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Course INDU1109: Working in HRM Course School/Level BU/UGCoursework Essay Assessment Weight 50.00%Tutor N Wergin, P Graham Submission Deadline 11/01/2010

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000532454       Matilda Akinyemi

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ESSAY TITLE: Human Resource Management has been

the subject of much debate. How would you attempt to

define and explain its underlying principles?

NAME: MATILDA C. AKINYEMI

STUDENT NO: 000532454

TUTOR: NIELS-ERIK WERGIN

NUMBER OF WORDS: 1000

INTRODUCTION:

Storey (1995) defined Human Resource Management as a

‘distinctive approach to employment management’, one

which ‘seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the

strategic deployment of a highly committed and capable

workforce, using an integrated array of cultural, structural

and personnel techniques.’ Guest (1987) argued that there

is still no coherent theoretical foundation for classifying

Human Resource Management Policy and Practice. A

problem which becomes more apparent when applied to

empirical research. The concept of ‘Hard’ and ‘Soft’ Human

Resource Management contradict each other. The essay

will use the principles of Theory ‘X’ and Theory ‘Y’ to

reflect on the ‘Hard’ and ‘Soft’ Management styles, in the

evaluation of this debate. In conclusion, the essay will look

beyond Organisational performance criteria and apply a

broader approach that will recognise outcomes through

employee motivation and reward systems. The essay will

stress that improved performance is being achieved

through the involvement of people and the application of

human resourcing as part of the strategic planning of the

Organisation.

THE IMPLICATIONS OF MANAGERIAL BEHAVIOUR:

It is evident that Organisations behave differently according

to their perception of its workforce. The general

assumption is that management style depends mainly on

“Managers attitudes toward people and their assumptions

about human nature and behaviour”, hence the choice of

Theory X and Theory Y, as the two main factors of analysis.

Theory X classifies “the average worker as lazy with

inherent dislike to work and lacks ambition”, Mullins,

(2007). This supports the principles of Taylorism and

Fordism in their Scientific Management style. It also

stands for the “Hard” management and the traditional

approach which propagates the application of direct

control on the workforce. Morgan (1977), referred to this

as machine-like style of management. While Theory Y

demonstrates the “integration of individual and

organisational goals”. This means that people can enjoy

their work as much as they enjoy their free time. This is

the emerging standard as introduced by the Human

Resource Management. According to McGregor, Soft

Human Resource Management is in agreement with human

relations movement and proper use of people’s talents and

skills. Walton (1985) classified it to the concept of a “high

commitment to work system”. People can be committed

to their work rather than being controlled by sanctions and

pressures. According to Wood (1996) this style of

management demands a great deal of trust from both

sides. The emphasis therefore, is that both employees and

the organisations need to be recognized. People will be

given the opportunity to pursue self-fulfilment through the

provision of the systems that will encourage employee

development.

EMPOWERMENT OF EMPLOYEES:

It is very important to recognise the new managerial

revolution since the 1980s due to the big shift in market

behaviour. According Armstrong (1989), the present

Organisations are market-driven and management must be

market-oriented. The core factors therefore are centred

on: Customers, Profitability and Excellence. Peters (1988)

identified the two sustaining edges of excellence as

customer service and constant innovation. These he

pointed out, could only be built on ‘a bedrock of listening,

trust and respect for the dignity and the creative potential

of each person in the Organisation’. He also pointed out

that the overriding element that connects all these areas is

leadership. To be able to achieve all these, a very good

management style must be in process. Management

serves as the core of every Organisation. It should

recognise the workforce as an asset which should be built

upon by the Organisation. According to Bratton and Gold

(2003) in the emerging Human Resource Management

approach, employees should be empowered through job

satisfaction, job enrichment, flexibility (both functional and

numerical), Training and Development, and the Extrinsic

and Intrinsic Reward Systems. The application of these

factors will encourage the strategic integration of the

‘vertical and horizontal’ approaches in human resourcing

and gives the employees the opportunity for choices. The

essence of Human Resource Management brings together

the integration of both Hard and Soft Management into

action. The purpose is to link human resourcing with

business strategies. Human Resource Management aims to

bring into place the different areas of Organisational

behaviour such as competitiveness, effective customer

service delivery, profitability and stakeholders involvement.

The application of ‘Core Management’ incorporates all

aspects of Organisational activities including human

resourcing. Guest (1987) draws on both hard and soft

dimensions in approaching his theory of Human Resource

Management. He referred to ‘strategic integration’, as

hard model, and ‘commitment’, as soft model. He

acknowledged a difference between the concepts and

assumptions of Soft and Hard Human Resource

Management, but he avoided the distinction on the theory

building. While Storey (1992) acknowledged that the

incorporation of both elements in one theory remains

problematic since each rests on a different set of

assumptions in the two main areas of human nature and

managerial control strategies.

I share the same opinion with Storey’s view, because up till

now, Organisations still apply such management styles that

suit their market environment. Notwithstanding, most

Human Resource Practitioners have come to the realisation

of the linkage of successful outcomes to employee

empowerment. They have come to the understanding that

direct control is no longer attractive, and the application of

employee autonomy is becoming more productive.

CONCLUSION:

The essay used different theories to address dimensions of

human resourcing. It identified the position of Human

Resource theories and the reality from the practitioners

perspective. It emphasised on the importance of outcomes

since performance alone might not represent the interest

of all stakeholders. It recognised the shift from the

paradigm of using force and control by management to

employee involvement for increased Organisational

growth. These factors form the basis of the present debate

on Human Resource Management. This debate will be

ongoing debate which will serve as a ‘means’ to the

improvement of knowledge and advancement for future

management approach, especially in this era of advanced

technology. Academic research plays important role for

Organisational and People’s development in management.

Though there may be no agreed format to their application

but it will create choices for management styles.

References:

1. Boxall, P and Purcell, J. (2003) Strategy and Human

Resource Management. Palgrave MacMillan.

2. Bratton, J and Gold, J. (2003) Human Resource

Management, Theory and Practice, 3rd Edition. Palgrave

MacMillan

3. Guest, D (1987) ‘Human Resource Management and

Industrial Relations’. Journal of Management Studies,

24, 4, 429-52

4. Guest, D (1987) ‘Human Resource Management and

Industrial Relations’. Journal of Management Studies,

24, 4, 429-52

5. Guest, D (1987) ‘Human Resource Management and

Industrial Relations’. Journal of Management Studies,

24, 4, 429-52

6. Legge, K. (1995) Human Resource Management –

Rhetorics and Realities. Basingstoke: MacMillan.

7. Mullins, L.J. (2007) Management and Organisational

Behaviour, 8th Edition. Pearson Education Limited.

8. Peters, T. (1988) Thriving On Chaos: Handbook for a

Management Revolution. London: MacMillan.

9. Storey, J. (1992) Development In The Management of

Human Resources. Oxford: Blackwell.

10. Tyson, S and York, A. (2000) Essentials of Human

Resource Management, 4th Edition. Butterworth-

Heinemann Limited.

11. Wood, S. (1996) ‘The Four Pillars of Human Resource

Management’: Are They Connected? Journal of

Human Resource Management. 5, 5, 49-59.