Human Resource Management at Camair-Co - Assignment Example

Human Resource Management at Camair-Co Executive Summary: The human resource management is an essential part of every organization. There areseveral models in association with this function of an organization. The current study has taken into consideration the Cameroon Airlines Corporation that effectively proved to use a human resources management strategy that fits best with the overall strategy of the firm. The study has thus taken into consideration a few models of the human resources management, and associated them with the company’s policies. The study has tried to determine how different human resources strategies might be effectively and optimally used for the benefits and success of the company. For the study, the company’s environmental analysis has also been done to reflect on the different factors that might affect the effective success and relate them as well to determine how the human resources management might aid in maintaining the company’s position in the industry. 1. Introduction: Human resource management is considered as the field of management within an organization where the human resources or the employees are taken care of or considered for their optimum utilization for the company’s objectives as well as providing them with welfare services (McCourt & Eldridge, 2003, p.1). Thus the plans for the organizations and the human resources management are significantly associated with each other and it is the responsibility of the human resources manager to look after the duties of the HR team towards their efficient performances for the achievement of the organizational success (Marchington & Wilkinson, 2005, p.142). The significance of the human resources management lies in its integration with the business policies of an organization, the best manner in which they can fit into each other, its association with the organizational ethics, culture and values, its dedication towards achieving the organizational objectives, following appropriate employees policies and determining a suitable organization of the human resources in the delivery of their organizations (Armstrong & Baron, 2002, pp.3-4). Thus the role of the human resources management plays a significant role in the efficient and effective performances of the employees attempting to motivate them (Rowley & Jackson, 2009, p.146) and maintaining relationships with them for the ultimate success of an organization. The current study takes into consideration the Cameroon Airlines Corporation, which is an airlines company in Cameroon, for an understanding of its human resources management and relates them with the various models of the human resources management that are available in the theoretical approach. Also, an analysis would be considered for the internal and external environment of the company with an association of its effects of the human resources management and policies. Thus the overall study would reflect the relation of the human resources management of the organization and its significant impacts on the ethics, culture, and performances of the organization and how the company keeps its position up in the competitive environment. 2. Camair-Co: A Brief Portrait: Camair-Co is an airline company established in the Republic of Cameroon expecting to provide with international standards of airline services as well as improved airline infrastructures. The Transport Ministry of Cameroon is in charge of supervising the technical development and operations of the company and the Ministry of Finance looking after the financial aspects of the company. Any activities in relation to the air transport are provided by the company efficiently for its customers. The company has successfully developed from the partnership of the State of Cameroon and the Consulting group of Lufthansa (History, 2011). The team of professionals forming the human resources in the company involves both local and foreign skills and expertise. The culture and values of the company are highly maintained and the employee relations are considered as significant in the effective functioning of the organizational objectives (Our Team, 2011). The main vision of the company is to provide its national and international customers with safe, reliable and quality services at a price that is reasonable and affordable for its customers at the same time maintaining its profitability. The values followed by the company and its employees include the honesty on the part of the human resources team, their dedication towards their performance, their dignity and reverence for each other as well for their customers, their belief in diversity and equality among themselves, innovating powers and creations of newer developments, as well as focusing on their financial deliberations (Our vision and values, 2011). 3. HRM Strategy followed in Camair-Co: Although competitions are expected in the industry, yet Cameroon Airlines’ performance has provided the company with significant position in the industry. This results in the implication that the company would attain larger profits in the coming years with increase in the number of local and international passengers as well. If the strategy of the human resources management of the company is considered, it can be observed that the company has its focus on the performances of the employees since it believes that organizational employees are the primary elements for the company’s success. Thus utilizing the human resources efficiently and putting the right people for the right work is the essential strategy that the company follows in regard to its human resources management (Camair-Co Business Plan, 2010, pp.4-7). Thus to efficiently recover the investments of the company, the skills and