Comparison of Human Resource Management Practices in China and South Africa

The essay discusses the importance of human resource management (HRM) in organisations and its practices. It highlights that HRM plays a crucial role in an organisation's success and is influenced by various factors such as culture, economy, and legal aspects. The essay also presents a comparative study of HRM practices between China and South Africa, with a focus on the role of government support and analysis in setting policies for businesses.

Human Resource
Management

Table of Contents
3.Factors which influence HRM practice....................................................................................3
Essay on Human resource Management in an International Context ............................................1
1. HRM practices .......................................................................................................................1
2. Practices in China and South Africa ......................................................................................2
3.Factors which influence HRM practice....................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

Illustration Index
Illustration 1: External factor which affect HR practises.................................................................4

Essay on Human resource Management in an International Context
In every organisation, human resource management plays and important role because it is
type of strategic function which is mainly concerned with the consequences and outcomes of
organisational decisions. In present time, globalisation of business is continuously growing
which results in increasing the intense competition among companies at both domestic and
international level (Boxalland Purcell, 2011). Due to this reason, competitive human resource
management is essentially required in organisation to gain the competitive advantages
effectively. In this context, organisational decisions are related to productivity and well being of
human resources and entire work place.
The term international human resource management is about procuring allocating and
utilizing the human resources effectively in respect to multinational company. It is also
concerned with the problems of human resources of multinational firms. In this context, it can
also be defined that IHRM is related to the relationship between foreign environment in which
firm operates its business and their human resource activities (Roberts, 2010). The main aim of
present essay is to consider the practices of international human resource management. For this
purpose two countries China and South Africa are considered. The essay will help in
understanding the HRM practices in both countries.
1. HRM practices
In present time period, market of corporate world is becoming competitive and unstable
in nature. In this context, to gain the competitive advantage, all business units are moving
towards the innovative sources with the help of human resource practices. In organisations
effective HRM practices are necessarily required because it develops, attracts, motivate and
retain the employees effectively (Chang, 2010). It is also considered as a group of internally
consistent policies which are designed and implemented at workplace to ensure that human
resources of firm are effectively contribute in attaining the strategic objectives and goals of
organisation. So, it is evaluated that HRM practices are related to formal policies, specific
philosophies that are created to mange and utilize the capabilities of human resources in effective
manner. Its practices are related to recruitment, selection, training & development, performance
appraisal and compensation, remuneration in organisation (Varma and Budhwar, 2013). Due to
the development of multinational enterprises and growth of international business operations,
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occurs the need of IHRM. In international business process of procuring, allocating and utilizing
the skills, ideas and plans of human resources is known as international human resource
management (Bratton and Gold, 2012). The main motive of IHRM is to enable the firm to
become successful globally. It can be concluded that it is type of a distinctive approach for
management of employment in efficient manner in order to attain strategic objectives. In addition
to this it is evaluated that cultural characteristics of nation also affects the policies and practices
of human resource management in organisation. Ion respect to implement the HRM
practices in organisation many aspects such as legal, political, economic and gender gives impact
on this (Varma and Budhwar, 2013).
2. Practices in China and South Africa
The practices of human resources
management in the China are directly affected by their culture values. In this context, China is
most concern about giving more responsibilities to the human resources so that objectives can be
attained effectively. In this context, business system of Chinese organisation is highly
hierarchical and centralised (CHUANG and Liao, 2010). This type of business is with the
presence of formalised governance authority. The HRM practices of China are much better as
compare to South Africa. The reason is related to that scarcity of talented and skilled people. In
China, people are more educated as compare to South Africa. The management styles of both
countries also varies because South Africa uses the traditional methods in respect to process of
decision making and leadership styles (Bratton and Gold, 2012).. In respect to HRM practices, in
present time China is more focused on providing training to employees. In contrast to this,
training practices are still very slow in which affects the performance of employees. The human
resources practice of South Africa is also affected by the language difference, values of religions
and education qualification. Due to scarcity of talent and lack of knowledge have become the
major challenges in front of HRM practices of South Africa (Dessler, 2016). The cultural and
institutional influences are present on the managing practices of human resources. In addition to
this, managing healthy relationship is among employees and stakeholder is also concluded in the
HRM practise. In this context, healthy relationship between employee and employer is very
critical because in economy of South Africa, relation are critical to stable and sustain for the
development. In addition to this, lack of internal manpower and complexity in climate of
business also act as a challenge at the time of formulating the human resource management
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practices (Bratton and Gold, 2012). Along with this, China has the power of advancement in
technology which makes the HRM practices more effective. In addition to this, management has
the power in respect to taking the decisions, the senior employees and higher authorities are
responsible to take the important managerial decisions in South Africa whereas, in China at the
time of taking the decisions, higher authorities and supervisor allows their sub ordinates to
participate in the decision making process (Pool and Sewell, 2007). In addition, process of
recruitment is also an important practice of management in organisation. The process of
recruitment in South Africa is selectively done. With the help of awareness about technology
and managerial models and techniques, employees who are working in China are capable to
carry out their own self evaluation which helps them to measure their learning capabilities. It is
explored that practices of human resources are also affected by the few factors like technology,
demographic conditions, political etc. aspects (Swider, Boswell and Zimmerman, 2011).
3.Factors which influence HRM practice
Success of organisation is based on how company use their strategies. For better
development human resources time to time provide a competitive environment report. Some time
human resources managers also need help to understand the different culture of countries. For
better development it is important for company to understand the factors which affect
organisation human resources practises (Shuck, Reio and Rocco, 2011). There are some factors
which are explained as follows;
For better efficiency organisation divided HR practises into two parts, first one is internal
and the second one is external factors (Pool and Sewell, 2007).
Impact of internal factors on HR practises
Senior leadership- All polices of HR department is based on senior management decision
or order. In China senior authority do not give this chance to human resource management and
the reason behind this is they think that HR department are not having too much knowledge of
finance and budget. So they are not able to take decision or planning. Moreover, South Africa do
not follow this structure, they involved their all team members and human resources team in
planning (Swider, Boswell and Zimmerman, 2011). The main reason behind this is by involving
all team build the trust power among all employees. In other hand, when all head department are
not present and company need some planning for development so other department and human
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resources know how to make a planning for the company (Swider, Boswell and Zimmerman,
2011).
Technology- By using all latest technology China speeds up their business and also raise
their profit. China is the king of technology so in recruitment and training time they use all
innovative and latest techniques. So by this, they save their time and beat the competitive
environment (Tams, 2008). Further, South Africa is slow as compare to china so in these factors
sometime company suffering from losses. The main reason behind this is firm HR department
spend their lots of time in training section and recruitment process (Swider, Boswell and
Zimmerman, 2011).
Employees loyalty- In 21st century employees loyalty for company is based on how
organisation treat them and how much their mangers pay them. So in China pay structure is
based on the working hours of workers (Dessler, 2016). Moreover, in South Africa employee
show their loyalty by their behaviour. So their HR department change their policy and use open
door policy for them. It means all workers are free to show their views and ides to each other and
head department.
Impact of external factors on HR practises
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I
llustration 1: External factor which affect HR
practises
Sources : (Factors Affecting Global HR
Management , 2016)

