MGT 211 Human Resource Management: Importance of H.R Functions

Questions:

1- Which of the H.R Functions seem to be most important? And why?

2- Explain how do the Economic, Technological, and Cultural environments affect HRM in a global environment? How can Saudi companies comply with these challenges?

3- What is Ethics, explain its importance for organization? Give examples of ethical and unethical behaviors in organizations?

4- Explain how HRM practices differ in small businesses and in international setting? compare with examples?

Answers:

1. Unlike in the past, human resource currently plays strategic role. In fact, the most important role of HR is strategic functions. According to Bratton & Gold (2012), HR directors are often encouraged to play a more "strategic" role within their organization. This aspect is considered more important than what is perceived as the "traditional administrative" role of staff. However, according to the authors, there is a certain ambivalence about the exact meaning of the term "strategic" and they question the extent to which the different services can review their role on a whim.

2. Economic, technological and cultural environment influence how organizations organize and act. Technology for example, has encourage outsourcing. Economic environment has also changed. Competition, for example, has compelled human resource management to focus not only in training and recruitment but also in strategic role (Kramar & Holland, 2015). As far as cultural environment is concerned, companies are expected to accommodate employees from different settings and cultures and hence unlike in the past, the company needs to foster cultural diversity. For a country like Saudi Arabia, keeping up with the current trend would require some compromise. Firstly, it should be noted that Saudi strictly follows the Islamic culture. The language spoken is Arabic and society is extraordinarily conservative: alcohol is totally banned and socializing with women remains a taboo subject. This means that human resource manager, who intends to introduce modern western leadership approaches may not succeed easily. For Saudi to comply with the changing human resource requirements, it will have to embrace the concept of multiculturalism and encourage cultural diversity. It will also have to accept some of the western cultures such as free conversation with all people irrespective of gender.

3. Ethics entails ability point out what is right, what is just, in short, what is moral (Schear, 2010). In organizations, ethics refers to the processes through which they are evaluated and decisions are made based on good and bad. Because people have personal and different codes of ethics, organizations have to be very careful with corporate ethical standards, mission, vision and expectations (Schear, 2010). Ethical behavior entails doing things that will protect the public, environment, and all stakeholder. Ethics and social responsibility are closely linked in the performance of so-called responsible organizations. Unethical and immoral behavior entails doing things such as working with drug networks, exploiting children, paying bribes and accepting them. It is advisable for organizations and companies to always do what is ethical. Example of ethical behavior is where an organization decided to stop producing a given product simply because it is not safe for the public. An example of unethical behavior is where a company decide to release pollutants to the environment which is bound to affect community living around the plant.

4. HRM for small business is relatively less complex and may entail few considerations. However, at international level, HRM will require a lot of considerations. For example, in terms of training employees, it is important to bear in mind that, in addition to the technical training that can be provided to a new worker who will perform his duties in another country, he will have to provide cross-cultural training, that is, on culture, habits, behaviors of the country - destination, with the aim of empathizing with it and being able to assimilate it as soon as possible so that it does not suppose an obstacle in its performance (In George & In Schillebeeckx, 2018). 

References

Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2012). Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

In George, G., & In Schillebeeckx, S. J. D. (2018). Managing natural resources: Organizational strategy, behaviour and dynamics. Cheltenham, UK ; Northampton, Massachusetts : Edward Elgar Publishing

Kramar, R., & Holland, P. (2015). Capstone HRM: Dynamics and ambiguity in the workplace. Prahran, VIC, Australia : Tilde University Press

Schear, T. H. (2010). Interactive ethics: How ethical & unethical decisions are really made in organizations. Boca Raton: Universal-Publishers.