expertise of the company are given significant consideration as part of the management of the organization. The company believes that the status, growth, development and eventual success of the organization are highly dependent on the maintenance and sustenance of effective and efficient people. Thus the company’s HR strategies follow these beliefs and management policies across the different levels of the organization and at all business levels (Camair-Co Business Plan, 2010, p.7). From the above mentioned strategy of the company it can be realized that the company is focused in the achievement of its goals and it understands the significance of the role of the human resources in this respect. As the Hard approach of human resources management signifies, the humans or the employees of an organization are important sources through which a company is capable of achieving the competitive advantage over its competitors in the industry. Hence there lies an importance in effectively gathering such people for the company and making them efficiently perform the functions of the organization. In other words, the human resources of the company need to be effectively and optimally used for the success of the company (Armstrong & Baron, 2002, p.5; Bratton & Gold, 2001, p.32). In this case, the humans are considered as resources that if efficiently utilized would bind in successfully with the overall business strategies of an organization in the organizational achievements. The Soft model of the human resources management on the other hand focuses more on the human part of the human resources. In this case, the employees are considered not just as resources for the organizational success but they are realized as valuable assets for an organization. Thus higher levels of efficient performance from the employees in this regard are achieved through the greater encouragement and motivation being provided to the employees (Marchington & Wilkinson, 2005, p.6; Farnham, 2000, p.34). Thus in the context of these two theoretical models of the human resources management in association with the strategy followed in the Camair-Co, it can be realized that the company’s strategy can be more related to the Hard model of the human resources management where best fit between the HR strategies and the company’s business policies and strategies is tried to be obtained. To this, it is meant that the company’s strategic management policies in regard to the management of the human resources are primarily reflected towards the achievement of the organizational success and profits. The company intends to link the performance management policies with the business strategies. For this, the company has focus on its human resources being capable of understanding and getting associated with the organizational objectives. Thus the company’s human resources management strategies involve the motivation systems including the appraisal measures and other tests of employee performances. Tremendous support and assistance is also provided to the employees. The overall intention of the company lies in improving the efficiency of the performance management of the company to tie with the company’s strategies. 4. Association of Camair-Co’s HR Strategy with the Overall Business Strategy of the Organization: Does the Strategies Fit Each Other? One of the models of the human resources management is the Matching Model of HRM as studied and presented by Michigan (Armstrong, 2009, pp.13-14). Quite similar to the hard model of the human resources management, this model also reflects the importance of the fitting of the HR strategies of an organization with its overall business strategies (Bamberger & Meshoulam, 2000, p.24). Thus this model also focuses on the need of the integration of the HR policies and the structure of the organizations to be matching with the organizational goals and objectives. The Harvard school of Beer et al in the year 1984 focused on the fact that the HR strategies being used to match with the organizational strategies, might lead to several problems in relation to the management of the human resources and considering right employees for the right work at the right time. This study had framed the Harvard Framework for Human Resource Management as reflected in the diagram below (Armstrong, 2006, pp.4-7). Figure 1: The Harvard Framework for Human Resource Management (Armstrong, 2006, p.7). The models of the human resources management as discussed above imply that the strategies developed by a human resources team of an organization need to integrate with the overall strategy of the organization. Lawler and Mohrman also in their studies focused on the fact that the human resources of an organization act as a strategic partner for the organization’s successful implementation of policies, objectives and achieving its goals (Lawler & Mohrman, 2003, p.1; Armstrong, 2008, p.73). From the objectives of the Camair-Co as reflected towards their focus on their commitment and dedication of their services to their customers, and the HR strategy as has been studied to be the effective utilization of the human resources, it can be implied that the HR strategy of this company is tied in association with the overall business strategy of the organization. Without the proper utilization of the human resources the stated objectives of the company would be difficult to achieve. It can be understood that the company realizes the significance of the employees in meeting the organizational goals, and hence the human resources are given significant consideration in the planning of the activities by the teams of management. 