An Introduction to Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice

Citation

Rowley, C. (2002), "An Introduction to Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice", Personnel Review, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 755-757. https://doi.org/10.1108/pr.2002.31.6.755.1

We live in a world of an increasing volume of books on HRM written explicitly as texts. In itself, this is no bad thing for those who are caught in the “twilight world” of teaching while being increasingly monitored by panoptican‐like organisations and the Research Assessment Exercise that is now academia’s lot. It is in this context that this new book has appeared. Its 12 chapters are grouped in six parts. These are: Context, Content and Debate (characteristics of HRM; strategic HRM); Planning, Recruitment and Selection; Information Provision (communication and employee involvement; technology, information and knowledge management); Employee Relationships and Essential Employment Law; Developing the Workforce (rewards and remuneration; employee development and performance management); Contemporary Concerns (key issues: globalisation, ethics and workplace diversity; HRM in an international context). There is a plethora of pedagogical features that we have grown increasingly used to in such teaching books. These include, for each chapter, learning outcomes, framework case study, activity, points to ponder, scenarios (case vignettes), summaries, case studies and questions, self‐test questions, class discussion questions and projects, recommended reading, resource locators, running margin glossaries, thematic cross‐referencing, along with end‐of‐part case studies and questions. This is supported by support materials – irritatingly not sent.

There are several general and specific minor and more major problems with this text. I was increasingly irritated by the running glossary, as this is often of inane terms and which goes too far. For example, do we really need to tell readers what “recession”, etc., mean? The text’s focus and perspective needs to be noted, as this impacts on its coverage and content, and challenged. This revolves around at least two areas: the overly and one‐sided OB and unitary and managerialist biases and flavour. Thus, some of the fatuous assertions need to be questioned. For example, that HRM is not dissimilar to OB as it is concerned with individual members of organisations (p. 5, p. 25). This is an anaemic view of HRM, which is much wider and richer, not least with its collective side. Similarly, business perspectives on arguments are simply and naively replicated. For instance, that “regulations” are “burdens”, or employment legislation “… can cause complications for companies” (p. 368), while employment tribunals “… deal with minor bureaucratic issues …” (p. 291). These are poor and patronising views and simply not good enough. They do not grasp the other sides to positions, not least the role in quality and value added routes to success. Therefore, it may be expected that topics, such as trade unions are covered in just 12 lines (p. 82), with four of these on what a union “is”, weaknesses that are even more stark when compared to coverage of tangential fashion areas, such as “business process re‐engineering” (one side).

This bias and undertone occurs throughout the text. Thus, Chapter 2 covers “strategy” too much on a stand‐alone basis and not clearly or explicitly enough in relation to HRM. Chapter 5 is far too OB biased and lengthily covers “communication” (pp. 214‐55). Chapter 6 is not really relevant in such detail (pp. 263‐316), covering areas such as ergonomics, IT and organisational structure. Chapter 7 has an odd fetish on trying to pin down what an “employee” is, while the psychological contract, justice and loyalty sections are peripheral to this chapter’s title, and while partnership has more relevance, it is not to the degree intimated here. Furthermore, here was the weakest “case” I have read for sometime – especially as it had little to do with the chapter’s title. Chapter 9 was again far too OB biased on motivation (pp. 440‐58), again glaringly so when compared with the coverage of profit‐related pay in just 24 lines. The same occurs with Chapter 10 and all the detail on “learning” and the “learning organisation” (pp. 519‐66), while appraisal was skimmed over (pp. 572‐8). Also, what about critical impacts on appraisals, as via national cultures? Chapters 11 and 12 were wasted opportunities. The globalisation section offered some potential, but this was unfulfilled as it took a long time (pp. 595‐618) before it got on to HRM and then covered it in just two sides. The works cited on “life cycles” (from 1972 and 1983) do not do justice to work in the 1950s by Penrose, Kuznets and others. The text finally gets onto some comparisons, but this is short and weak. In fact the final paragraph (p. 693), is the best in the text.

In short, there is bias and unfulfilled promise with this text. It is more an OB book in disguise and does a disservice to HRM. Therefore, I have difficulty in recommending it for readers of the journal, libraries or HRM reading lists.