Critical Examination Of HR Function For Achieving Competitive Advantage – Jaguar Land Rover Case Study

Nature and characteristics of HRM

The primary objective of this report is to outline and highlight the nature and characteristics of HRM and it also discusses the people management strategies that help in running business smoothly. Jaguar Land Rover company has been taken in the task to outline the significance and role of HRM. The company sells and manufactures high performance luxury saloons, and sports cars in the global market (Jaguar, 2018). The current patterns and trends that followed by Jaguar Land Rover are discussed in the task briefly. The paper also outlines that how approaches of HRM increase effectiveness and efficiency of the firm with minimizing the cost. At the end, the key issues and challenges that dealt and faced by HRM are elaborated in the task. More detail of the task has been discussed below.

It has been studied that HRM is a significant and dynamic part of Jaguar Land Rover Company. HRM functions and operations are performed by all the managers in the organization (Budhwar, Varma and DeNisi, 2008). The nature of HRM has been highlighted in its following features:

• HRM is an inherent in the procedure of management at Jaguar Land Rover. This task is performed by all the executives throughout the company rather than by the individual department only (Marchington and Wilkinson, 2008).
• HRM is a invasive function of organization and it permits all the functional areas of management like financial management, marketing management and production management (Carberry and Cross, 2013).
• HRM is a people centered and is pertinent and effective in all types of the companies.
• HRM includes various types of functions concerned with the administration of people at work (Minbaeva, Foss and Snell, 2009).
• HRM is a continuous process and it provides motivation to the workers (Chand, 2018).

The characteristics of HRM are detailed below.

• HRM is concerned with workers both as individuals and as a group in achieving the goals and objectives. Therefore, it is considered as a people oriented function (Brewster, 2007).
• HRM covers all the categories and levels of the workers. It implies to supervisors, managers, workers, officers and other types of personnel. It also covers unorganized and organized workers (Rees and Smith, 2017).
• Under HRM, each and every employee is considered as an individual so as to render programs and services to facilitate growth and employee satisfaction (Snape and Redman, 2010).
• HRM is a never ending and continuous process. HRM is a primary and basic responsibility of all line managers and a function of staff employees in the company. By using effective and sustainable HRM, Jaguar Land Rover has been able to attain desired goals and objectives (Bratton and Gold, 2017).
• HRM is a challenging and pervasive function due to the effective and dynamic nature of people (Kim and Bae, 2017).
• Individual employee goals cover job satisfaction, high salary, challenging work, pride, status, recognition and fringe benefits (Smale, 2008). HRM further helps in developing and enhancing the potential and talents of the workers in the global market. It also helps in achieving long term targets and goals (Armstrong, 2009).

The people management strategies, procedures and tools at Jaguar Land Rover are discussed below.

People management strategies

• Recruitment and selection is one of the undergone strategies that is used by HRM. It all begins with appointing the right and appropriate person for the job (Sonnenberg, Koene, and Paauwe, 2011).
• The employees are considered as a greatest asset for Jaguar Land Rover Company. Therefore, the company uses training and development strategies to improve and enhance the skills, potential and talents of the workers (Gomes et al, 2007).
• Performance management is another good strategy that helps in measuring the performance of the workers (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, 2012).

• Employee engagement, rewards, compensation and employee engagement strategies are also exercised by HRM while functioning at international level (Holland and Salama, 2010).

People management procedure: The people management procedure includes recruitment, onboarding, career planning and succession, performance management and coaching and training.

People management tools: The people management tools that are used by HRM at Jagua Land Rover have been elaborated below.

Zoho people: Zoho people is an effective and unique cloud based HR management software utilized to help the company manage and formulate employee data and facts. HR managers can focus on the ample of work by using this tool at the workplace (Foot & Hook, 2011).

KiSSFLOW: It is a dynamic and unique online cloud based workflow automation technique that helps the company to create and modify workflows and HR procedures according to this specific needs and wants. KiSSFLOW’s HR technique manages and handles approval workflows for leave requests, performance appraisals, timesheet approvals, and employee onboarding (Kissflow, 2018).

Icims Talent acuquisition: It is effective and significant employee onboarding software that renders a majority of dynamic and unique attributes including a customizable career portal that lets applicants search for innovative career opportunities.

Breezy HR: Breezy HR is vital people management technique aimed at medium, small and large businesses. It also helps in conducting business operations and actions smoothly and effectively.

ADP: It is a cloud based HR technique that offers specific solutions; ADP is an all-in-one solution that combines HR, talent, time, tax and payroll. All these people management tools are used by HRM at Jaguar Land Rover Company while operating business at international level (Kissflow, 2018).

The organizational implications and contributions of HRM in practice and company’s effectiveness are discussed below.

