Strategic Human Capital

Strategic human capital management (HCM) is not just a measurement focused approach to human resource management (HRM). It is certainly not a decision science in which people can be managed as a result of quantitative analysis and financial valuation. In fact, it is probably more of an art than a science and is a way of leading people to unlock great business performance. Strategic HCM focuses all people management and development practices on maximizing the capability and engagement of the people working for an organization to create valuable intangible capability, human capital, which enables the organisation to take full advantage of potential business opportunities. Unlike HRM which focuses on getting closer and closer to the business, strategic HCM draws its energy from people, from their individual strengths, interests and motivations, which, aligned with long-term business strategy, can increasingly provide the main basis for differentiation and competitive advantage. However, the perspective also recognizes that measurement is important, and the book outlines an approach to measurement which recognizes the importance of knowledge, complexity, best fit and intangibility. Pulling together seemingly disparate strands of thinking, the book calls for a paradigm change in which people really are seen as an organisation’s most important asset, and are managed in a way that reflects this fact. The text includes case studies from leading private and public sector organizations and commentary from HR practitioners and academics.

This timely and insightful book bridges the gap between Strategy and Organization disciplines in the study of human capital. Andrea Lanza and Giuseppina Simone offer an innovative, unifying conceptual framework for managing this crucial asset. Based on original empirical evidence, the authors put forward a fresh perspective not on human capital strategy, dramatically advancing the field of strategic human capital with respect to both academic knowledge and managerial applications.

Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education offers a comprehensive and strategic approach to address what has become labeled as "talent and human capital." Grounded in extensive research and examples of leading edge districts, this book shows how the entire human resource system in schools—from recruitment, to selection/placement, induction, professional development, performance management and evaluation, compensation, and career progression—can be reformed and restructured to boost teacher and principal effectiveness in ways that dramatically improve instructional practice and student learning. Strategic Management of Human Capital in Education guides educators towards putting more effective teachers, teacher leaders, and principals in the country’s schools—especially in poverty-impacted urban and rural communities—equipping those teacher and principals with instructional and leadership expertise, and rewarding and retaining those who are successful in attaining these objectives. Drawing from cases, experiences, and deliberations from a national task force, this book outlines a comprehensive framework for how to transform current human resource management practices into authentic, strategic talent management systems in order to improve student achievement.

Strategic human capital resources are a relatively new construct with a scholarly literature that is still evolving. Work in this area requires the integration of multiple theoretical perspectives and empirical approaches, but that integration rarely occurs. Within these pages, the editors have combined the voices of leading scholars from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds to provide a comprehensive introduction to the current state of the field.

By challenging the reactive, prescriptive and formulaic theories of late 20th century change management, Strategic Human Resource Development seeks to draw the boundaries for a new discipline that views change as an internal and proactive approach to organizations.

The concept of strategic human resource management has developed widely in the last couple of years, especially because of the impact of human resources on the competitiveness of organizations. The development of human resource strategies involves taking into account their multiple mutual dependencies and the fact that they must be vertically integrated with the business strategy. These strategies define the intentions and plans related to the overall organizational considerations, such as organizational competitiveness, effectiveness or image, and to more specific aspects of human resources management, such as resourcing, motivating, valuating, learning and development, reward and employee relations. Strategic management of human resources provides a large perspective on the way critical issues or success factors related to people can be addressed and how different concepts of strategic decisions are made, with long-term impacts on the behavior and success of the organization. The fundamental objective of human resource strategic management is to generate strategic capabilities by ensuring that the organization has the high-qualified, committed and well-motivated employees it needs to achieve and sustain the competitive advantage. The emergence of strategic human resource management (SHRM) is influenced by global competition and the corresponding search for sources of a sustainable competitive advantage. SHRM has achieved its prominence because it provides a means by which business firms can enhance the competitiveness and promote managerial efficiency. It facilitates the development of human capital that meets the requirements of a competitive business strategy, so that organizational goals and the mission of the organization will be achieved. The HRM system is defined as "a set of distinct but interrelated activities, functions and processes that are directed at attracting, developing, and maintaining (or disposing of) a firm’s human resources." Many agree that HRM is the most effective tool which contributes to the creation of human capital, and in turn, contributes to organizational performance and the competitive advantage. This book puts emphasis on understanding the role of HRM between organizations and people and provides an analytical approach toward encompassing HRM, employment relations, and organizational behavior. As a management discipline, HRM draws insights, models and theories from cognate disciplines and applies them to real-world settings. Further, this book discusses how current theoretical perspectives and frameworks (e.g., those related to strategic competitiveness, knowledge management, learning organization, communities of practice, etc.) can be applied by reflective practitioners to create an eco-friendly organizational culture.

The field of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) has burgeoned over the past thirty years. Over this time there has been a shift towards a strategic conception which posited workers as ‘assets’ rather than ‘costs’. These ‘human resources’ were reconceptualised as a key source of competitive advantage. As such, these assets were to be treated seriously: selected with care, trained and developed, and above all, induced to offer commitment. The concept of ‘human capital’ came to the fore, and in the decades following these developments, research output has been voluminous. Strategic Human Resource Management: A Research Overview, authored by global research leaders, provides an expert summary of this crucial element of organizational performance. This new shortform book develops the argument that one of the crucial elements of organizational performance is the way work is organized in skill and talent packages both within an organization’s boundary and across global competency clusters. Secondly, it focuses on current and emergent challenges. The ‘package’ of HR approaches has changed over time and patterns can be observed. This new volume pays special regard to the HR implications arising from radically altering contexts – economic, social, and technological. This concise volume covers crucial themes of lasting interest, and as such is essential reading for business scholars and professionals.

Human capital - the performance and the potential of people in an organization - has become an increasingly important issue. With a strong practitioner focus, this book provides business leaders and HR professionals with new insights into how to improve business performance through a strategic approach to human capital.

It is often said that the only true source of sustained competitive advantage is people. But what does that mean and how can this be measured and managed? How many organizations know whether their human capital outperforms their competitors', or even whether it improves year-over-year? And what is the strategy for continually improving that performance? The New Human Capital Strategy is a roadmap for delivering measurable business results by systematically improving the performance of those in roles most important to customers and shareholders. Proposing a radical shift in the way organizations measure and manage their people, the book asserts that competitive advantage is a function of four areas of strength: Effective executive teams, leaders who deliver results, outperforming competitors in key positions and workforce performance. Using examples, research, and metrics, this essential guide provides readers with a system for ensuring that their people are more valuable this year than the last.