The field of strategic human resource management attempts to investigate the role and contribution that human resources may provide to organizations. Although various theoretical perspectives have been applied to the field of strategic human resource management, some scholars still label this field as atheoretical. I apply discretion theory to this atheoretical discussion with the expectation that discretion theory will allow a better examination of what may be occurring in the “black box” between human resource practices (i.e. high performance work practices) and organizational outcomes. Specifically, my intent was to determine under what conditions human resource managers might influence the high performance work practices/organizational outcomes relationship. I surveyed dyads consisting of one senior human resource manager and one other human resource employee within various organizations to assess 1) the nature of the human resource practices that each organization employs, 2) the intensity of the senior human resource manager’s individual discretion, and 3) the intensity of the organization’s contextual discretion. Moderated regression analysis was utilized to test each hypothesis. Upon testing each hypothesis, partial support was found for the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1a: The use of high performance work practices will be negatively related to absenteeism, Hypothesis 1b: The use of high performance work practices will be negatively related to turnover, Hypothesis 2a: The use of high performance work practices will be positively related to ROA, Hypothesis 3b: Individual discretion will moderate the relationship between HPWPs and turnover: specifically, HPWPs will be more strongly related to turnover (i.e. less turnover) when individual discretion is high than when individual discretion is low, and Hypothesis 4a: Individual discretion will moderate the relationship between HPWPs and ROA; specifically, HPWPs will be more strongly related to ROA (i.e. higher levels of ROA) when individual discretion is high than when individual discretion is low. No support was found for Hypotheses 2b, 3a, and 4b. With respect to each of the three-way interaction hypotheses, slope difference tests revealed that none of the slopes for were significantly different from one another, hence no support was provided for Hypotheses 5a-5c, 6a-6c, 7a-7c, and 8a-8c.

The field of strategic human resource management attempts to investigate the role and contribution that human resources may provide to organizations. Although various theoretical perspectives have been applied to the field of strategic human resource management, some scholars still label this field as atheoretical. I apply discretion theory to this atheoretical discussion with the expectation that discretion theory will allow a better examination of what may be occurring in the “black box” between human resource practices (i.e. high performance work practices) and organizational outcomes. Specifically, my intent was to determine under what conditions human resource managers might influence the high performance work practices/organizational outcomes relationship. I surveyed dyads consisting of one senior human resource manager and one other human resource employee within various organizations to assess 1) the nature of the human resource practices that each organization employs, 2) the intensity of the senior human resource manager’s individual discretion, and 3) the intensity of the organization’s contextual discretion. Moderated regression analysis was utilized to test each hypothesis. Upon testing each hypothesis, partial support was found for the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1a: The use of high performance work practices will be negatively related to absenteeism, Hypothesis 1b: The use of high performance work practices will be negatively related to turnover, Hypothesis 2a: The use of high performance work practices will be positively related to ROA, Hypothesis 3b: Individual discretion will moderate the relationship between HPWPs and turnover: specifically, HPWPs will be more strongly related to turnover (i.e. less turnover) when individual discretion is high than when individual discretion is low, and Hypothesis 4a: Individual discretion will moderate the relationship between HPWPs and ROA; specifically, HPWPs will be more strongly related to ROA (i.e. higher levels of ROA) when individual discretion is high than when individual discretion is low. No support was found for Hypotheses 2b, 3a, and 4b. With respect to each of the three-way interaction hypotheses, slope difference tests revealed that none of the slopes for were significantly different from one another, hence no support was provided for Hypotheses 5a-5c, 6a-6c, 7a-7c, and 8a-8c.

Abstract ¡@The research is to find factors influencing HR departments¡¦ strategic involvement in organizational decision making process and understand their effects. This research included the cognitions of HR department and other departments in an organization to test it¡¦s hypotheses. ¡@Questionnaires were issued to enterprises with over 200 employees; 62 dyad questionnaires were issued, and 51 ones returned and were all valid. With statistical analysis including paired-sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and regression, we attempted to examine whether the strategic involvement of HR department is affected by HR services provided, strategic function of HR department, HR service quality and expectations of the other departments toward HR department. ¡@After the empirical analysis, we got the conclusions as follows: 1.The cognitions of HR department strategic involvement between HR department and other departments have a positive relationship. 2.HR services provided by HR department have positive impacts on its strategic involvement. 3.Strategic function of HR department has positive impacts on its strategic involvement. 4.HR service quality has positive impacts on the HR department¡¦s strategic involvement. 5.Expectations from other departments to HR department have insignificant discrepancy on HR department¡¦s strategic involvement. 6.Position level of HR head have insignificant impacts on HR department¡¦s strategic involvement.

