Perencanaan dan
pengembangan
manajemen
Evaluasi pekerjaan Analisis pekerjaan
The continuous and dynamic competition in the global business arena has been very
stiff and complex. In this regard, the organization must be able to utilize a strategy and
management system that will enhance the performance of the business so as to
outgrow its rivals (Pearce & Robinson 2000; Thompson & Strickland 2003). One of the
contemporary management concerns in the business world today is the concept of a
good manager. What makes a good and functional manager?
The job of every manager involves all the elements of what is known as the functions of
management: planning, organizing, directing/leading, coordinating and controlling (Matt
hews and Scott 1995; Witzel 2003; Roney 2004). These functions are goal-directed,
interrelated and interdependent with each other. They also are viewed as being critical
and universal for all levels of managers, from supervisor to CEO in all types of
organizations – business, government, educational, charitable, etc. – of any size. This is
usually called the universality of management. The basic process of management is the
same, even though the context within which it is practiced is very different from
management level to management level and from organization to organization
(Alvesson 2002). A good manager is not based on an honorary and academic
achievement. Instead, a good manager is a person who possesses the ability to do the
job effectively and efficiently at the most possible, fastest, and best way.
In relation to McCain as a HR Manager, she views her role seriously but she is
forgetting one of the most crucial factors in the management function – the external
condition(s) or macro-environment of the workplace. It is given that McCain is focused
on the HR function within the vicinity of the working environment. She is very much
dedicated in doing her prescribed duties and responsibilities as the HR Manager. From
selection to recruitment, performance appraisal to training, and labour relations,
McCain’s ability is undisputable. Guided with the conceptual principles of HR function,
she implements them the way a knowledgeable and competent manager performs. She
also recognized the need for the HR in expanding its coverage especially in relation to
the realities and emerging trends of the retail business. The pressure of having a cost-
efficient expansion is a prime concern. Given the ability to predict up-and-coming
situations make her even more proficient. But then again, she is neglecting the external
factor(s) or macro-environment affecting the HR conditions such as the competitors’ HR
functions, employee attributes, new methodologies, and technological advances
growing in the market.
Basing it from the long operations and the rundown of economic activity presented, the
Harrison Brothers Corporation overall business strategy is based on the Industrial
Organization Approach. The said approach is characterized by the economic theory that
deals with the concepts of resource allocation, competitive advantage and rivalry, and
economies of scale (Buckley and Mitchie 1996, p. 222). It assumes that rationality, self-
discipline behaviour, and profit maximization are core attributes. As shown with the
decentralized form of corporate governance and small corporate office, the
management is focused in achieving its goal to become the leading chain of department
stores in the area. But with the changing trends of the business, Mr. Harrison decided to
shift into the other approach of business management – the Sociological Approach. This
approach tackles primarily on human interactions and assumes that through bordered
rationality, rewarding behaviour, and profit sub-optimality, the business will succeed
(Foss 1999, p. 3).
Because of the predicted trends that might occur in the line of business, Harrison
decided to focus on the customer and human resources. He wanted ‘well trained, highly
motivated sales staff and management team’ to be involved in the business. The
foreseen trends brought out changes to the ‘same old things’, transforming it into
strategic management with five strategic goals. This strategic management technique
implemented by Harrison can be considered as a collaborative process. Aside from the
attempt to change the business strategy, functional strategies like the ones present in
marketing, new product development, financial, and legal aspects are refocused. Most
importantly, he gives particular attention to the human resources strategies.
Given that the hierarchy within the organization is decentralised and traditional, it is
presumed that the structure and staffing is similar to the existing structure. The structure
and staffing of HR is the standard HR function –from recruitment to selection to
interview/exam until eventual employment. Other HR functions like training,
performance appraisal, reward and punishment, and labour relations are sufficiently
tackled. As stated earlier, it is only bounded within the micro-environment and internal
conditions of the company.
In reference to the result of the survey conducted among the HR Manager and Store
Managers, there is a surprising reality that was discovered. There is a significant
difference in the perceptions of the both managers towards the importance of HR
responsibilities. In staffing and safety, the HR and Store Managers are similar in
response. Training, Performance Management and Compensation are quite the same.
Surprisingly, Knowledge of Business and Managing Change are less important
according to the HR Managers as to compare with the Store Managers.
The implications of such result are the fact that there are no unified and common
perceptions of the role and importance of human labour force. There is an urgent need
to redirect both Managers to a common view of HR or even objective of the company.
