Study: Human Resource Management, Is that Really Gaining Momentum?

In the past, Human Resource Management is considered as “pragmatic” and “procedure-based” rather than innovative practice. In order to measure the degree of movement from one approach to other various variables are used in the research.

Various dimensions like beliefs and assumptions, strategic aspects, line management, key levers are considered. But the problems with this are that at some point the some features will be given more importance when compared to other. The second is that to arrive at one particular decision so that it gives a proper direction to the work force some of them had to be included and few had to be excluded.

The first dimension was beliefs and assumptions that are norms followed in the organization which in turn results in effective performance. They serve as a guide to the needs. HRM seems to be working well in unionized establishments rather than non-union ones. Most of the organizations seemed to implement dual approaches.

The second dimension was strategic aspects. Earlier there were cases where it failed to show the evidence of strategic integration with the corporate plan. But some opportunistic organizations found relatively easy to implement new initiatives.

The third part was line management. Business managers and line managers are key players on employment issues. Studies revealed the evidence of these managers devising, deriving and delivering new initiatives. This shows that HRM was been taken into consideration regarding the employment issues and was being implemented.

The next dimension was key levers. There were mixed responses. Few of the aspects showed slow progress and where as performance related pay had scored high. More than the lack of the close association between financial performance and number HR initiatives there was even more less association between employee trust, commitment and satisfaction in the organizations. In fact the emphasis was more on direct 

communication to the workforce and increase in this flow of communication.

The other study was the observation and analysis of the interplay between individualism and collectivism. The findings are that though HRM was not given much importance and taken into consideration there was definitely interesting attempts of dealing with employees in new ways. There was definitely change of nature and it can be observed. On the other hand, the extent of bringing new ways had also been limited. But most of the companies had begun to take a strategic view of human resource management. So, definitely yes HRM is catching on.