Research has often called for studies that attempt to explain the complex causal chain known as the “black box” between human resource management (HRM) activities and individual-level outcomes. To explore the dynamics within the “black box,” this study investigates the influence of HRM activities (e.g., practices and processes) on individual-level outcomes, taking into consideration psychological empowerment as a mediating mechanism. Furthermore, to investigate how HRM activities affect individual-level outcomes, one must consider how HRM activities interrelate to create synergistic effects. Subsequently, this research contributes to the literature of strategic HRM research by investigating how and why systems of HRM activities influence individual-level outcomes.

This paper focuses on three main themes. Firstly, what is Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the rhetoric surrounding it? Secondly, does the reality match the rhetoric? Thirdly, is the model that has been adopted by the private sector an appropriate model for the Australian public sector to be using? HR has been criticised for being an administrative function that is regulatory and compliance based, adding little value to an organisation. SHRM provides a strategic focus, involving the partnering of HR and line areas to provide value added people services. SHRM has been described by some theorists (Ulrich, Rothwell et al) as the only way of the future for the HR function. The model/s of SHRM that have been adopted by the private sector are now being promoted by the Public Service and Merit Protection Commission as the way forward for HR in the Australian Public Service. This paper discusses the appropriateness of the SHRM model/s for the public sector by examining what is happening in the HR area in three Commonwealth Government departments: Health and Aged Care, Transport and Regional Services and Family and Community Services. It examines the dilemmas for the HR functions as they try to move to an SHRM approach in these organisations, and suggests models that are appropriate to the public sector context.

The traditional manufacturing industry in Taiwan in these few years have been severely challenged by the changing business environment. Under the public opinions that how the traditional industry gets rid of the fate of becoming the declining industry, there are still some companies achieving their success implicitly. To accompany with human resource practices, they create unique competitive advantages and values to overcome the threat by the economic depression and globalization competitiveness. A case study method is used in this thesis. Ten companies in traditional manufacturing industry with superior organizational performance and histories of transformation or related actions for business growth are targeted to explore how the traditional manufacturing industry strengthens or develops different human resource abilities according to different transformation strategies while facing different evolutional opportunities. In this thesis, internal fit of universalistic perspective and external fit of contingent perspective are used to investigate the internal mutual fitness among the human resource practices within the organization respectively. A set of core human resource practices which fit the characteristics of traditional manufacturing industry in Taiwan will be proposed as the core of integrated human resource practices. In addition, from the point of external fit, this thesis also explores the fitness of human resource practices and organizational strategies. To the companies with different transformation strategies, including changing strategic frame, investing resources, changing processes, and solidifying relationships, appropriate human resource practices should also be addressed to strengthen and develop the correspondent dynamic human resource abilities as needed. Therefore, the following propositions are proposed in terms of the inductive inference of interviewing with the ten cases and reviewing the related literature extensively. Propositions 1: The core human resource practices for traditional manufacturing industry in Taiwan are: Focus on employees¡¦ steadiness, hard-working spirits, and employee disciplines while recruiting, high wages, extensive benefits, incentives with cash payment, behavior-oriented and results-oriented performance appraisal, on-the-job training and skill development, promotion from within, harmonious employer-employee relationship, and long-term job security. The more the organization implements those practices, the more the organization could attain competitive advantages and receive superior organizational performance. Propositions 2: In accordance with different transformation and growth anchors, the human resource practices are also different. There are four anchors of transformation strategies including strategic frames, resources, processes, and relationships. Proposition 3: In terms of reengineering strategic frames as the transformation strategy, the organization should emphasize innovative ability while implementing human resource practices. To reverse employees¡¦ value by hard-culture reengineering, the organization could receive knowledge and ability which is different from the one supporting the old strategic frames. Proposition 4: In terms of investing resources as the transformation strategy, the organization should emphasize intensive ability while implementing human resource practices. To intensify and retain the original core techniques, the organization could upgrade the core techniques to the advanced level in order to expand the potential markets. Proposition 5: In terms of changing processes as the transformation strategy, the organization should emphasize participative ability while implementing human resource practices. The organization could accentuate operation efficiency in order to attain the main purposes of reducing cost and improve quality. Proposition 6: In terms of solidifying relationships as the transformation strategy, the organization should emphasize service ability while implementing human resource practices. The organization could draw on the strength of each to offset the weakness of the other among the stakeholders in order to develop competitive advantages.

