The HR competency requirements for strategic and functional HR practitioners

HR competency research has predominantly focused on identifying generic HR competencies for HR practitioners using a universalist approach. This approach has led to the distinction between strategic and functional HR competencies, and a belief that the former is superior to the latter for successful performance in the HR domain. However, little attention has been paid to the interrelationships between strategic and functional HR competency dimensions, and their perceived relevance to strategic and functional HR roles. Drawing on a situationalist perspective and using a mixed-method approach, seven HR competency concepts are identified and examined for their perceived relative importance to strategic and functional HR roles. The findings indicate that Business Awareness competencies are important differentiators between strategic and functional HR roles, whereas Leadership and Relationship Building and Self-Belief and Social Factors are generic to all HR practitioners. The findings also indicate that there is a wider range of HR attributes required for HR job success than those espoused in the HR literature. Theoretical implications and recommendations on selection and development programmes for HR practitioners are also discussed.     

人力资源外包：对人力经理的影响及其应对策略

本文在阐述人力资源外包的概念和作用基础上,分析了人力资源外包后在战略规划、外包工作能力、沟通技能、职业角色转换等四个方面给企业人事经理带来的挑战。本文指出,在有效应对人力资源外包的挑战方面,人事经理最为关键的应对策略是掌握好外包工作和内部人力资源管理核心技能培养方面的平衡艺术。     

Human Capital Factors Affecting Human Resource (HR) Managers' Commitment to HR and the Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Value on HR

Human resource (HR) managers’ commitment to their occupation (HR) leads to the proper delivery and implementation of HR practices and, therefore, is deemed as a critical factor for the success of HR practices. Based on sociocognitive, human capital, and signaling theories, this study examines: (a) HR managers’ own and their chief HR officer's (CHRO) HR‐specific human capital as antecedents of their commitment to HR, and (b) the mediating mechanism through which the CHRO’s HR‐specific human capital positively influences HR managers’ commitment to HR. Based on 146 HR managers from 146 organizations in South Korea, the findings of the current study suggest that HR managers with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital and those working with CHROs with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital tend to have higher levels of commitment to HR. In addition, CHROs with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital positively influence HR managers’ commitment to HR by signaling to them that HR and its function are valued and cared about by their organizations. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed along with study limitations and further research directions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The HR department's contribution to line managers' effective implementation of HR practices

The implementation of human resource (HR) practices (HRPs) is increasingly regarded as a cornerstone in the achievement of overall HRM effectiveness. This article addresses the role of the HR department in contributing to line managers' (LMs) effective implementation of HRPs. It does so by comparing the actions of HR departments in both effective and ineffective implementation processes in different firms. Its findings reveal that HR departments can make a difference by taking initiatives that foster LMs' implementation abilities, motivation and opportunities, such as deploying in‐the‐field HR specialists, framing practices in appealing ways, involving LMs in the development of HRPs and seeking CEO support, among others. By fleshing out these HR initiatives and linking them to the AMO framework, we build an inductive model that offers a more nuanced view of what HR departments can do to have their proposals effectively implemented by LMs.     

Motivations for HR outsourcing in Australia

The aims of this research are twofold; first, to determine which human resource (HR) functions are most commonly outsourced in Australian organisations and second, to explore the motivation to outsource these HR functions. Results from a nationwide survey identified recruitment and selection, training, occupational health and safety, payroll and employee benefits as the top five outsourced HR functions. The three common reasons to outsource these functions were to acquire specialised HR capabilities, improve quality and efficiency, and to free resources to concentrate on the strategic role of HR. Four main outsourcing drivers–resources, learning, cost saving and political–were identified, which offer explanations for the most commonly outsourced HR functions. Apart from the learning factor, these are consistent with motivations for outsourcing in non-HR areas.     

Strategic HR orientation and firm performance in India

This study tests the relationship between strategic HR orientation and firm performance. The study has been conducted to add to the growing empirical evidence in this field. The study has been carried out in the Indian setting, where the importance of human resources has gained currency in the last decade. Results show that there is a significant relationship between strategic HR orientation and firm performance.     

Unwrapping the HRM bundle: HR system design in an Irish power utility

This article considers the way in which new HR systems were designed for three power stations within Ireland. The study provides insights into how choices are made about which practices are included in or excluded from the HR bundle and considers the factors that can lead to or prevent the successful implementation of new HR systems. The research suggests that all HR practices are not necessarily of equal importance in the bundle that comprises an HR system. Instead, it may be useful to view such a system as comprising both core and ancillary HR practices and as dependent on the existence of appropriate HR processes if it is to operate successfully. In addition, the study suggests that new HR systems may fail because insufficient attention is paid to the impact of ‘deadly combinations’ (Becker et al., 1997 Becker, B., Huselid, M., Pickus, P. and Spratt, M. 1997. HR as a Source of Shareholder Value. Human Resource Management, 36(1): 389–447.  [Google Scholar]) and that changing an existing system will require the elimination of old practices before new practices can be introduced successfully.     

