Summary and Further Reading

Summary

HRM has evolved from a number of different strands of thought and is best described as a loose philosophy of people management rather than a focused methodology. It is a topic which continues to attract debate and disagreement. As a consequence, practitioners and textbooks use a diverse and sometimes contradictory range of interpretations. We found that HRM has a variety of definitions but there is general agreement that it has a closer fit with business strategy than previous models, specifically personnel management. The early models of HRM take either a 'soft' or a 'hard' approach, but economic circumstances are more likely to drive the choice than any question of humanitarianism. We concluded with ten key principles which determine the coherence and effectiveness of the HRM approach to people management.

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Further reading

Management and Organisational Behaviour by Laurie Mullins   This market leading text guides students to a thorough understanding of organisational behaviour and relates this to effective management practice. It is an invaluable resource, which provides a clear and insightful introduction to management studies and acts as a comprehensive point of reference thereafter.Reasons to choose Mullins"Mullins is distinctive because it covers not just organisational behaviour but management as well. It combines a great breadth of coverage with an accessible writing style and attractive layout and design. More information and prices from: Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Organizational Behaviour: an Introductory Text by Andrzej Huczynski and David Buchanan.   It provides concepts, theories, models and frameworks to help understand behaviour in organizations. Readers are encouraged to challenge current thinking critically in relation to their own ideas and experience, exploring alternative perspectives. Throughout, the text emphasizes how organizational behaviour ideas and methods apply in practice. More information and prices from: Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Gemba Kaizen: A Commonsense, Low-Cost Approach to Management by Masaaki Imai   When it comes to making your business more profitable and successful, don't look to re-engineering for answers. A better way is to apply the concept of kaizen, which mean making simple, common-sense improvements and refinements to critical business processes.The result: greater productivity, quality, and profits achieved with minimal cost, time, and effort invested. In this book, you discover how to maximize the results of kaizen by applying it to gemba--business processes involved in the manufacture of products and the rendering of services--the areas of your business where, as the author puts it, the "real action" takes place.   More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros

The Working Life: The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work by Joanne B. Ciulla   Joanne B. Ciulla, a noted scholar in Leadership and Ethics, examines why so many people today have let their jobs take over their lives. Technology was supposed to free us from work, but instead we work longer hours-often tethered to the office at home by cell phones and e-mail. People still look to work for self-fulfillment, community, and identity, but these things may be increasingly difficult to find in today's workplace. Gone is the social contract where employees and employers shared a sense of mutual loyalty, yet many of us still sacrifice personal time for jobs that we could lose at the drop of a stock price. Tracing the evolution of the meaning of work from Aesop to Dilbert, and critically examining the past 100 years of management practices, Ciulla asks questions that we often willfully ignore at our own peril.   More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Toxic Emotions at Work by Peter J. Frost   Frost argues that managers must work to institutionalize compassion if they want to avoid the debilitating effects of pain on performance. He illustrates how managers can recognize and support toxin handlers, what they must learn from these individuals in order to take on the critical role of emotional management themselves.   More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Human Resource Management in the Knowledge Economy: New Challenges, New Roles, New Capabilities by Mark L. Lengnick-Hall, Cynthia A. Lengnick-Hall   This book demonstrates that for businesses to thrive in today’s economy, human resource managers must take on four new roles: human capital steward, knowledge facilitator, relationship builder, and rapid deployment specialist. Each role is discussed in detail using examples from leading businesses.   More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros Human Resource Management in Construction Projects: Strategic and Operational Approaches by Martin Loosemore, Andrew Dainty, Helen Lingard   Although construction is one of the most labour-intensive industries, people management issues are given inadequate attention. Furthermore, the focus of attention with regards to HR has been on the strategic aspects of HRM function - yet most problems and operational issues arise on projects. To help redress these problems, this book takes a broad view of HRM, examining the strategic and operational aspects of managing people within the construction sector.   More information and prices from: Amazon.com - US dollars Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars Amazon.co.uk - British pounds Amazon.de - Euros Amazon.fr - Euros More human resource books