Strategic human resource management,human capital and competitive advantage: is the field going in circles?

The resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm has been consistently used as a backdrop in strategic human resource management (SHRM) research and has the potential to bridge the ‘micro–macro’ divide. The tension between the SHRM and the strategic human capital literature, however, signifies that RBV has not reached its potential. In this paper, we begin with a brief review of the conceptual logic linking human resource management (HRM) practices and firm outcomes that aim at highlighting the different treatment of RBV in the SHRM and strategic human capital literatures. We then propose a conceptual model that suggests that HRM practices are not simple levers that enable firms to create sustainable competitive advantage, as most of the strategic human capital research postulates. On the contrary, we argue that HRM practices can contribute to a firm's sustainable competitive advantage not only by enhancing employees' ability, and offering motivation and opportunities, but also by shaping supply‐side and demand‐side mobility constraints.     

The RBV theory foundation of strategic HRM: critical flaws,problems for research and practice,and an alternative economics paradigm

The resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm is a guiding paradigm for strategic HRM research. This article explores the RBV–strategic HRM intersection, identifies and critiques RBV weaknesses and problem areas, develops new implications for RBV–strategic HRM theory and empirical work, and develops an alternative economics‐based decision model for making HRM choices. The article focuses on four RBV–strategic HRM dimensions: HRM performance and the ‘no rules for riches’ proposition; alternative definitions of value and competitive advantage and implications for strategic HRM's dependent variable; neglect of marginal decision rules and consequent misprediction of optimal HRM adoption; and the impact on employee relations of RBV‐guided rent‐capture practices. Numerous implications for theory and practice are developed; also suggested is a new paradigm approach for strategic HRM theory.     

Purchasing's strategic relevance

Recently Ramsay (Eur. J. Purchasing Supply Manage. 7 (4) (2001) 257) applied the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) to argue that purchasing is a largely irrelevant activity from a strategic management point of view. In this paper it is argued to the contrary since there is a wider theoretical base underlying strategic management, more recent developments in the RBV suggest that purchasing is indeed a strategic activity, and much empirical evidence demonstrates that purchasing and supply management contribute to sustainable competitive advantage. A systematic set of criteria is then put forward, which helps purchasing management researchers to assess whether studied phenomena have strategic impact.     

A case for resource‐based view and competitive advantage in banking

This paper discusses the importance of the strategic planning process and presents a case study on JPMorgan Chase and how the resource‐based view (RBV) was used to align their resources with the overall strategy of the organization in achieving their goal of becoming the top nationally ranked commercial bank in the Unites States. This required JPMorgan Chase to implement strategic changes to their internal and external environment utilizing their resources and competencies. The objective of this paper is to provide a theoretical and practical insight of RBV on the “what happened” aspect of JPMorgan Chase and then discuss their ability to achieve and maintain competitive advantage.     

中国石油企业战略人力资源管理探究

中国石油企业加强战略人力资源管理对企业持续有效发展起着至关重要的作用。从战略人力资源管理的含义入手,结合石油企业当前人力资源管理现状,分析中国石油企业战略人力资源管理存在的问题,提出当前中国石油企业战略人力资源管理对策。     

An integrative framework of strategic international human resource management

The globalization of business is making it more important than ever to understand how multinational enterprises (MNEs) can operate more effectively. A major component of this understanding appears to be the field of human resource management and, in particular, the field of international human resource management (Brewster, 1991; Hendry, 1992; Desatnick and Bennett, 1978; Dowling, 1986; Dowling and Schuler, 1990; Evans, 1986; Evans, 1989; Laurent, 1986; Tung, 1984). The trend over the past few years has been to identify the linkage of human resource management with strategy and offer an understanding of how single country or domestic human resource management can facilitate organizational understanding and effectiveness (Wright and McMahan, 1992). In this article we attempt to extend this line of work into the international arena. We do this by offering a framework of strategic international human resource management (SIHRM). Anchoring SIHRM in the strategic components of MNEs, namely their interunit linkages and internal operations, strategic aspects of international human resource management are described. Using several theoretical bases, numerous propositions are offered. These propositions reflect the single and multiple influence of the strategic components of MNEs and several exogenous and endogenous factors on SIHRM. The intention is to offer a framework that can serve both academics and practitioners in furthering our understanding of strategic international human resource management.     