Increasing HR's strategic participation: The effect of HR service quality and contribution expectations

Strategic participation is important for HR professionals who wish to have increased influence in their organizations. While a number of previous studies have suggested a link between strategic human resource management and firm performance, few have explored the specific factors enabling HR strategic participation. This study examines the impact of HR service quality and expectations of HR contributions on HR strategic participation. A total of 244 survey responses were received from 42 companies in Taiwan. All hypotheses were supported, thus signifying significant relationships between HR service quality, expectations of HR contributions, and HR strategic participation. The study results also indicate that HR professionals are able to proactively increase the value of HR in organizations by enhancing HR service quality and addressing potential internal customers' needs accordingly. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

HR and analytics: why HR is set to fail the big data challenge

The HR world is abuzz with talk of big data and the transformative potential of HR analytics. This article takes issue with optimistic accounts, which hail HR analytics as a ‘must have’ capability that will ensure HR's future as a strategic management function while transforming organisational performance for the better. It argues that unless the HR profession wises up to both the potential and drawbacks of this emerging field and engages operationally and strategically to develop better methods and approaches, it is unlikely that existing practices of HR analytics will deliver transformational change. Indeed, it is possible that current trends will seal the exclusion of HR from strategic, board‐level influence while doing little to benefit organisations and actively damaging the interests of employees.     

人力资源会计与传统会计的比较研究

本文认为，知识经济时代人才成为经济资源中最重要的因素，建立人力资源会计十分必要。但我国现阶段人力资源会计仍未建立，既未将人力资源会计纳入传统会计之中，又没有形成完善的人力资源会计理论体系。必须改革传统会计，发展和完善人力资源会计。     

The scope and trajectory of strategic HR research: evidence from American and British journals

Many have argued that the field of human resource (HR) management has successfully transformed itself from the functional orientation of personnel management to a strategic orientation that is more relevant to the goals and effectiveness of business in the current competitive landscape. In this article, we assess that proposition by reviewing almost 1000 award-winning papers and articles published in leading US and British management journals since the mid-1990s. We use this data to evaluate the scope of HR research in the field, the extent to which it has changed, and whether changes in this research have kept pace with changes that organizations face in the current global economy. Consistent with the strategic HR framework, we find that the question of the link between HR and performance has, indeed, become the dominant one among both micro- and macro-organizational scholars. Contrary to expectations, however, micro-level research continues to be more prevalent than macro-organizational studies; and we find little change in the subjects and sites of research or theoretical approaches adopted. These characteristics of HR research are in sharp contrast with the dramatic changes occurring in the world of work – suggesting a mismatch between what HR scholars study and what issues and dilemmas organizations face. Finally, by assessing similarities and differences between the American and British scholarship, we are able to suggest a research agenda, more relevant to the current global economy, which builds on the strengths of each tradition.     

HR managers in five countries: what do they do and why does it matter?

The 1980s saw the need for change in the organizational role of human resource (HR) professionals, from the traditional employee champion and administrative expert to strategic business partner and change agent. The argument posited was that a more challenging environment compels organizations to turn to managing their HRs as a source of competitive advantage and that means an increasing business partnership for HR professionals. However, very few studies examine the execution of these multiple, sometimes contradictory roles, despite the risk that neglecting traditional roles endanger organizational performance in the long term. This five-country comparative study finds that multiple roles are at least moderately executed, and that these HR roles have different impact depending on the aspect of organizational performance. As well, a more challenging environment, defined here as legal constraints and industry challenges, generally does not have a significant moderating effect on the impact of the different HR roles on organizational performance.     

The diffusion of HR practices in unions

Unions, like other service industry and/or nonprofit employers, are uniquely dependent upon the performance of their human resources to ensure organizational success. Consequently, unions have much to gain from adopting a more strategic focus in the management of their vital human talent. While some unions are moving toward greater sophistication in their internal HR practices (Clark and Gray, 2005), as a whole unions have been slow to embrace a strategic outlook on human resources and adopt HR practices that could improve union effectiveness and rejuvenate the union movement. In this paper, I identify and discuss internal organizational characteristics and external environmental factors that may influence the adoption of more sophisticated HR practices by labor unions. It is hoped that the framework that is suggested here can be used to launch research directed at understanding and improving the diffusion of good HR practices among unions that could subsequently improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of unions as institutions.     

