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Friday Apr 26, 2024
Monday, 24 June 2013 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Overview
In our book, we have a compilation of research papers that attempt to address how HR can contribute to organisational success. It covers a wide array of topics covering both strategic as well as operational aspects of HRM. It contains people related problems and prospects in organisations, in grasping reality, in moving beyond mere rhetoric.
In writing the Foreword, Professor Neal M. Ashkanasy of the University of Queensland states as follows: “I believe this publication, as intended, will pave the way for greater academic and practitioner discussion and dialogue on ways of building a knowledge base in strategic human resource management in Sri Lanka that addresses both contemporary and country specific issues. For doctoral students and academics, this publication will provide valuable paths for future academic inquiry. Similarly, managers will be benefited by the insights provided by many contemporary topics covered here. Overall, it is my sincere hope that this volume contributes to achievement of this worthy aim in the context of HR in the Sri Lankan economy.”
HR, economy and organisations
The book begins with the introductory chapter titled ‘HR Challenges in a Developing Economy: Towards Multiple Roles of HR Professionals in a Competitive Business Environment’ by Prof. Sudatta Ranasinghe. It briefly discusses HR challenges faced by Sri Lankan business organisations in the post-war economic reconstruction phase.
Several challenges of HR based on seven case studies have been elaborated whilst identifying the multiple roles the HR professionals are expected to play in order to handle the key HR challenges effectively in the present context.
Next, we move into the area of human resource development. Chapter two titled, ‘Human Resource Development in Organisations: A Review of Current Practices in Sri Lanka’ by Prof. Vathsala Wickremasinghe illuminates us on this aspect.
Based on empirical investigations conducted in Sri Lanka, the author argues the need of utilising both formal and informal processes in human resource development and the importance of a more formalised and structured approach to human resource development. The need of establishing organisational support systems to flow freely what individuals learnt from the development interventions within the organisation to be captured and used by its membership has also been emphasised.
We invite the readers to move beyond Sri Lanka for a South Asian perspective on HR. Chapter three titled ‘HR as a Business Partner: Revisiting the Strategic Role of HR in the South Asian Context’ by me is such an endeavour.
The chapter inquiries into the multi-faceted issue of lack of involvement of HR professionals in strategy making and implementation in contemporary organisations. Based on an empirical study of the strategic role of HR professionals in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the paper will present an explanation of the problem from different perspectives. It was done in the backdrop of South Asia being a “humanly rich” region housing one fifth of the world population.
HR and performance
Chapter four takes us from macro to micro level with performance appraisal in focus. ‘Towards a Sound Performance Appraisal System: An Agenda for Action’ by Prof. Henarath Opatha illustrates what, why and how of performance appraisals in the Sri Lankan context.
According to the author, performance appraisal is concerned with identifying, measuring, influencing and developing job performance of employees. It occupies the centre in the larger sphere of performance management. The chapter is both descriptive as well as prescriptive with Sri Lankan HR professionals in mind.
Chapter five invites us to explore another essential area in the array of HR functions. ‘Towards a Paradigm Shift in Industrial Relations in a Sri Lankan Manufacturing Firm: Transition from Pluralist to Unitarist Approach’ by Janaka Kumarasinghe and Dr. Ananda Jayawardena shares with us some valuable insights pertaining to a Sri Lankan manufacturing organisation.
The authors place their case study in a larger context where the industrial relations scenario in Sri Lanka has been dominated by politically aligned trade unions for several decades. The unions were often members of federations and hence the workers’ ability to bargain collectively with the support of federations led to a strategy of adopting pluralist tactics such as exerting pressure on the employers using the strength of member unions of the respective federations.
Family enterprises are a common feature in both Sri Lanka as well as overseas. Chapter six titled ‘HR Issues in Family Owned Businesses: A Comparison of HRM Practices in Chinese and Sri Lankan Family Enterprises’ by Dr. V. Sivalogathasan and Dr. Xiaobo Wu is a rare treat for the readers with a comprehensive comparison. As the chapter reveals, most family enterprises do not engage professional HR practitioners and the decisions on employees are made by the head of the enterprise who acts usually as a paternalistic leader.
