Lecture 2 Strategic HRM

Question 1

What is the CIPD 2017 view of strategic HRM?

Answer 1

‘Strategic HRM supports long-term business goals and outcomes with a strategic framework. It focuses upon the long-term resourcing issues within the context of an organisation’s goals and the evolving nature of work, and informs other HR strategies, such as reward or performance, determining how they are integrated into the overall business strategy’

Question 2

According to Boxall and Purcell (2003) what is the difference between strategic HRM and planning?

Answer 2

Strategic planning is a formal process outlining the way in which things will be done.
Strategy is about the organisation’s behaviour and is universal

Question 3

What are Armstrong and Taylor’s 9 underpinning theories of HRM?

Answer 3

Commitment
Motivation
Resource based view
Organisational behavioural theory
Contingency theory
Institutional theory
Human capital theory
Resource dependency theory
AMO theory

Question 4

What is contingency theory?

Answer 4

To be effective, HR policies must be consistent with other aspects of the organisation

Question 5

What is institutional theory?

Answer 5

Organisations conform to internal and external environmental pressures in order to gain legitimacy and acceptance.

Question 6

What is human capital theory?

Answer 6

Knowledge, skills, capacity to develop

Question 7

What is resource dependency theory?

Answer 7

This is about how groups and organisations get power over each other by controlling resources

Question 8

What is AMO theory?

Answer 8

Ability, motivation, opportunity

Question 9

What are the 5 steps of the Strategic Management model?

Answer 9

1- Mission and goals
2- Environment analysis
3- Strategic formulation
4- Strategy implementation
5- Strategy evaluation

Question 10

What does Storey (1989) say about the hard and soft versions of the HRM model?

Answer 10

Hard- the employee is an economic factor that must be controlled
Soft- the human side and the importance of investing in training and development and ‘commitment’ strategies

Question 11

What does Ulrich say about strategic HRM?

Answer 11

It is ‘the process of linking HR practices to the business strategy’ (Ulrich, 1997)

Question 12

What is strategic HRM rooted in?

Answer 12

HR planning

Question 13

How do Bratton and Gold describe the psychological contract?

Answer 13

‘a metaphor that captures a wide variety of largely unwritten expectations and understandings of two parties about their mutual obligations’ (Bratton and Gold, 2012: 12)

Question 14

What is the role of HRM?

Answer 14

To deliver through its people what the organisation wants to achieve.

Question 15

What are Ulrich’s 4 key roles that HR managers must accomplish to add the greatest value to the organisation?

Answer 15

Strategic partner
Change agent
Administrative expert
Employee champion
(Ulrich, 1997)

Question 16

What does a strategic partner do according to Ulrich (1997)?

Answer 16

Has a future/ strategic focus combined with processes

Question 17

What does a change agent do according to Ulrich (1997)?

Answer 17

Has a future/ strategic focus combined with people

Question 18

What does an administrative agent do according to Ulrich (1997)?

Answer 18

Operational focus combined with process

Question 19

What does an employee champion do according to Ulrich (1997)?

Answer 19

Operational focus combined with people

Question 20

What did Ulrich say in 1998 about HR?

Answer 20

‘HR should not be defined by what it does but by what it delivers- results that enrich the organisation’s value to customers, investors and employees’ (Urich, 1998).

Question 21

What two categories can HR activities be divided into?

Answer 21

Transformational (strategic)

Transactional (service delivery)

Question 22

What is the three-legged stool model?

Answer 22

This is the idea of delivering centres of expertise, business partner role and HR shared service centre

Question 23

What two things are a key part of the HR role?

Answer 23

Policies and procedures