? etc. etc.
What is corporate strategy? Give examples
Corporate strategy:
Examples of corporate strategies include:
Concentration
Diversification
Vertical integration
Consolidation
What is competitive strategy? Give examples
Competitive strategy
Determines the advantages that enable a company to differentiate its product or service from those of competitors
Examples of competitive strategies include:
Cost leadership
Differentiation
Focus on niche markets
What is functional strategy?
Functional strategy
Identifies the basic course of action that each department will pursue in order to help the business achieve its competitive goals
Draw and explain the lifecycle model of strategic HRM
Lifecycle model:
Business and product lifecycle models can be linked to the selection and management of appropriate HR policies:
Start-up phase
Growth stage
Maturity stage
Decline stage

What is strategic HRM?
Best fit models of SHRM focus on alignment between HRM, business strategy and the external context of the firm.
Draw and explain the competitive strategy of HRM
They defined HR policies and practices to ‘fit’ the generic strategies of cost reduction, quality enhancement and innovation
They argued that business performance will improve when HR practices mutually reinforce the organisation’s choice of competitive strategy.

Explain how the following roles are affected in the different competitive strategies of SHRM.
Creativity, focus horizon, teamwork, quantity, quality and risk taking

Explain the resource based view of SHRM. What is the VRIO framework?
The resource-based view of SHRM explores the ways in which an organisation’s human resources can provide sustainable competitive advantage
This is best explained by the VRIO framework, used to assess how much of a competitive advantage a firm has
Explain each of the different parts of the VRIO framework
Value
Rarity
EXAMPLE: NORDSTROM
Inimitability: if firms can imitate then these advantages are lost over time
EXAMPLE: Southwest airlines
Organisational compatibility
Why are resources hard to imitate?
What are the different competitive advantage classifications associated with the VRIO framework?

Explain the core competency model of SHRM, give an example
Core Competency
A bundle of skills and technologies that enable a company to provide particular benefits to customers
EXAMPLE: Dynamatics Technologies
started in gear pumps, high precision
core competency allowed them to move into aerospace components
Explain the different aspects of best practice HRM
Best practice HRM: functional activities and strategic plans that result in enhanced organisational performance
Employment security
Sophisticated/selective hiring
Extensive training
Sharing information/employee involvement
Self-managed teams/team working/ decentralisation
Reduction of status differentials
High pay contingent on organisational performance

What is the workforce? What is it made up of?
The workforce is drawn from the segment of the population of working age
This ranges from 16 up to state retirement age

What is the talent paradox
The current talent paradox is that,
In other words, a surplus of jobseekers doesn’t mean that talent is available where and when it is needed

What are the different ways of assessing job quality?
The quality of jobs on offer in the labour market varies
Traditionally, economists have used PAY as the measure of job quality
Social scientists have stressed the level of skill as a key measure
Ultimately, it gives them more control over their effort
Show graphically how HR planning relates to strategy

What are the different stages in the recruitment process
ESTABLISH THE NEED
IDENTIFY THE REQUIREMENT
ATTRACT CANDIDATES
IDENTIFY THE “BEST” CANDIDATE
EVALUATE THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