HR, work and family
Dual-earner couples are an emerging phenomenon in Sri Lanka. Chapter seven titled, ‘Work-Family Conflict in Sri Lanka: The Case of Dual-Earner Couples’ by Pavithra Kailasapathy attempts to elaborate the associated vistas.
As the chapter highlights, most dual-earner couples, in the service sector face the challenge of balancing work and family life. This applies mainly to those having small children and also those who have to deal with family commitments such as taking care of aging parents. Based on a study involving 185 dual-earner couples and interviews conducted with a sub-sample of 13 couples, the chapter contains the results showing that a good relationship with spouse and superior helped to reduce work-family conflict.
We move from families to females in discussing a subtle, sensitive yet a significant scenario in workplaces. Chapter eight titled ‘Sexual Harassment in Organisations: How Critical is the Challenge for HR?’ by Dr. Arosha Adikaram offers the readers a rare disclosure of a widely prevalent phenomenon. The chapter attempts to assess the extent of sexual harassment that prevail in organisations in different forms and identify some of the causal factors.
Chapter nine titled ‘Changing Employee Behaviour through Positive Leader Behaviour: A Novel Approach to Public Sector Human Resource Management’ by Nilupama Wijewardena and Dr. Ramanie Samaratunge invites us to a novel look at a neglected sector.
It focuses on the impact of leader behaviour on employee outcomes in the public sector. The literature on workplace stress has identified positive leadership behaviours as a factor leading to enhanced employee well being and performance. The lesson learnt through such findings is the importance of understanding and promoting the types of leader behaviours that enhance employee outcomes.
Committed employees are a treasure for any organisation. Chapter 10 titled ‘Developing Employee Commitment: A Key Success Factor for HR Strategy’ by Dr. Travis Perera sheds much light on this respect.
As the chapter reveals, employee commitment is often a taken for granted domain and little attention has been given in the current context to understand what creates and sustains employee commitment. Employee commitment describes one’s identification with the organisation and involvement in its work. In human resource strategy it generates competency leading to competitive advantage.
HR and innovation
HR is not only about implementation but also innovation. Chapter 11 titled ‘Can Firms Compete Better with HR Innovation? A Conceptualisation of the HR Innovation and Firm Competitive Strategy’ by Upamali Amarakoon and Prof. Jay Weerawardena draws our attention to the increasingly important instrument of innovation. As the authors opine, innovations in HR strategies and practices have contributed towards improving the competitive capability of businesses.
Stemming from a framework of HR innovation-based competitive advantage process built on extant literature and published empirical evidence, the authors discuss key related issues prevalent in Sri Lankan organisations. The authors address the call for a theoretical framework that facilitates future research and provides a set of theoretical propositions. Implications to theory and practice and directions for future research have also been discussed.
Chapter 12 is a logical extension of HR innovation to public sector. It is titled ‘Improving Public Sector Productivity through HR Innovations’ by Dr. H.M.A. Herath and Dr. M.H.A. Sisirakumara and opens our minds to a multitude of possibilities. As the public sector employ about 1.3 million in Sri Lanka and is directly involved in carrying out multifaceted development activities, bringing HR innovations into focus is important for achieving higher levels of productivity.
By analysing similar experiences of other countries, the authors point out that a strategic approach to HRM may generate positive results in the Sri Lankan public sector in terms of productivity. The authors also argue that even though Sri Lanka has already initiated e-HRM projects, they still need improvements in the areas of compensation management, training and development, and performance evaluation of public sector employees.
Way forward
As my co-editor, late Prof. Sudatta said: “This book is intended to critically review selected aspects of HR where one might find that the dearth of literature is a constraint for generating further discussion and exploring knowledge on the issues in focus. ‘HR Challenge’ is in fact a comprehensive outlook through a committed approach by all authors. You are warmly welcome not only to read, but to reflect on the broader inter-related aspects with a revival in mind towards higher recognition of HR as a key driver for organisational success.
(Dr. Ajantha Dharmasiri works at the Postgraduate Institute of Management. He can be reached on [email protected] or www.ajanthadharmasiri.info.)
