Prelims

Half Title Page

Human Resource Management

Endorsements

Dr Vic Benuyenah's captivating exploration of HR management draws from diverse examples across the globe, including the GCC, Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. Vic's pragmatic approach employs rationality to tackle various HR challenges, making it an engaging read for both managers and students, regardless of their background in HR. This book offers valuable insights and practical solutions to navigate the complexities of HRM effectively.

― Assoc. Prof Mona Mustafa – Programme Director, MSc HRM, University of Birmingham Dubai

This book revolutionizes the approach to HRM by seamlessly integrating practical HR aspects, harnessing the power of data analytics, and expanding the horizons of traditional HR practices. Dr. Benuyenah skillfully presents a plethora of managerial takeaways, encouraging readers to delve deeper and think critically about the dynamic field of HR. A must-read for anyone seeking innovative insights into modern HR management.

― Professor Louise Patterson – Thompson Rivers University, Canada

“Human Resources Management: Rationalizing Managerial Decisions” by Prof. Vic Benuyenah offers invaluable insights into the complex world of HRM. With a blend of theory and practical applications, Benuyenah navigates readers through key HRM concepts, providing clear rationales behind strategic decisions. This book is a must-read for HR professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of HRM practices and make informed decisions that drive organizational success.

― Dr Hector Iweka – Vice President of Academic and Workforce Education, NHTI, Concord's Community College, USA

Title Page

Human Resource Management

Rationalising Managerial Decisions

By

Vic Benuyenah

University of Birmingham, UAE

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Emerald Publishing, Floor 5, Northspring, 21-23 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 4DL

First edition 2024

Copyright © 2024 Vic Benuyenah.

Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

Reprints and permissions service

Contact: www.copyright.com

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters' suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83797-674-4 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83797-673-7 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83797-675-1 (Epub)

List of Figures and Tables

Preface

Human capital is vital to the success of every organisation since people are often considered the most critical asset that holds other factors of production together. Managerial decisions are at the apogee of all productive endeavours and can sustainably promote organisational success. If decisions are made irrationally, they tend to produce suboptimal outcomes, and people and profit can suffer because of such erroneous choices. The Human Resource (HR) function supports managerial decisions and is vital to the organisation's survival. As a large part of the global economy is gradually becoming more knowledge-based, decisions regarding hiring the right people through to releasing them are increasingly crucial for all organisations seeking to succeed in the ever-changing business world.

In this book, a rational decision approach to Human Resource Management (HRM) is introduced. The book offers an opportunity to generate interdisciplinary discussion on critical issues pertinent to the day-to-day decisions made by the HR practitioner. The book revisits the most fundamental concepts in HRM by analysing their contemporary applications in modern organisations. A key feature of the book is the decision-making scenarios presented in the form of models and tables to help readers rationalise choices made by organisations and managers.

A considerably large part of the book is devoted to Chapters 1 and 2. The first chapter discusses trends in data analytics and how they apply to HR. Chapter 2 delves into the critical function of recruitment and selection and dedicates a considerable amount of the book's volume to it as it is the gatekeeper function of the HR journey and a critical element of any organisation seeking to attract and choose the best talents. Chapters 3–5 are comparatively shorter but equally crucial to discussing HRM decisions and outcomes. While traditional HRM theories are retained, Chapter 6 introduces the concept of retain–release decisions as a critical feature of HRM function that considers decisions about attrition, employee separation and retention.

Abstract

This book consists of six succinct chapters aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of human resources concepts and their practical implementation. The book approaches the field of HR by emphasising the importance of data in business decision-making and relating this to the crucial role of data analytics in HR strategy. It presents key concepts such as recruitment and selection, training, organisational learning, performance management, compensation and benefits in a clear and easily understandable format suitable for managers of all levels of experience across various industries and locations, as well as for students embarking on undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) HRM courses. A final chapter on ‘Retain-Release Decisions’ introduces the critical aspects of voluntary and involuntary employee separations, as well as the rationale behind retaining loyal employees. An integral feature of the book is the inclusion of ‘managerial takeaways’ at the end of each section, encouraging readers to engage with critical decisions and their underlying reasoning.