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WITHIN A RESOURCE-CAPABILITY VIEW OF THE FIRM*

This paper takes a critical look at the field of strategic human resource management and in particular the debate about the strategic value of the human resource. We identify the contribution as well as the problematic nature of the situational-contingency perspective. Drawing from the strategic management literature and the concept of resource heterogeneity, we then posit a resource-capability view of the firm and argue that the mutually reinforcing interaction between the stock of knowledge, skills and expertise (resources) and the organizational routines and human resource policies and practices (capabilities) generates human resource competencies whose strategic value is realizable to the extent that they are linked with core competencies. We thus offer a reconceptualization of human resource competencies which goes beyond existing trait, behavioural and systems approaches. Finally, we identify the circumstances surrounding the generation and distribution of rents arising from the utilization of human resource competencies by drawing from transaction cost theory and industrial relations.     

企业获取竞争优势的新思路——人力资源链式管理

作为企业战略资源的人力资源在企业获取竞争优势的过程中占有越来越重要的地位,传统的人力资源管理模式亟待创新。文中基于价值链理论提出了人力资源链式管理的概念,并对人力资源链和人力资源链式管理的内涵作了阐述。同时对人力资源链式管理的实施、控制和评价作了相关介绍,使企业能在寻求竞争优势时获得新思路。     

我国企业人力资源管理的认知度研究

随着进入21世纪,知识已成为生产力、竞争力和经济成就的关键因素.在知识社会,战略性资源则为人力资源.战略人力资源管理是企业获得可持续竞争优势的途径.本论文用实证方式对32家国内企业(国有、民营、外/合资三类)的人力资源经理和一线经理进行了问卷调查,考察在中国政治、经济、文化背景下,人力资源管理作为战略性定位的重要性及有效性,探索人力资源管理现状的不足及发展方向.中国本土企业的人力资源管理实践相对不太成熟.这一状况从根本上制约着本土企业竞争力的提高.为获得可持续竞争优势,中国本土企业应着力提高人力资源管理系统的完整性、科学性及可操作性.     

How Does Executive Strategic Human Resource Management Link to Organizational Ambidexterity? An Empirical Examination of Manufacturing Firms in China

Despite a plethora of studies that demonstrate the positive impact of strategic human resource management on firm performance, existing knowledge of the processes through which such gains can be achieved remains limited. This study aims to extend our knowledge by investigating the mechanism through which a teamwork‐oriented executive strategic human resource management system impacts organizational ambidexterity. Specifically, by integrating the resource‐based view and information‐processing theory, we examine the mediating role of top management team effectiveness and the moderating role of knowledge–sharing intensity from middle managers to top management teams. Drawing on a multiple‐source and multiple‐respondent survey from 144 manufacturing firms in China, we show that top management team effectiveness partially mediates the effect of the executive strategic human resource management system on organizational ambidexterity. Moreover, knowledge‐sharing intensity from middle managers to top management teams strengthens the effect of the executive strategic human resource management system on organizational ambidexterity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effectiveness of a corporate HR department in an Australian public-sector entity during commercialization and corporatization

This study examines the effectiveness of the strategic human resource management (HRM) function performed by the corporate human resource department of an Australian public-sector entity, before and after its corporatization. Multiple methods (including a survey of senior managers and semi-structured interviews) were used to collect the data. Despite an improvement in the overall level of strategic integration between HRM and strategic management, the rating of strategic HRM role effectiveness remained low. The results indicate that the strategic HRM function, as a corporate headquarters function, was more effective in its administrative role than in a value-adding function. The difficulty in balancing the dual roles of a corporate headquarter unit, together with the challenges of becoming a strategic business partner to line managers, provided the major impediments to effective strategic HRM.     

企业战略人力资源管理体系实施策略研究

战略人力资源管理是知识经济时代的一个重要研究领域,对它的研究具有深刻的理论及实践意义。本文分析了战略人力资源管理内涵,重点探讨了战略人力资源管理体系的实施策略。     

浅议中外人力资源管理的比较

一个高效的战略性人力资源管理体系的构建,有助于我国人力资本的扩展,有利于发挥我国的人力资源优势,有利于使我国在国际竞争中获取持续的竞争优势。做好战略性人力资源的管理,尤其是人才资源的管理,发挥人才资源在社会进步和经济发展中的基础性、战略性和决定性的作用,对于应对经济全球化的挑战和把握机遇,推动我国经济和社会的可持续发展,具有极其重要的指导意义。     

