Structural form that is most suitable for an SHRM approach Essay

Structural form that is most suitable for an SHRM approach - Essay Example The changing face of the industrialized world has led to changing views of managing the workforce.The concepts governing human resource management have changed with changes in the industrialized world.As business operations have expanded from local to national and on to global markets,organizations are forced to operate in a fast-changing environment Competition, technological advancement, legal requirements, host-country expectations and a changing customer profile place pressure on the internal systems and processes. The organizational structure has undergone changes with the changing environment. The earlier bureaucratic structure with its mono-cultural working community that suited a limited market has given way to a variety of structures that seek to garner the best way to harness talent in a wider area and manage market expectations across cultures. The factors that affected the HRM concepts at work were primarily availability and negotiating power of labor and workforce cultur e. As markets expanded companies faced a need to restructure internally in an effort to maintain flexibility by utilizing the right type of talent to manage the external environment. The central concept of HRM relates to ‘flexibility, responsiveness, ownership of organizational problems†¦ empowerment†¦ commitment’ (Salaman, 2001, p. 157). Connecting SHRM with strategy and structure Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) may be considered to be an umbrella term for a set of practices and processes designed to ensure the appropriate use of talent to suit business needs. HR academicians and writers have put forth visions on the models of SHRM, business strategy and structure. Strategy is seen to mould structure and thereby the practices towards managing human resources. Sinclair-Hunt and Simms (2005, p. 4) refer to the external environment as a guiding factor behind strategy. The environment might require quick responses which requires the use of proactive th ought and vision; it may require short term responses that allow survival without greatly impacting the internal processes or it may call for the organization to ‘give in’. The demands of the environment determine the response which should ideally be aided by appropriate strategy and structure. Yet organizations struggle to develop an SHRM approach. Sims (2002, p. 34-36) points out that the linkage between SHRM and overall strategy must cross the first hurdle of drafting corporate strategy. Many times, organizations are hard put to define a larger strategy and prefer to focus on immediate events. The demand for continuing flexibility can make the creation of such a strategy a challenge in itself. Ferris, Rosen and Barnum (1995, p. 135) discuss how even the presence of a larger strategy does not lead to the linear creation of SHRM processes since by the time the implications are translated to HR processes, the environment has forced a change to strategy. Durai (2010, p.3 7-38) mentions the factors that interfere with the development of effective SHRM processes. Absence of support from top management in involving the HR practitioners making key decisions is a major factor. This often stems from the perception that HR is an administrative function Morton, Newall and Sparkes (2004, p. 52). The author believes it is incumbent for the HR department to highlight the business advantage it can provide while providing administrative efficiency. In the absence of a clear strategy is there no scope for a unified approach to the acquisition and management of talent? Strategic human resource management must be considered linked to the context of the business. An organization may not spell out strategy for a variety of reasons ranging from not seeing the need or not knowing how to not considering it relevant. The structure may continue to be hierarchical with speed provided by the adoption of technology. In such a case, business context guides the activities

Innovation Process Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Innovation Process Design - Essay Example Key Components of Theories Innovation is a common way for companies today to initiate in order for them to reach a specific competitive advantage (Weerawardena & Mavondo, 2011). In order to achieve this, many firms are trying to establish the point that they need to ensure execution of strategies that are competitive enough to provide them the competitive edge over the other established firms in their industry or specific niche (Salunke, Weerawardena & McColl-Kennedy, 2011). In many technological-related companies, innovation has become the major point of their business, because that is one of the substantial ways by which they can compete and even set among themselves a cutting edge advantage over the other competitors to ensure a smooth flow of their operation or achieve a potential market share. At the most specific level, firms that are into innovation or are risks lovers are expected to provide unique product or service offerings (Cucculelli & Ermini, 2013). In this way, they ca n offer highly differentiated product or service offerings that matter to people. Many technological-based firms today from time to time have to produce offerings that are new to the market for the target segments to try and they remarkably eliminate old products in order to introduce success or opportunity for the new ones. This is common to take place in the mobile phone industry where old models will have to be phased out and leave a path for new products and gain from them. Establishing a new product or a unique one is therefore a form of strategy that a firm must embrace. Strategic business innovation is therefore one of the ultimate moves of technological-based companies today. They want to set a new way for them to be able to provide something that is new that matters a lot to their target market. In doing so, a clear business plan must be associated with the goal to innovate. Innovation is not just a simple process, but a complex one that it requires the most appropriate bus iness model. Prior to the emancipation of this business model, every firm that wishes to go for innovation will therefore have to set a clear business plan for themselves. In this way, they can be guided on what to do next especially in cases when there is a need to involve the right plans. Business plans are integral components of a successful innovation process. After all, it requires substantial planning moments prior to the actual innovation process. These plans need to be considered because they fuel the essential growth or development of the organization as far as the concept of innovation is concerned. Innovation therefore is a forward approach that positively aims for advancement and growth (Colombelli, Haned & Le Bas, 2013). Anything that hinders this growth will have to be remarkably considered a contradictory approach against innovation. The backward approach might have to consider plans, actions or initiatives that are to produce backward results. In this case, no innova tion will be necessary, because innovation as a process of growth development requires more engaged idea to embrace something new or fresh ideas for future enhancement of the business. In this regard, proper orientation of the company concerning their evaluation process is necessary or required because such move will have to ensure the emancipation of the right program or actions to be taken into account. Concerning actions that are allowing companies to move forward with