Globalization and demographic changes are posing new challenges for firms that compete for superior human capital resources, and this ‘war for talent’ is especially fierce among MNCs whose main asset is knowledge, like the consultancy industry. As the demand for future leaders increases, it is essential for such firms to ensure an efficient flow of diverse talent through the whole organization. Previous research has mainly treated diversity management and talent management separately, despite the fact that the two concepts are interrelated. This thesis aims to close this gap by exploring how global consultancies incorporate diversity into their talent management practices. By combining in-depth interviews and secondary data from three case companies, conclusions were drawn regarding the views and outcomes of diversity and through which practices the concept was integrated with the management of talents. Some interesting findings were that the main diversity focus was concentrated on gender issues and that global talent management was not highly prioritized in the participating case firms. With regards to talent management, the most highlighted strategy for achieving diversity was by focusing on attracting employees from different diverse groups.

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers a peoplemanagement framework which promotes improved performance, innovation and competitiveness. However, little research has considered how such practices are implemented within Construction SMEs, and whether they complement overall business strategy. The nature of the UK construction industry requires construction organisations to balance project requirements with competing organisational and individual employee expectations, priorities and needs. This conflict raises several complex and problematic issues for SHRM within the construction industry as well as opportunities for improvement. However to date, despite this sector exhibiting the well-known `labour-intensive' and `people oriented' characteristics, there is little informed understanding of the complex interplay of factors that shape strategic decision making processes, and approaches to SHRM within construction SMEs. The overall aim of this thesis was to explore the types of HRM strategies used by construction SMEs and develop a framework to improve their organisational performance. The objectives of the research were: 1) To establish whether construction SMEs undertake strategic management, the types of strategies employed and how they implement their strategies, 2) To establish whether construction SMEs undertake SHRM, the types of strategies employed, how they implement their strategies and whether size of firm influences their practices; 3) Examine the relationship between the different SHRM approaches, the associated strategic organisational goals, in order to establish whether the approaches and goals are mutually supportive; and 4) To develop a framework linking SHRM approaches to specific organisational goals for construction SMEs. (Continues ...).

<p>U radu se proučavaju osnovne karakteristike pristupa<br />menadžmentu ljudskih resursa i njihova povezanost sa<br />aktivnostima procesa menadžmenta ljudskih resursa i<br />elementima konkuretske prednosti sa ciljem kreiranja<br />modela kojim će organizacije biti u mogućnosti da<br />usklađuju pristupe, aktivnosti procesa i elemente<br />konkurentske prednosti.</p> / <p>Reserch paper explores the basic characteristics of the<br />human resources management approach and their<br />connection with the activities of the human resource<br />management process and elements of competitive<br />advantages in order to create a model that organizations<br />will be able to use in harmonizing approaches ,<br />activities, processes and elements of competitive<br />advantage.</p>

[Truncated abstract] The commercial developments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries have come to signify profound and far-reaching change in the way that goods and services are designed, produced, marketed and delivered to customers in the world's international and domestic markets. In order to respond to a more intensively competitive trading environment that demands ever-increasing levels of product quality, customer service, organisational efficiency and business performance, the management of business entities has undergone fundamental alteration in form and content. It is within this context that two traditionally disparate business disciplines have emerged to play an important role in the new economic commercial order, that of small business management and that of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). Historically eclipsed by the large and powerful mass-producing corporations, the small business sector has been more recently viewed as playing an increasingly prominent part in the creation of national and regional prosperity within the developed countries. The unprecedented interest in smaller firms and the desire to see them fulfill their economic and social potential have resulted in legislative reform and widespread initiatives by governments and other institutions designed to support and protect the smaller operators in their commercial endeavours. Similarly, in the post-industrial knowledge economy people have risen in prominence over other organisational resources as a key source of competitive commercial advantage. The role of intellectual capital in securing business success has fuelled the development of management technology and methods designed to enhance the contribution of human resources to business performance. Heralded by many as the defining managerial approach for enterprises that wish to build sustainable competitive advantage in the markets of today and the future, SHRM has come to the fore as a means to re-evaluate the importance of human contribution to business outcomes and guide management practice in leveraging the latent potential of a company's human assets. ... In general, the management of business strategy was found to possess low levels of structure and formality, effectively merging into the collective activities associated with owning and operating a small business. Similarly, when compared with the key elements of a strategic human resource management framework constructed specifically for this study, the data indicated that the strategic management of people is prevalent in smaller firms but that this again represents only partial adoption of normative models as commonly promoted for the larger business management context. It was concluded that the theoretical principles and concepts of SHRM demonstrate relevance for small companies on account of the status of the contemporary external commercial environment in which they must compete as well as the range of managerial benefits associated with strategic methodology and practice. However, currently there exist no suitable models of practice with supporting guidelines that respond to the unique contextual and operational needs and experiences typical of smaller firm owner-managers.