5. Association of Camair-Co’s HR Strategy with the Ethical and Corporate Social Responsibilities of the Organization: To See Whether the HR Strategy Fits The formulation of the human resources management strategy for an organization’s benefits is not only associated with the overall business strategies of the company. It is also significantly related to the ethical values that are followed by the company as well as the corporate social responsibility of the organization. HRM strategies can be utilized to maintain ethical behavior and improve misconducts in the internal context of an organization. Thus the importance of ethical values can be realized and can be made to be suitably utilized in the management of performance of organizational employees (Swanson, 2009, p.36). The descriptive model of ethical theory can be taken into consideration for the Camair-Co. Since this model focuses on the abilities of the human resources, it can be used by the human resources management to determine what exactly would motivate and influence the employees of the company to efficiently perform and how they can do their work. Accordingly they can be given the responsibilities and duties for execution. Also, in the recent years, companies have started focusing more on the corporate social responsibilities since it has been observed that the corporate social responsibility aids a company to gain more profits and success (May, Cheney & Roper, 2007, p.78). Thus it also associates with the human resources management of an organization since it is the responsibility and capability of the organizational employees to successfully implement socially responsible activities for a company (Werther & Chandler, 2010, p.23). Corporate Social Responsibility efforts of the company include operating low emission aircraft, raising awareness of CSR during induction by promoting ways which can be associated with the CSR activities. As the objectives of the Camair-Co can be observed, it can be realized that the company is focused on following ethical policies as well as maintain the corporate social responsibilities in the manner in which the company intends to maintain integrity and honestly in their activities. One of their main objectives as already mentioned above includes following ethical measures in their conduct of business. Also the company intends to maintain an environment friendly environment in the workplace for its employees to be comfortable with their performances of activities. Not only the customers but also the employees are treated with respect and esteem such that the employees might realize a feel of responsibility on the part of the company towards the human resources (Our vision and values, 2011). This clearly implies that the human resources management strategy of the company has direct association with the ethical practices as well as the corporate social responsibilities of the company. It is the human resources of the organization who can efficiently undertake the required measures and implement them for the achievement of the organizational goals and objectives. The HR strategy followed by the Camair-Co implies that the company understands the importance of the effective use and policies of the human resources and its management within the organization. 6. Environmental Analysis of Camair-Co: In this context, the environment in which the Camair-Co operates can be focused. The air transport industry is considered as one of the major industries being highly complex and having impacts on the social, political as well as economic aspects. The increasing globalization has given rise to significant competition in the industry. Thus powerful strategies are found to be highly important for the success of an organization. However, the lack of proper infrastructure might prove to be a hindrance for a company to effectively create its position in such an environment (Essenburt, 2005, pp.8-10). In such a state of the environment, it can be realized that the corporate and human resources management strategies of the company would be affected since external factors are needed to be taken into account for making organizational decisions. Thus if the environmental is not suitable, external factors might have negative impacts on the performance of the organization. When the environment is talked about in regard to the performance and activities of an organization, it generally refers to the factors that might affect the successful implementation of its practices or the achievement of profits or success (Anderson et al, 2002, pp.367-368). Such factors are generally external in nature. The impacts of such environment might be severe and depends uniquely on the individual organization and the environment in which it is established (Kew & Stredwick, 2005, p.1). The industry of the airlines is affected by several external factors. PEST analysis or the analysis of the political, economic, societal, technological, environmental and legal factors is a popular method to realize the effects of the environment in which an organization functions (Henry, 2008, p.51). The various external factors that are essential to be considered in regard to an airlines company in an airline industry mostly include the economic and political factors of the country in which the company is established. This is primarily because the travelling by air contributes greatly to the economy of a state or a country. Hence this becomes as essential factor to be considered (The Airline Industry, n.d.). In this context if the economic conditions of Cameroon is considered it can be observed that the country’s economic condition has been quite stable over the years and proved to be one of the strongest economies in Africa. The per capita GDP rate has been as low as USD 2300. The corruption and factors of high taxes have been responsible to limit the growth that has been low around 4 percent (Cameroon Economics, 2009). Thus considering