The machinery of strategic human resource management (SHRM) has emerged as one of the indispensible entities of the business modern world and it can be best understood by comparing and contrasting it with the traditional system of human resource management (HRM) of an organization (Brewster 2017). HRM of an organization is concerned with attracting, hiring, providing training to the candidates and also retaining them within the spectrum of the organization. On the other hand, SHRM is concerned with the alignment of the goals of the individuals with the vision, values, mission and other attributes of the organization (Cania 2014). The SHRM can be said to take the job roles of the HRM a step further through the effective alignment of the employees with not only the department or the team for which they are working but also with the other teams or the departments of the concerned organization as well (Uslu 2015). This provides the organization an opportunity to ensure a higher rate of growth as well as profitability (Sikora and Ferris 2014). This paper will undertake a short review of the book “Short Introduction to Strategic Human Resource Management” written by Cascio and Boudreau.
The concept of SHRM forms the lacuna of the book under discussion here and at the same time it is seen that the book undertakes a critical analysis of the concept of SHRM and its related aspects. The book discusses about the key elements of the concept of SHRM through the effective usage of an “innovative risk-management approach” (Cascio and Boudreau 2012). The book, at the same time, also highlights the manner in which the various decisions, processes as well as the choices made by the modern organizations directly affects the performance of the individuals workers of the organization and in turn the overall productivity of the concerned organization itself (Cascio and Boudreau 2012). More importantly, the book also discusses about the way in which the construct of the traditional HRM system can be improved to manage the different employees of the organization in a much effective manner (Cascio and Boudreau 2012). In this regard, it can be said that the book through the articulation of the concept of SHRM not only tries to overcome the limitations of the traditional system of HRM used by the diverse organizations but shows the manner in which the organizations can reinvigorate the system so that it yields the maximum amount of benefit. The book also discusses the importance of addressing the needs of the employees by the HRs and also helping them to overcome the problems faced so as to manage them in the most effective manner.
The book articulates the need of modern day organizations to strategically align the individual employee’s objectives and goals with the vision, mission and other aspects of the organization. In addition to this, the authors Cascio and Boudreau (2012) strongly argue the fact that the modern organizations need to strategically align the employees of one particular team or department with the other teams or the departments of the organization itself. More importantly, the book also reveals the manner in which the various managers or the leaders can make the kind of decisions which will enable to not only enhance the individual productivity of the workers but also the overall performance of the enterprise itself. Lastly, in the light of the increasing global competition and uncertainty that the organizations are facing, the authors Cascio and Boudreau (2012) discuss about the manner in which the managers and also the organizations can mitigate the high level of risk which are generally associated with the modern day management of human resources or capital.
The majority of the books which are written regarding the management of human resources within the mould of the business enterprises are associated with a discussion of the traditional job roles of the HRM system. This book is different from the other books which have been written regarding the management of human capital or resources which discuss about the traditional system or the job roles of the HRM. This book, on the other hand, discusses about the construct of SHRM and also the diverse benefits that the effective usage of this system can provide to the organizations. In addition to these, the book discusses about the manner in which the diverse strategies like reward and recognition, incentives, job based training and others can be used by the organizations to strategically align the employees with the organization (Cascio and Boudreau 2012). I personally believe that this is perhaps the most important insight that the book offers to the readers. Furthermore, the implications that the book have for the managers and also for the budding HRs regarding the effective management of the human capital or resources that they have at their disposal is not only insightful but at the same time very helpful. Thus, it can be said that the book by focusing on the relatively nascent concept of SHRM provides insightful knowledge to the readers like me.
According to me, the most impressive concept related to the book is that it emphases on the need of the organizations to align the goals of the employees with the overall goals and the objectives of the organization. This is important not only from the perspective of the employees but at the same time from the perspective of the organization as well. The effective usage of this particular concept is not only likely to help an employee to work in synchronicity with the organization for which they are working but at the same time would help both of them in terms of their performance (Cascio and Boudreau 2012). More importantly, this will help the organizations to attain a higher rate of growth as well as profitability and also to manage the different employees in an effective manner (Jackson, Schuler and Jiang 2014). Another impressive concept which the book articulates is that the fact that the HR professionals of the contemporary organizations in order to manage the employees of the organizations need to take the help of “innovative risk-management approach”. This will not only help the HRs to address the needs of the employees in the most effective manner but also to resolve them in the best possible manner.
The primary objective with which I undertook the course was to gain a substantial amount of information regarding the diverse aspects of the HRM and also the effective ways in which the human capital of an organization can be managed. Furthermore, the concept of SHRM under discussion here is likely to help me significantly during my future professional life as an HR. The knowledge that I gained from the book regarding the various aspects of SHRM is likely to help me to align the goals of the employees for which I would be working in the future times with that of the organization. Furthermore, I am hoping that through the effective usage of the concept of SHRM I would be able to increase the performance of the employees of the organization in which I would be working as an HR. I would like to say that the authors in the book shed interesting light on the manner in which the HRs can effectively manage the different employees of an organization in the best possible manner. My job role as an HR in the business organization would be precisely to manage the human capital of the organization. Thus, I am of the viewpoint that the concepts which I have gathered from the book would help me in performing my job roles in a much more effective manner.
Conclusion
To conclude, the role of the HRs has undergone a substantial amount of change within the framework of the business world. This concept not only tries to overcome the limitations of the traditional system of HRM used by the various organizations but at the same articulates various new strategies through the utilization of which not only the human capital of an organization can be managed in an effective manner but at the same time their performance can also be improved. Thus, it can be said that the concept of SHRM is important not only from the perspective of the organization but also from the perspective of the employees as well. The book not only discuses about the various aspects of the concept of SHRM but at the same time also suggests ways through which an organization can manage its human capital in a much effective manner. The most insight that one can gain from the book is the fact that the HRs need to align the goals of the employees with the overall goals or the objectives of the organization so as to not only enhance the performance of these employees but also to manage these employees in the most effective manner.
References
Brewster, C., 2017. The integration of human resource management and corporate strategy. In Policy and practice in European human resource management (pp. 22-35). Routledge.
Cania, L., 2014. The impact of strategic human resource management on organizational performance. Economia. Seria Management, 17(2), pp.373-383.
Cascio, W.F. and Boudreau, J.W., 2012. Short introduction to strategic human resource management. Cambridge University Press.
Hollenbeck, J.R. and Jamieson, B.B., 2015. Human capital, social capital, and social network analysis: Implications for strategic human resource management. Academy of management perspectives, 29(3), pp.370-385.
Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S. and Jiang, K., 2014. An aspirational framework for strategic human resource management. The Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), pp.1-56.
Sikora, D.M. and Ferris, G.R., 2014. Strategic human resource practice implementation: The critical role of line management. Human Resource Management Review, 24(3), pp.271-281.
Uslu, T., 2015. Innovation culture and strategic human resource management in public and private sector within the framework of employee ownership. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 195, pp.1463-1470.
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