Congruence as a Part of HRM - Essay Example

Human Resource Management Introduction A major issue for modern organizations in high-velo environments is that they require flexible, creative employees who need training and development to maintain and increase their knowledge base and skill levels in line with changing environmental circumstances. Following Susan Miller (1994): "the tendency is to attempt to adopt a more holistic approach towards understanding the firm in its environment”. Critics and researchers explain that in high-velocity environments there should be a greater focus on developmental approaches such as building problem-solving skills, coaching, and counseling, rather than an adherence to structured programs or a menu-driven approach to training and development. External Environmental The organization is the basic framework within which individuals and groups behavior occur. The quality and nature of the decisions made are influence by the nature of the structure. The external environment contains a range of influences that affect an organization. They include: socio-demographic, technological, economic and political factors. Political system means the way of authority and management style adopted by organizations. Organizations as a part of external environment should pay attention to social ans cultural issues which make a significant contribu­tion to the business. This may become even more important when the organization’s strategy is taking it into new countries, or different forms of alliance and collaborative ventures. Organizations can contribute to the success of such plans by ensuring that social differences are considered when common policies are defined, that announcements are made in a way that is most effective for each culture, and that managers who have to operate across country borders understand the nature of the cultural differences involved, and adjust their own behavior to obtain the best result (Bartlett, Ghoshal, 1999). According to Storey (1989): The drive to adopt HRM is...based on the business case of a need to respond to an external threat from increasing competition. It is a philosophy that appeals to managements who are striving to increase competitive advantage and appreciate that to do this they must invest in human resources as well as new technology (Storey 1989, p. 34). With the commodification of products, increases in liquidity, and widespread availability of information, services and products have a great need for flexibility and creativity on the part of managers in order to secure high-quality revenue. With customer demands for products often requiring unique solutions in a very short space of time, teams can come together and then disband very quickly. These teams will broadly comprise a front office staff of relationship managers and a back office staff of product provision and research. Congruence as a Part of HRM The congruence, as a part of business process, can be explained as a link between corporate strategy and HR practices adopted by organizations. The overall aim of this process is to align performance with business goals. As modern organizations are operating in high-velocity environments, strategic goals may change and so communication of the business strategy and changes therein is ongoing. Wei (2006) states that: ‘A great deal of conceptual illustrations assert that the employment of effective HR practices and the design of a HR system compatible with the firm strategy are imperative for the successful implementation of business strategies” (51). A higher level of professional autonomy and shared governance should be seen as the main features of the congruence. The congruence can be expressed through greater knowledge and exper­tise. It may also be based on the per­sonal qualities of the employee and the manner in which authority is exercised. In contrast to traditional theories, expert power is based on new knowledge about technology and innovative methods used in profession. The congruence is based on credibility and clear evidence of knowledge or expertise; for example, the expert knowledge of functional specialists. The congruence helps to achieve effectiveness of organizational performance and specific goals including maintenance of high standards in order to deliver customer satisfaction. The main qualities and skills employees need include superior performance, flexibility and creativity. The main qualities and vision of such people should be based on advanced knowledge and discovering, creativity and passion, authenticity and ability to foresee coming changes. The congruence is aimed to extend traditional roles in order to keep abreast of time and rapidly changing technology. The congruence helps to create a sense of identity which does not depend upon membership or work roles. Discussion Section Motivation Motivation and human relations are the areas of HRM selected for analysis. In general terms, motivation can be described as the direction and persistence of action. It is concerned with why people choose a particular course of action in preference to others, and why they continue with a chosen action, often over a long period, and in the face of difficulties and problems (Armstrong, 2003). External environment has a great impact on motivation of employees and their expectations. Socio-cultural influences determine new ways of living and job performance affected every organization. The research “findings revealed job satisfaction and organizational commitment were higher in employees who better fitted the organizational sphere and in those who better fulfilled their expectations” (Vigoda, Cohen, 2003 192). In high-velocity environments, goal specificity and motivation is problematic because the consistency and continuity of the external environment, and in many cases the nature of the work, is unclear. In this case, the congruence has a great impact on organizational performance because organizations expect there to be greater participation by employees in their goals setting, since managers may not be in the best position to assess the changing demands of a particular employees work and social environment. The changing demands of work and role, and the emphasis on development needs, would seem to require a strong input from employees, given that the information asymmetry between manager and employee will be greater in fast changing circumstances. With organizations adopting team-based working and group-oriented