Strategic Human Resource Management - Coursework Example

As revenue for workforce development is reduced, the organizations are faced with a dilemma. Reduce organization-learning programs to lower costs or come up with new approaches to create a competitive edge.

“As an act of ritual during recessions, an extreme force comes from the top to reduce cost. This expected dominant logic exists in many organizations.” (Reyes 2011 pg56) During this time, organizations cycle in and out of recession, they opt to downsize as a way of saving the firm from making losses. This in turn interrupts organization-learning strategies inhibiting organization learning. In addition, this is achieved through the elimination of learning programs that do not have a direct impact on the profits of the firm. Therefore, during recession organization learning programs are the first to be eliminated. 

2. Analyze whether an effective OL strategy can be instrumental in achieving competitive advantage.

Organization learning is more than just developing the skills and perception of the staff about the firm for their gain. It is about training the employees to do their best while on duty and providing results providing the company. The inception of these ideas has led to the significant mastery of organizational operations by the staff members. “Organization learning is perceived as one of the most crucial sources of competitive advantage within the context of profit-motivated management.” This implies that the firm needs to be in harmony with its external environment, which is characterized by emerging trends and unique developments, any organization, therefore, through learning has to develop a connection between its workforce and external forces.

Companies such as Golf Place (ST Andrews) Limited face un unanticipated changes. They are expected to grasp a deep understanding of both the internalin external business space of the business that they are engaging in, to sharpen they’re its competitive edge. It is also vital for the formulation and implementation of an appropriate business strategy to avoid discrepancies organization's work plan moves in a different direction with environmental reality. This process helps an individual to ensure that their interpretations are principally produced through training that they get from organizations and enables them to understand new actions in their environment. Therefore, an individuate to reach a consensus in which organized activities can flow. Organization learning activities that are well-coordinated and organized enable the organization to react accordingly to changes in the business environment.

3          Evaluate the applicability of an OL strategy for SMEs.

            “Modern management skills are shifting and opening up in SMEs” this indicates that firms and companies are shifting from the use of existing knowledge to exploration of new ideas and approaches (Pietersen 2013 pg. 89). An example is Regis salons in the UK it is stable in the sector of hairdressing and beauty products, which makes the organization emphasize the use of existing knowledge only. This reveals that they are mainly concerned with the application of current methods in the industry.

Application organizational learning in firms requires organizations to break the existing convections in the business. There should be recognition, exploration, and assimilation of new ideas in the operation of any small business activity (Matlay 2005 pg. 45). The change from exploitation to the exploration of knowledge in firms proves difficult in most small businesses. As a valued interest in the organization, learning among managers is prevalent and provides an understanding of how firms will play an important role in strategic management planning. Knowledge creation and application is important to factor to produce a transformed system in SMEs.

The key steps in applying this strategy are the mental transformation of the entrepreneur, acknowledging the ideas of employees, in addition, developing a culture that enables sharing and breaking the visions of an organization into small stages for implementation.

As revealed in the philosophy of the process, this strategy is seen as an important transformation avenue for SMEs. This argument shows that organizational learning should be viewed as empirical studies, therefore; they are in a position to extend the maximum benefit to SMEs. Shared Services Company based on collaboration and trust can also form this environment, this will play an important role in the endeavor of SMEs going global. In today’s active marketplace, traditional methods of management no longer work. The key challenge facing SMEs is how to create adaptive firms that ananases the changing environment and rapidly change them into winning strategies in a repeated sequence. Succeeding in creating this environment is the most suitable competitive advantage.