HR外包服务的战略营销

随着社会经济发展与专业化分工,HR外包服务作为企业HRM战略变革的重要手段,逐渐被更多的企业所接受。新《劳动合同法》的实施又给企业HRM提出了新要求,如何专注价值、降低成本、灵活用工、规避风险已成为企业人事管理面临的现实课题。同时,新形势也给国内HR外包服务机构带来难得的发展机遇。本文以HR外包服务行业为着眼点,从行业战略格局分析入手,展开营销价值思考与营销模式设计,并提出HR外包服务机构营销策略要点建议。     

HR flexibility and firm performance: analysis of a multi-level causal model

Human resource flexibility as a construct, how it develops, and its effect on firm performance have not received adequate attention in strategic HRM literature in spite of their obvious importance in today's dynamic competitive environment. Based on a study of 98 manufacturing and 103 service firms in India, this paper addresses these issues by developing and testing a multi-level model that attempts to explore the ‘black box’ of the interlinkages between the various components of HR flexibility and firm-level human, operational, and financial outcomes. The results suggest that a certain set of ambidextrous HR practices constitute a distinct dimension of HR flexibility, beyond the dimensions of flexibilities of skill, behaviour and HR practices as already identified in the existing literature. Evidences from both manufacturing and service sectors support the notion of HR value chain that suggests that HR system has a direct impact on firm-level HR outcomes which are most proximal, and its effects on increasingly more distal operational and financial outcomes are mediated by HR outcomes that it produces. Another important finding is that HR practices as a system have both direct and indirect (mediated by behavioural flexibility) effects on firm-level HR outcomes. Existence of significant direct effects highlights the important role that HR practices play as a structural mechanism in achieving superior firm performance.     

HR系统在人力资源管理中的应用

文章以鹤壁煤业集团有限责任公司人力资源信息管理系统为例,通过阐述HR系统在人力资源管理中的应用,进而在一定程度上为HR系统在人力资源管理中的应用提供参考依据。     

基于角色的HR从业人员的培训研究

现代人力资源管理在企业管理中起着无可替代的重要作用,提高HR从业人员培训的有效性也是企业日益重视的话题。在HR从业人员目前的培训仍存在诸多问题的现状下,本文引入了社会心理学中的角色理论,通过分析HR从业人员的"角色丛",确定关键核心能力,构建基于角色的培训体系。     

The last taboo?: surfacing and supporting Emotional Labour in HR work

The emotional challenges Human Resource Professionals (HRPs) face, and the work they do in managing emotion in day to day HR practice, have largely gone unacknowledged and unsupported and yet is arguably HR’s most value-added activity. Through in-depth interviews and diary study, we uncover the emotion handling aspect of HR work. Specifically we explore Emotional Labour (EL) which, despite its centrality to HR work, remains under-researched in the HR context. By asking our participants to recount and reflect on emotive interactions, we examine HRPs’ use of EL in their relational work; how they come to learn the emotion display rules of their role; the strategies they use to cope with such emotional demands and the factors that help/hinder this process. Our contribution is to ‘surface’ emotion in HR work and identify how organisations can prepare HRPs for, and support them in, their emotion handling efforts.     

Easier said than done: a review of antecedents influencing effective HR implementation

Abstract

Despite the importance of effective implementation of HR policies and practices for the achievement of HR outcomes, this remains an area of research to which HR scholars have paid limited attention, without a clear conceptualization of constructs and a lack of consolidation of research findings. Moreover, the field does not avail of an organized corpus of knowledge to guide how to accomplish the successful implementation of HR practices. As a response to this situation, the present study provides a review of empirically grounded evidences about antecedents that can influence effective HR implementation. With the results of the review, we generate a model that organizes the elements identified according to content, context and process, and that proposes relationships among them. The study also delineates much-needed avenues for further research on this topic, and constitutes a first step to claim attention for the phenomenon of HR implementation among HR scholars.     

The HR ecosystem framework: Examining strategic HRM tensions in knowledge-intensive organizations with boundary-crossing professionals

In this article, we use Snell & Morris' (2021) new HR ecosystem framework to empirically examine strategic fit and alignment tensions for knowledge-intensive organizations and professional knowledge workers. Rich data were collected through in-depth interviews with 75 members of faculty engaged in knowledge-intensive work for Business and Management Schools (B&M), and the analysis of strategy documents. The application of the framework enables us to contribute to dynamic capabilities theory and SHRM in four ways. Firstly, drawing on the findings, we propose an adapted HR Ecosystem framework for analyzing knowledge-intensive organizations, which incorporates tensions across the four subsystems of an HR ecosystem (strategy, capabilities, composition, and cultures). These tensions are shaped by interactions within and between levels (meso, macro and micro) and ecosystems. Secondly, our findings underscore the need for knowledge-intensive organizations to engage with a plurality of collaborative and competing internal and external stakeholder interests, including those of knowledge workers who constitute key organizational stakeholders. Thirdly, our analysis shows how the views and behaviors of internal organizational stakeholders are affected by ecosystem dynamics within and beyond the physical boundaries of an organization. Fourthly, we reveal how conflicting organizational cultures connect with other HR ecosystem subsystems to constrain collegialism and cohesion. By evidencing how knowledge-intensive organizations are in a constant flux of alignment and misalignment, the article demonstrates the value of the HR ecosystem framework in examining and informing SHRM in organizations in other industries.