output, relying on just the immediate managers input into the appraisal may reduce the efficiency of the process, as important information may be lost due to inadequate review of the employees activities. Every person is unique and all the major theories of motivation allow for this uniqueness to be demonstrated in one way or another. People are motivated when they expect that a course of action is likely to lead to the attainment of a goal and a valued reward - one that satisfies their needs. It is reasonable to believe that strong commitment to work is likely to result in consci­entious and self-directed application to do the job, regular attendance, nominal supervision and a high level of effort (Gesteland, 1999). Expectancy theory of motivation vividly portrays the impact of external environment on organizational performance and motivation. According to this theory, employees act only when they have reasonable expectation that their actions will lead to desired goals stipulated by external influences. They will perform better if they believe that money will follow effective performance, so if money has a positive value for an individual, higher performance will follow. This theory places emphasis on perfor­mance noting that there must be a clearly recognized goal and relationship between performance and outcome. In general, this theory explains that motivation is a function of the expectancy of attaining a certain outcome in performing a certain act mul­tiplied by the value of the outcome for the performer (Jackson, Schuler 1995). External environment determines the balance of power which has undoubtedly shifted to employees who have more choice over how to conducts relationships with their administration and colleagues. The congruence is aimed to improve influences on the environment and determine perspectives of further development on the macro- and micro- level. In this situation, to be an effective and professional, “it is necessary to exercise the role of leadership based on advanced knowledge and expertise”(Gesteland 1999, 52). A common view is that the job of requires the ability of advanced knowledge and that leadership is in effect a sub-set of management. In terms of the congruence, there is a need to be flexible and be ready to innovate and to adopt new technologies as they come along. The way in which organizations have to employ the latest technology can be an important determinant of its competitive advantage (Wei, 2006). Human Relations Human relations have a great impact on organizational culture and atmosphere, performance and overall success of the projects. Social and political changes affect human relations and demand new ways of communication and interaction. Recent years, cultural diversity becomes one of the main external factors influenced human relations. Effective management of cultural diversity leads to a smooth task management process, helping both industries manage complex tasks across multiple properties in a consistent, efficient manner (Vigoda, Cohen, 2003). Equity theory helps to examine and explain the nature of external influence and its importance for organizations. This theory focuses on peoples feelings of how fairly they have been treated in comparison with the treatment received by others. Employees evaluate their social relationships in the same way as buying or selling an item. Employees also compare their own position with that of others. They determine the perceived equity of their own position. Feelings about the equity of the exchange are affected by the treatment they receive when compared with what happens to other people. According to equity theory, employees place a weighting on these various inputs and outcomes according to how they perceive their importance. When the ratio of a persons total outcomes to total inputs equals the perceived ratio of other peoples total outcomes to total inputs there is equity. When there is an unequal comparison of ratios the person experiences a sense of inequity (Armstrong, 2003). “The feeling of inequity might arise when an individuals ratio of outcomes to inputs is either less than, or greater than, that of other people” (Gesteland 1999, 23). In this case, the congruence means organizations are able to respond to changing conditions and environment creating positive atmosphere and culture for diverse groups. For instance, positive action programs, specifically designed for minority groups, may be used to help them understand the culture of the organization and acquire essential skills; policy implementation programs, particularly focusing on selection, appraisal, development and coaching; further awareness training and training to identify cultural diversity and manage different cultures and across different cultures (Jackson, Schuler. 1995). Conclusion Organizations are strongly influenced by resources outside the organization which are an integral part of the chain of activities between the service design and HRM. Flexibility in the environment means survival, and flexibility occurs at two levels: at the top management level and at the operating level. Vision should be relatively stable, at least in the short run, but top management must constantly listen and be sensitive to changes in the environment that may cause a basic shift in vision. Top managers should always question the appropriateness of their strategy. They should conduct a constant self-questioning that detects errors in norms, thereby influencing and allowing for appropriate changes in core values. Ongoing debate and innovation should be encouraged. References Armstrong, M. 2003. Human Resource Management. Kogan Page. Behavior. 2nd edn. Boston: Kent Publishing. Bartlett, C. and Ghoshal, S. 1999. Managing Across Borders: The Transnational Solution. 2nd edition, London: Ramsden House. Gesteland, R. 1999. Cross-Cultural Business and Behavior 2nd edn. Copenhagen Copenhagen Business School Press. Jackson, S.E., Schuler. R.S. 1995. Understanding Human Resource Management in the Context of Organizations and Their Environments. Annual Review of Psychology, 46, 237 Storey, J. 1989. New perspectives on Human Management, Routledge, London. Vigoda, E., Cohen, A. 2003. Work Congruence and Excellence in Human Resource Management. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 23 (3): 192-216. Wei, L. 2006. Strategic Human Resource Management: Determinants of Fit, Research and Practice in Human Resource Management, 14(2), 49-60. Read More