The difference in the understanding of the role of HR in the organization affects the
business performance. In the era of globalisation (Kim & Weaver 2000, p. 121; Ohmae
1990; Naisbitt & Aburdene 1990), every organization like Harrison must keep itself
along with all the other organisations on being competitive not only to their business
operations but also to their workforce. A workforce must work as one large yet unified
team. The diversity of beliefs in HR responsibilities is a potential source of conflict within
the organization and among its people. Communication is also affected. The overall
state of working relationship within the industry is risky given the fact that there are
misconceptions in HR. other repercussions of this phenomenon are the possibilities of
HR difficulties, employee trust, trade union issues, failure in plans, poor coordination,
shaky chain of command, and other that might create spill-over effects to the overall
welfare and being of the company. Therefore, the HR Managers and Store Managers
must have sole corporate vision aside from the stated in the business. Team building
activities and team effort must be built among them. Besides, the company and its
people are working into identified overall goals – increase profits, improved services,
and market stability or competitive advantage.
Evaluation
The Harrison Brother is long established and there is no doubt that the company is able
to cope up with the trends of the changing business environment. The need to develop
its HR into strategic HRM is potent. The traditional approaches in the area of
specialisation might be reviewed and probed if it is still effective in the current times.
With the fact that every aspect of the business change, it is also same as true to the
company environment. The Harrison Brothers Corp. possesses the capacity to achieve
its strategic goals with the right choice of people to work out such. However, there are
some predictable problems that might occur in the process. The management change
will create an overwhelming feeling to the employees affected. There is a significant
requirement to inform them beforehand that a change is to be implemented. Modern
technological advancement is also a relevant consideration. The dynamic business
environment is also couple with the rapid development of systems and equipment that
makes the manual work easier yet efficient and better. Before the management decide
to allocate funds in the acquisition of technology for the company, further research is to
be done. With the given size and strategic goal of the business, Harrison Brothers is
ready to improve its major HR functions.
The HRM function plays a great role in the execution of company’s goal (Hornsby and
Kuratsko 2005). Improving the HR functions of the company is a gargantuan challenge
to the HR Manager with the given supervision of the upper management. There are
three main HRM functions: attracting a quality workforce, developing a quality
workforce, and maintaining a quality workforce (Schermerhorn 2001). The HR functions
of Harrison can be improved by shifting the traditional HR into contemporary and
strategic HRM. Strategic HRM is synonymous with the “traditional” HRM (Sims 2002).
Strategic human resources management is defined as “the linking of HRM with strategic
goals and objectives in order to improve business performance and develop
organizational cultures that foster innovation and flexibility (Truss and Gratton 1994, p.
663). It is also “the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities
intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals” (Wright and McMahan 1992, p.
292). SHRM means accommodating the HRM job as a strategic collaborator in the
formulation of the organization’s strategies and the performance of those strategies
through HRM activities such as recruiting, selecting, training, and rewarding personnel.
In the strategic version of HRM, the functional duties of a HR Manager remain
significant. Certainly hiring, training, and providing pay and benefits to employees are
essential tasks that must be accomplished in any organization. However, a lot of
organizations began to significantly switch their people-managing policies and
systematize them in new directions (Budhwar & Debrah 2001, p. 9). In general, SHRM
will help in the improvement of the organisation performance.
With this new-fangled view of SHRM, HRM personnel must work with other top
managers to devise company strategy as well as implement it. In serving in their role as
strategic partners, HRM personnel must recognize the actions they must take to
associate HRM planning to the organization’s strategic plans. This understanding must
also include an appreciation of the challenges and pitfalls of SHRM planning. Further,
there is an increased requirement for managers and HRM personnel to assess the
effectiveness of the HRM function and its function in serving the organization in
accomplishing its strategic objectives. This evaluation usually focuses on specific HRM
practices and the more current importance on bundles of so-called HRM finest
practices.
Making the change to SHRM from traditional HRM is a protracted and
multifaceted procedure. It is essential for both senior managers and HRM personnel to
subject the benefits of the process of transforming SHRM. Importantly, the evaluation of
the effectiveness of a particular HRM practice must continually scrutinize the concern of
whether SHRM really provides benefits for all the effort that goes into the organization.
It is vital to reemphasize the value of the partnership between the HRM department and
managers at all levels.