• One of the keys for the company’s success and growth depend on its attracting, managing, retaining the best talent. Thus, talent management strategy is initiated by the HRM at the workplace (Broughton and Strebler, 2008). This HR strategy contributes in identifying and analyzing right and suitable people for performing tasks and duties in a hassle free manner. This system is applicable in the organization to provide training, coaching, and mentoring to employees in the workplace (Lengnick-Hall, Beck and Lengnick-Hall, 2011).
• Performance management is another significant strategy that is exercised by HRM in the organization to identify and evaluate the performance, efficiency and effectiveness of the workers. Hence, this strategy is contributing the success and growth of the firm to a large extent. Balance scorecard methods and 360 degree performance appraisals are used by HRM to identify and measure the performance of the subordinates at the workplace (Oliver, Holweg and Carver, 2008).
• Knowledge management: HRM at Jaguar Land Rover uses knowledge management strategy to grow and survive the business functions smoothly and effectively. If the company has a strong and good process and system for retrieving and entering information electronically, they argue and then it has a strong and good knowledge management system (Runar Edvardsson, 2008).
• Moreover, HRM at Jaguar Land Rover uses various other strategies like resourcing, learning, development, employee relations and reward strategy to motivate and encourage the workers effectively and efficiently. All these strategies are implemented by the HRM to stand over the rivals and to augment the outcomes and profitability of the firm (Du Plessis, 2007).
• Recruitment and selection is ongoing strategy that is performed by HRM that contributes in hiring and appointing suitable and appropriate applicants towards the achievement of mission and vision to a large extent (Storey, 2007).
• Feedback and compensation strategy is also used by the human resource management to identify and evaluate the talents and knowledge of the potential workers. Rewards and incentives are given to talented and potential workers to keep motivated them in the workplace (Dent and Whitehead, 2013).

The key concepts of HRM and SHRM include resources based view, strategic fit and strategic flexibility. These concepts help the HRM and SHRM to make policies and practices effectively in the organization (Chen and Huang, 2009). HRM is a concept which blinds people with the company and helps both employees and organization to attain each and every goal and objective. Various policies, practices and processes are designed to support the workers and company to accomplish their objectives and goals (Rowley and Jackson, 2010).

People management strategies, procedures, and tools

The current trends in HRM at Jaguar Land Rover are unique and effective. Effective recruitment and selection methods are being used by the HR Managers to conduct activities and policies significantly (Reiche, Harzing and Tenzer, 2018). The current patterns and trends in HRM at Jaguar Land Rover include globalization, technology, managing change, human capital, cost containment and responsiveness that put direct impacts on the HRM approaches at the workplace (Chiu, So and Tam, 2008). Globalization is ongoing trend in the firm that has impact on the way and manner Jaguar Land Rover manages and handles their workers. Understanding and evaluating the impacts of globalization on HR could help leaders to better equip their company for maximizing global business environment (Analoui, 2017). Advanced and innovative technology is used by the company to attract and retain majority of people for fulfilling the objectives and goals. Managing change is a vital trend at Jaguar Land Rover that is handled and managed by the company successfully. To manage and adopt the changes, various change management model such as Lewin’s change management model, The McKinsey 7-S model, and Kotter’s theory are used by the company. Appropriate capital is used to run the business operations effectively and efficiently (Dowling, 2013).

Effective approaches are used by HRM in Jaguar Land Rover that are presented below.

Resource based strategy: The resource based view approach helps in determining and analyzing the strategic resources with the potential to attain competitive benefits in the international market. These resources could be exploited by the company in order to attain sustainable and effective competitive advantage (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, 2012).

Strategic fit approach: This approach is implemented by HR managers at Jaguar Land Rover to meet the long term requirements of the business and employees as well. Strategic fit reveals the degree to which the company is matching its capabilities, potential and resources with the innovative opportunities in the micro environment (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, 2012).

High performance management approach: The managers and employees are the equipments through which productivity and performance happen in the company. In Jaguar Land Rover, resources are the significant engine that helps in completing the task and duties. It also helps in interacting with coworkers and customers as well (Wang and Shyu, 2008).

Along with above mentioned approaches, the company also uses high commitment management and high involvement management approach to boost and increase self esteem and morale of the workers in a hassle free manner (Briscoe, Tarique and Schuler, 2012).

The key issues that faced by HRM in today’s globalization are detailed below.

• Compliance with regulations and laws is ongoing issue in HRM that affect the financial position and image of the firm adversely (Guest, 2011).
• Management of change is another issue that is entertained by HR manager while dealing and managing business at international level (Bondarouk and Ruel, 2009). The employees have a hard time coping with these changes. Therefore, it hurts the brand image and position adversely.
• Poor training and development is other issue that faced by HRM also affects the growth and success of Jaguar Land Rover in the competitive market. The firm has trouble finding and analyzing the resources to do so (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin and Cardy, 2007).
• Jaguar Land Rover is struggling with how the best to structure worker compensation. Payroll, reward and incentives issues also are dealt by the company while working (Tzafrir, Meshoulam and Baruch, 2007).
• Understanding benefits packages is major concern for any HRM that widely affects the performance and productivity of the firm and employees as well. Attracting and retaining talent is a huge investment of money and time (Mellahi and Collings, 2010). It is very complex for the company to appoint and select the right and appropriate candidates due to lack of proper resources (Cappelli, 2009).
• The culture and ethnic differences also are raised at the workplace that may put direct impact on the progress and success of the firm. The company needs to focus on these issues to compete with rivals in the international market (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin and Cardy, 2007).

Conclusion 

It is evaluated from the above mentioned study HRM is a backbone of any company because HR managers make effective and unique policies and strategies to run out the business successfully. The above analysis shows that the success and growth of any company is dependent on the dynamic and sustainable HRM. Effective and unique approaches and strategies are used by HRM and SHRM to carry out the business in a hassle free manner. It is recommended that HRM should focus on the recruitment, selection, compensation, rewards, performance appraisal and talent management to eliminate and reduce the issues related to HRM.

Organizational implications and contributions of HRM in practice

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