An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach

Citation

Fraser, B. (2006), "An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach", Management Research News, Vol. 29 No. 11, pp. 745-748. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170610716043

The rapid growth of human resource management (HRM) as a discipline over the past two decades has seen a corresponding expansion in the number of HRM and HRM‐related textbooks available for students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. As the study of HRM continues to attract a wide range of students across various disciplines, there is a distinct need for such textbooks to embed HRM within the broader organisational context. Michael Nieto's Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach offers a new approach to the study of HRM by offering an integrated view of HRM that is specifically designed for 12‐14 week courses focusing on contemporary HR issues. The text is designed for students who want to understand the role of human resources within the broader organisational setting. While the focus of the text concentrates on strategic and HR managerial issues, there is an implicit recognition that HRM has moved beyond the more tradition functional approach. In doing so, the text creates a strong case for the value‐adding benefits of HR. Nieto achieves this by taking the student on an experiential journey, based in part on his own personal exposure to HRM as an academic and as a management consultant.

This text has broad appeal not only to students of HR but to all management and business students, irrespective of their core discipline. For the HR students the text offers an integrated, contemporary approach to HRM and will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills to understand the strategic managerial place of HR in organisations. For the management or business student, the text can provide you with the kind of knowledge and skills to enable you to effectively integrate HR into your current or future workplace (Nieto, 2006, p. xv)

An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach contains 14 chapters. Chapter 1, “An introduction to integrated human resources” outlines the evolution of personnel and HR management and presents the case for the need for an integrated approach to HR which is situation‐specific. Chapter 2, “Human resources in an organisational context” continues the discussion of the strategic integration of HR by examining the influence of organisational structures and organisational culture on HR initiatives. Chapter 3, “Human resources: the team builders” outlines the relationship between HR and teams by exploring how knowledge, skills and attitudes within teams can be translated into action. Chapter 4, “Employee relations and the new psychological contract” considers the role that HR plays in governing the employee–employer relationship with a particular emphasis on change and the psychological contract. Chapter 5, “Managing time and life‐work balance” focuses on managing employee expectations in the search for life‐work balance and considers whether this search represents a paradigm shift for HRM. Chapter 6, “Motivating a diversified workforce” discusses the integrative role that HR plays in guiding and directing a diverse workforce. Chapter 7, “Recruitment and selection: an integrated approach” explores the links between recruitment and selection and other HR functions and considers the role that recruitment and selection can play in improving organisational performance. Chapter 8, “Appraisals: paperchase or motivational discussion?” outlines the reasoning behind the use of appraisals as a performance management tool and explores how a successful appraisal can be planned and implemented using a range of appraisal methodologies. Chapter 9, “Integrated employee development” attempts to address the question of whether training and investment in people does actually work and considers the role of the HR function in developing human capital across the organisation. Chapter 10, “Performance and reward” discusses the use of situation‐ and person‐specific rewards and role they place in increasing individual performance. Chapter 11, “Human resources audits and planning” explores the process of HR planning and evaluation and the methods that can be employed when linking HR planning to organisational objectives. Chapter 12, “Communications and presentations” considers the skills required for effective business communications when writing reports and conducting meetings. Chapter 13, “Human resources: corporate social responsibility and business ethics” discusses the role of business ethics and corporate social responsibility in the modern organisation. Finally Chapter 14, “International human resources: locally sensetive, globally aware” explores the opportunities and limitations of HR initiatives within a changing international environment.

Each chapter begins with a set of learning outcomes which support the main discussion points and learning activities of the chapter. Broad topic areas are interlinked across chapters by the use of a highlighted tracking system that directs students to other chapters of the text where the topic is discussed. This interlinked system of HR topic areas suits the integrated approach that the author has adopted. This is one of the real strengths of the text as it allows students to explore the integrative nature of HRM in a simple, yet clearly defined manner.

An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach offers a unique blend of academic perspectives supported by the real‐world experiences of practitioners. This allows the text to place HRM firmly within the context of modern organisations, with the author clearly highlighting the differences between the rhetoric and reality of HRM (Legge, 1995, 2005). Students are offered an insight into the practical realities of HRM in the workplace and the difficulties and limitations which they may face when attempting to implement HR initiatives. Nieto is openly honest in his concluding remarks, noting that “integrated HR is about working within all the rich diversity of organisational life…the reality is that sometimes you are going to find work situations difficult, frustrating and even personally upsetting” (Nieto, 2006). This is a refreshing approach for a HRM text, where the prescriptive rhetoric of “people are our best asset” is often not matched by the practical realities of attempting complex HR changes in a dynamic work environment.

The author's style is accessible and engaging, which encourages students to think critically about the integrative nature of HRM. The experiential feel of the text is supported by learning activities which challenge students to consider the wider implications of HRM in the workplace. These activities serve as a useful tool for HR courses of 12‐14 weeks duration, and are supported by online resources for both students and lecturers. The overall structure of the book is also useful for both HR‐specific and general management courses of this duration as each chapter offers the opportunity to explore an important aspect of the HR process while reinforcing the integrated nature of HRM as a whole. In effect, students are offered a taste of what Purcell (1995) refers to as “unpacking the black box of HRM”.

Another aspect of the textbook which sets it apart from other textbooks in the discipline is the recognition that HR is not just for large, well‐resources organisations. Many of the materials and activities presented in the text acknowledge and reflect the differing needs of public, not‐for‐profit and volunteer organisations. The HR requirements of small to medium‐sized organisations are also represented within the chapters, offering a realistic view of the capabilities of HRM at each of these levels.

Despite the refreshing approach and accessible style of the author, I would have liked to have seen greater integration and discussion of key academic literature within the text. Although the author offers some academic references to support each chapter, there are often of a general nature. For example, much of the significant academic literature regarding the theoretical development of HRM (for example Beer et al., 1985; Schuler and Jackson, 1987; Devanna et al., 1984; Guest, 1987) is overlooked in Chapter 1. The addition of such literature would serve to strengthen the authors' argument that HRM should be situationally‐specific, strategically‐focused and integrated across the organisation. Allied to this, I would have also liked to seen more depth afforded to the fundamentals of HR management. These may not necessarily be “contemporary” issues but they do form the foundation of a contemporary discussion of the role of HRM in the modern organisational context. As a learning tool, the experiential style of the text is welcome, but I would have liked the addition of specific chapter review questions linked to the learning outcomes at the start of each chapter to enable students and lecturers to determine whether these learning objectives have been met.

An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach is a useful introductory text for both undergraduate and postgraduate students undertaking study in HR, management or business courses. The refreshing honesty and practical realities offered by the text are a welcome change from many contemporary HRM textbooks. The experiential style and interlinked structure of the chapters allow students to build an integrated picture of HRM in action. The relaxed writing style of the author encourages students to seek out answers to critical questions such as “Does training and investment in people really work?” (Chapter 9) and “Can planning HR be interesting?” (Chapter 11). The recognition of the role of context in shaping HRM initiatives is extremely valuable for both students and lecturers when considering the link between HRM and organisational performance.

Overall, An Introduction to Human Resource Management: An Integrated Approach is easy to read and the material it presents easily accessible by students in HR and HR‐related courses. It offers a practical, contemporary view of the important value‐adding role that HR can offer organisations, and I would greatly recommend it as a core or recommended text for students undertaking study in HR at the undergraduate or postgraduate level.