浅论战略人力资源管理的价值原理

企业在发展过程中,人力资源发挥着重要的作用。为此,熟悉了解战略人力资源管理对组织价值创造的贡献原理,在一定程度上有利于组织开展人力资源管理工作。通过获取和保持恰当的人力资源,使之与人力资源管理战略相互匹配,进一步对战略人力资源进行管理,通过激发员工潜能,进而为企业组织创造价值。     

Aligning strategic human resource management and person–environment fit

Strategic human resource management addresses the need to create vertical linkages of human resource management (HRM) attributes with corporate strategy as well as horizontal linkages that integrate practices among HRM functions. Most models commonly focus on either vertical or horizontal linkages. This paper utilizes three categories of person–environment fit to create both vertical and horizontal linkages. Based on a strategic contingency framework, it demonstrates how person–environment fit relates to organizational competencies that supports corporate strategy. Furthermore, it demonstrates how person–environment fit can be used to promote internal alignment of HRM practices. Implications of this approach to strategic human resource management are then discussed.     

Does management development improve organizational productivity? A six-country analysis of European firms

Management development (MD) is widely regarded as a key element in a strategic approach to human resource management, yet there is still little empirical evidence that it actually contributes significantly to superior firm performance. In a study of 179 European firms across six countries, organization size explained some variance in productivity. However, the degree of variance explained is considerably enhanced when variables are introduced which capture the way MD is conceived and implemented. Specifically, line manager perceptions of the importance given to MD distinguish high- from low-performing companies when measured against an objective measure of firm productivity derived from a financial database.     

论人力资源管理中的“战略性激励”

社会变革、经济发展、人类进步,要求社会组织,特别是企业经营与管理与之相呼应,不断创新。传统人事型管理仅着眼于劳资关系、过多关注于薪酬的做法,已经很难适应新形势的要求,而被战略性的、全面系统的、以人本思想为指导的现代"人力资源管理"(HRM)所代替,关注人的潜能的发挥,把个人的发展与企业未来发展相联系。现代企业人力资源管理的核心理念可以用"战略性激励"来表达,相对于传统人事管理,现代人力资源管理的根本特性总的来说是具有"战略性";相对于企业其他方面的管理,现代人力资源管理是以激励为核心的。     

Human Resource Systems and Ethical Climates: A Resource‐Based Perspective

We know very little about how ethical climates are built and the potential role of a firm's HR system in facilitating the development of this resource. The resource‐based view (RBV) of the firm suggests that human resource systems directly influence a firm's performance through the development of resources that are deeply woven in a firm's history and culture. How this occurs though has not been thoroughly considered in the research literature. Drawing on the theoretical insights from the resource‐based view of the firm, this article explores how HR systems can foster the development and maintenance of five types of ethical climates. In so doing, this article improves our conceptual understanding of why ethical climates may be seen as having strategic value for firms and how HR systems may influence that value. In addition, it contributes to theory by extending the domain of the resource‐based view of the firm by exploring its integration with the varied types of ethical climates. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Human resource management,strategic involvement and e-HRM technology

Associated with the emergence of internet-based human resource management technology is rhetoric predicting that such technological advances (electronic human resource management technology or e-HRM) will make HRM in organizations more strategic. Yet such a prediction is contested in the literature on the role of technology in organizations. Using a large survey data-set consisting of 5665 companies that are located in 32 different countries, we use non-recursive simultaneous equation models with instrumental variables to empirically evaluate competing theoretical perspectives in this literature. We find and show that strategic HR involvement and greater e-HRM capability are both directly and reciprocally related supporting both theoretical perspectives but also showing each is not mutually exclusive. We discuss the implication of these results for human resource management theory, practice and future research.     

五大修炼成就优秀人力资源管理者

人力资源管理作为现代企业管理的核心和战略职能,越来越受到的企业管理者重视。要想较好地完成企业赋予的使命和责任,真正发挥人力资源管理在企业管理中的作用,为企业锻造一个卓越的员工团队,确保企业战略规划的有效实施和战略目标的根本实现,需要优秀的人力资源管理者作为支撑。文章从发展战略高度和实际需求出发,阐述了成为企业优秀人力资源管理者需要做好的五大修行练志,并提出了具体做法。