the economic conditions of the country, the Camair-Co can be understood to be in a positive state to maintain its position in the industry and further improve with the increasing influence on the increasing number of passengers. In regard to the political effects of the country, certain issues in relation to the country’s political turbulence depending on the Cameroon powers misusing their rights might create certain negative impacts on the airline companies as well. It has been observed that the government is highly stable while the countries around were unstable, yet the economic stability was not up to the expectation (Cameroon ‘guilty of rights abuse’, 2009). This is primarily because the political factors being external to an organization’s control often have severe impacts on the functioning of an organization. Although Camair-Co being an airline company, this effect might seem to be less, yet the external factor creates an issue of fear if not maintained through silent measures. Societal and technological factors are two other external factors that might affect the effective performance and success of an organization. The societal factors in Cameroon reflect highly cultural values and ethics being followed by the country that imply traditional reflection. The increase in the population rate, the capability of the people to afford airline tickets, and students moving abroad for studies, increase the opportunities for the company to have increasing number of passengers (Cameroon Society and Culture, 2009). Camair-Co following the ethical values and the cultural practices, the societal environment can be proved to be of greater advantage for the company. However in regard to the technological advancements of the country, Cameroon has proved to be lagging among several countries primarily owing to financial constraints and lack of enough power. Lack of infrastructure, lesser ability of the use of mobile and internet are factors affecting the technological advancement in the country (Tande, 2006). Thus in the context of Camair-Co, the technological factors might prove to be of lesser advantage particularly when the company might undertake decisions to improve or better its services through scientific help from the country. Regarding the environmental analysis, it can be mentioned here that the awareness for the environment is lacking in the country where the tropical rains have been found to significantly affect the agricultural industry. In the context of the legal factors, it has been observed that the costs of employees tend to increase as a result of strict laws of employment. Moreover different licensing criteria are made available for different locations increasing costs for the company. 7. The Internal and External Analysis of Camair-Co: SWOT: SWOT analysis or the analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats reflect the internal and external factors that might affect an organization and its performances and hinder the successful achievement of the organizational goals and objectives (Botten & Sims, 2006, p.72; Westwood, 2002, pp.78-80 ). While the strengths and the weaknesses describe the company’s internal affecting factors, the opportunities and the threats are the external factors for the company. As an airline company the internal strengths of the Camair-Co can be realized to be its product that is the air travelling facilities. The acceptance of the public for the airlines is another major strength for the company. The most important strength for the company lies with its human resources that are dedicated with efficient and effective performance towards achievement of goals and profits for their company. Moreover the company has supports from the government, the salaries are reasonable, the employees are motivated towards their work, and experience huge opportunities for the future success (Fulton, 2011). Here in this context, a resource based view of the firm can be considered as well. As the strengths of the company have already been discussed, in a resource based view, the internal strengths of the company can be analyzed that makes the company capable of gaining competitive advantage. In this regard, the most important internal strengths of the company have been observed to be their service and the availability of the human resources. This view can thus be used by the company to manage its operations focusing on its strengths. It would enable the company to achieve its goals efficiently and gain success. The weaknesses lying with the company might be those associated with the airline companies in general. For instance, there is a constant rate of spoilage that occurs with the airline companies unlike other industries. It might be the case that seats remain empty in particular flights. In such cases the seat does not produce any profit for the company for that particular flight. Moreover the expenses are huge and hence the investments for the company also have to be huge. The scheduling of work or flights or any other related jobs are dependent on several factors that might even include the climate of a particular area. Since the workplaces are immensely large, thus monitoring and communication facilities are required to be very effective that proves to be highly expensive for the company. The lack of proper infrastructure, limited traffic potential, fewer service providers being available are some of the other issues reflected as weaknesses for the company. Presence of other established airlines companies also prove to be a weak point for the company that is new in the industry (Fulton, 2011). The opportunities lie with the company in terms of the increasing number of local as well as international passengers for the flights and services made available by the company. Contracts