Managing Human Resources: Assignment.

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YANG YANG

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Managing Human Resources: Assignment

The benefits and drawbacks of devolving HRM to line managers”  21/01/03 no more than 2000 wards

The development of the topic of human resource management (HRM) is now well documented in literature. Nevertheless, the focus of the debates relating to HRM is ever changing . Presently, an attempt is being made to identify the relevance of HRM to firms' performance . One of the central features of the recent HRM debate is the importance given to the integration of HRM into the business and corporate strategy and devolvement of HRM to line managers instead of personnel specialists. We want to know the benefit and drawbacks of devolving HRM to line managers.

 The term "strategic human resources management" was an outcome of such a debate. It highlights the growing proactive nature of the human resource (HR) function, its potential importance to the success of organizations and the possibility of change in the HR function from being reactive, prescriptive, and administrative to being proactive, descriptive and executive. Presently, importance of the mutual relationship between business strategy and HRM is more and more recognised. Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall (1988) gave three main reasons for this recognition. Integration:

     (1) provides a broader range of solutions for solving complex organizational problems;

     (2) ensures that all resources (human, technical and financial) are given due consideration in setting goals and assessing implementation capabilities;

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(3) limits the subordination of strategic considerations to HR preferences and the neglect of HRs as a vital source of organizational competence and competitive advantage.

The practice of devolvement is also becoming important in the increasingly competitive business environment, which has led to large-scale restructuring in organisations. As a result, line

managers have been given primary responsibility for HRM. The rationale for devolvement is:

     certain issues are too complex for top management to comprehend;

     local managers are able to respond more quickly to local problems and conditions;

     it results in ...

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