Strategic Human Resources Management - Essay Example

Meanwhile, Paauwe and Boon pointed to the human resource of companies as an important entity that could be used to respond to the competition that companies faced among themselves and within the larger industries in which they compete (41). This is because the human resource comprises the individuals who make up the workforce of the company and thus serve as the engine of productivity (Merkle 33). But for companies to make the most out of their human resource, they must manage their human resource very effectively. It is against this backdrop that human resource management remains such an important issue for both academic and professional discourse when discussing the growth of companies in the global business market (Dawson 120).

Klerck explained human resource management as the function within the organization which is instituted to maximize employee performance through administrative processes such as recruitment and firing, remuneration, benefits, training, and career management (176). Ross argued that due to the complexity and competitive nature of today’s global business climate, human resource management alone remains only trivial in serving the needs of companies (111). Based on this, a more proactive approach to human resource management through strategic human resource management has been recommended by many in the field of human resources (Ulrich 80). Kanigel defined strategic human resources management as proactive management of people (54). This means that it is in place to help the company meet its goals by strategically promoting the needs of employees this paper, the issue of strategic human resources management is given a closer overview by looking at the current social and political contexts of the concept. Again, five major theories of organization tidally reviewed to understand how they relate to organizational management in today’s business context, and more specifically the effect they have on human resources management. Lastly, the paper will outline the different roles that ought to be played by agencies and entities in the organization such as training departments, recruitment managers, career managers, and social relations in making the all-important concept of strategic human resources management very successful.

There have been major social and political changes to human resources management which set the ground ready for the birth of strategic human resources development.  Referring to the social and political changes to human resource management, Baumol indicated that the changes generally constitute a shift towards new paradigms in human resources (43).