15 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Case study analysis of KiwiJewel
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Answer to Question 1
Traditional theme based designs for the jewelleries enabled KiwiJewel to enhance
the reputation. Using high quality gems and stones acted as an agent towards luring large
number of clients and customers. Hiring new group of designers upgraded the standards
and quality of the jewelleries. This innovation paved the way for accumulating greater market
share (Bratton & Gold, 2017). In this context, mention can be made of the product
diversification and differentiation strategies for penetrating into the international markets of
UK, South East Asia. However, the central HRM functions were operated in the local
headquarters of New Zealand. Reference can also be cited of the changes in the recruitment
and selection policies, which seemed to be effective for the catering to the issues language
and cultural issues. With the improvisations in the expansion strategies, KiwiJewel
accumulated the market shares of ASEAN countries, Australia and that of US. Cheap labour
was one of the targets, which resulted in the acquisition of the markets of Oceania and
Thailand. In this process, Bailey et al., (2018) states that the control over the global retailing
network was high. Local expatriates were hired for maintaining the stability in the supply
chain network.
Continuous improvements strategies were developed by the managers for
improvising on the standards and quality of the operations. Here, EPRG model can be
considered for understanding the dynamics, which prevails in the workplace practices of
KiwiJewel. High pressure in the financial sector of Oceania aggravated the challenges in
retaining the existing level of revenues. As a result of this, there was a pool of difficulties in
producing effective quality jewelleries for the clients and customers at competitive prices.
Outsourcing and offshoring of the activities increased the scope and arena of the business,
especially the supply chain network. This aspects of offshoring and outsourcing
conglomerates all of the aspects of culture, finance, strategy, marketing and personnel
practice, which are the crucial components of EPRG model (Sparrow, Brewster & Chung,
2016). It is the responsibility of the personnel to expose appropriate approach towards
catering to the needs of the customers through the preservation of culture. Exposing
geocentric approach is beneficial for KiwiJewel in terms of globalizing the operations.
In the process of discussions, the IHRM director played the role of advisor, which
helped in undertaking effective decisions for the betterment of KiwiJewel’s productivity. One
of the interesting aspects was the launch of layoffs, which helped in upgrading the standards
of pay package for the employees. Here, there was a drastic transformation in the integration
of the new employees into the company. Marchington et al. (2016) is of the view that
Decentralization of the HRM functions upgraded the standards of the HRM policies,

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especially for the selection and recruitment. The local managers ensured that there is
enough fairness and transparency in the formulation of the policies regarding retention,
development, employee termination and others. The managers of KiwiJewel ensures that
frameworks and guidelines are followed for developing the policies. These approaches can
be considered as relevant to the strategic parameter of the EPRG model, where the main
aspects are global integration and national responsiveness.
Lack of integration resulted in the acquisition of 180 degree performance
management software in the workplace of KiwiJewel. This software seemed to be effective
for preparing the employees, driving their performance towards professionalism. One of the
negative aspects in this context is that the employees lacked skills to express themselves.
Annual job satisfaction report reflected deficiencies in the idea generation. According to the
arguments of Brewster et al., (2016), using support measurement system can be considered
as one of the personnel practice, which exposes geocentric approach towards developing
the best practices for the candidates to invest their talents in the services of the company,
KiwiJewel. One of the components of the mind-set in the EPRG model is that of strategy,
which encountered several changes in the case of the performance management.
Discrepancies were there in the capability of the personnel in terms of monitoring the
performance of the employees. Local subsidiaries were encouraged for using the
performance management feedback systems and job satisfaction surveys.
New initiatives regarding compensation and benefits for the employees reflects the
use of Lewin’s change management model. Unfreezing was done for the seniority based
system and fixed salary were ruled out. Geocentric and strategic approach was reflected
from the consideration of upgrading the unity and coordination through the creation of
competent and efficient workforce (Delery & Roumpi, 2017). Imbibing technology in the
performance of the local managers enhanced the competencies, skills and abilities of the
local managers. New initiatives regarding skill development relates to the exposure of
ethnocentric approach towards providing equal opportunities to the candidates for enhancing
their professional career.
Delving deep into the strategic management of KiwiJewel, it can be considered that
the management revolves around the recruitment and performance management of the
candidates. Propositions of alterations in the performance management systems is a means
for achieving infrastructural development through the means of digitalization. Outsourcing
and offshoring are the agents, which are directly related to the geocentric approach towards
strategizing the operations. Redistribution of the jewelleries according to the geographical
segmentation acts as an agent in terms of attaining financial flexibility (Rees & Smith, 2017).

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Global integration and national responsiveness are the components, which relates to the
usual functions of the transactions. The medium in this context is the advertisements, which
is a kind of direct marketing for expanding the customer rates. Gaining control over the
global retail network relates to the strategic management through the means of finance and
marketing. The approach in this context is that of polycentric, where the goal is to assess the
response of the customers towards the levied products and services.
Variation and decentralization of the HRM practices in case of the KiwiJewel reflects
the functional structure. In this context, the advisors play an important role in the decision
making process regarding the formulation of the decisions regarding recruitment and
selection, retention and termination. Five years ago, the recruitment and selection strategy
related to international employees from each of the companies operating. As stated by Mone
and London, (2018), this management can be considered as catering to the parent as well
as the host country nationals. New employees were acquired and integrated within the
workplace environment, which makes parent country nationals as the target market. In this
context, the management is that of international, which globalizes the operations through the
means of offshoring and outsourcing.
Unfreezing stage can be considered as the expansion of the polycentric approach
toward expanding the scope and arena of the business. Theoretical consideration towards
performance management seemed to be effective for catering to the skill development of the
employees. Frameworks and guidelines were followed for the formulation of the policies,
which provided a better shape to the operations. Shifting the focus on the compensatory
benefits is a planned and reasoned action of KiwiJewel in terms of catering to the needs,
demands and requirements of the personnel. Here, DeNis and Murphy, (2017) states that
model of effective performance management process can be related as it helps in evaluating
the effectiveness of the global performance based pay system in terms of equipping the
employees with all of the necessary resources.
Performance Planning and Evaluation (PPE) System can be an effective means for
measuring the feasibility towards reducing the complexities in the provision of providing
compensatory benefits to the employees. Reluctance towards providing the critique reflects
the complexities in assessing the annual strategic performance rates.
Answer to Question 2
Lack of integration was a crucial challenge in the implementation of the 180 degree
performance management software. Along with this, the employees did not produce
critiques, which was also a major challenge, it lacked the goals for the individuals and the
team members (Cappelli & Tavis, 2016). Here, there were resistances towards shifting from