made with the government can help the company in gaining more chances of flying greater number of passengers. The road infrastructure being poor as well provides greater opportunities for the airlines company. Also, the ability of the company to recruit national and international employees enhances the ability of the company (Fulton, 2011). If technological advancements can be improved and made increasingly available for the company’s betterment, the opportunities for the company to become popular at an international level would become more prominent. In such cases the technological advances might even reduce the level of expenses for the company. Also, getting connected with other air travelers would lead to the company getting more efficient in the increase of its own passengers. Threats of the company might occur with any economic slowdown that the country might encounter. These might affect the costs, reduce the number of passengers travelling through air, and related negative impacts. Moreover the increasing price of fuel proves to be a huge threat for the company. Also, the intervention of a state’s government might often create unacceptable policies creating negative impact on the policies of the company. Finally the terrorist attacks also create a huge impact on the minds of the customers affecting the level of air travels in a particular period of time. The increasing competition including prices, poor communication infrastructure, and the risk of corruption also prove to be issues of threats for the company (Fulton, 2011). A suitable HR strategy considered by the company can be realized to contribute in lessening the threats and weaknesses of the company. This is primary because it is the human resources or the employees of the company who are actually responsible in taking appropriate decisions and make effective performances towards successfully achieving the goals of the organization. It is the human resource management processes that can motivate the employees. From the weaknesses and threats of the company as discussed above, the HR team can decide on the further steps that would enable the company to overcome the barriers and effectively perform. 8. Evaluation and Recommendations: The overall study of the Camair-Co reflects the sincere and serious role that the human resources management play in the effective implementation of the different activities of the organization intended towards achievement of the organization. In regard to the setting of the objectives and the thereby human resource management strategy followed by the company as mentioned above, it can be realized that the HR strategy as determined by the human resource management team and the authority of the company fits best with the overall organizational policies of the organization. This is primarily because the organization has the objectives of attaining success and profits by serving their customers right. They intend to be committed to their performances and remain honest and ethical as their objectives state. Thus, the company significantly realizes the importance of the human resources and effectively uses them towards their achievement which the hard model of human resources management implies. Thus the model associates in the company can be understood to fit well in the organizational goals and success. In regard to the environmental, internal and external analysis of the company, it can be realized that the company is in a good position in regard to all the factors except for the certain threats that the company might encounter. Thus the company needs to make significant research and understanding towards the policies that they should follow to fight these threats in case they need to encounter them. The other recommendation that the company would require is in regard to the technological advancements. Even if Cameroon is unable to provide the company with sufficient benefits in this context, the company should try to make out ways for self-investment in order to further the company’s profits and success. 9. Conclusion: Camair-Co has been studied extensively through this research and it has been observed that the company has efficiently used its human resources towards the success of the organization achieving its organizational goals and objectives. The company has been found to effectively fit the HR strategy with the overall organizational strategy of the company. This is one of the major models of the human resources management that the company has proved to efficiently utilize and apply in its policies. Such a human resources strategy proved to fit not only with the organizational strategy of the organization but also with the ethical practices of the organization as well as the corporate social responsibility that the company needs to follow. The environmental analysis of the company has also proved the company to be in a stable position with certain factors that might affect the company and the company in these contexts might require taking certain effective measures for counter actions to such effects. To an overall view, the company’s HR strategy has proved to be effectively fitting with the company’s overall business strategy and hence bring success to the organization. References 1) Anderson, N. et al (2002), Handbook of Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology: Organizational psychology, London: SAGE 2) Armstrong, M. (2006), A handbook of human resource management practice, London: Kogan Page Publishers 3) Armstrong, M. (2008), Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action, London: Kogan Page Publishers 4) Armstrong, M. (2009), Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, London: Kogan Page Publishers 5) Armstrong, M. & A. 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