Critically compare best-fit and best-practice perspectives on effective strategic HRM.
In your answer, discuss/consider the following (in no particular order):
HR Best Practice
- Identifying HR Best Practices – Reviews (e.g. Pfeffer, 1994; Huselid, 1995; Guest, 1989; Budhwar, 2006)
- Key question….” Which HRM practices stimulate high skills, high commitment, high engagement and high performance? And Why?”
- HR Best Practices and theory of motivation (e.g. need-based models, process-based models, organisational justice, job characteristics model)
- HR Best Practices and theories of engagement and identification (e.g. social exchange theory, social identity theory, person-organisational fit and the attraction-selection-attrition model
- Potential Limitations to HR Best Practice
HR Best Fit
- Schuler and Jackson, 1999
- The Harvard Model of SHRM (Beer et al, 1984)
- Potential limitations of HR Best Fit
Where do these perspectives leave HR strategy?
Important:
- Theory, example, application, critical engagement
- Make good use of signpost – Logical structure (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT)
- Have a few main theoretical points, and then use one case study to analyse them further
- Application – this is when you have a theoretical construct, and a context and example to explain it.
- Make use of recent journal articles and examples of theory in practice
- Show substantial evidence of synthesis and evaluation