Economic factors- This factor put their impact on HRM practises directly or indirectly
because country economic conditions are directly link labour market and their supply (Factors
Affecting Global HR Management, 2016). So this thing put their impact on recruitment and
selection process. For example, China communism is based on economic approach so for better
development managers using unemployment and lay-off for reducing the impact of government
policies. Further, in South Africa people are ready for work but there are no job opportunities for
them. So they all do field work and maintain the condition of their country (Swider, Boswell and
Zimmerman, 2011).
Culture factors- This factor represent the cons-en of country toward HR management. In
China people do not like to do their work in team they all believe in their single thoughts. So
their companies do not follow leadership and team structure. In South Africa people are always
ready for each other (Teare and et.al., 2011). So their HR department believe in team work rather
than individual work. The reason behind this is when people do their work in team so they raise
their knowledge and also build trust power among them. For better development it is important
for HR manage to put their practises as per employees culture. For better effectiveness human
resources time to time take a feedback from their employees and according to their review
change their management strategies (Factors Affecting Global HR Management , 2016).
Political factor- Every country have their rules and regulation and it is important for
organisation to follow their factors. The legal and political system of South Africa is turbulent. It
means all organisation and their department follow some standard format. This format explains
all working condition and the power structure of organisation (Boxalland Purcell, 2011). When
HR department make some practises so first they follow the guideline of structure and according
to list they complete their work. Further, in china the government is very supportive for their
business partners. There HR department also follow standard formant but the main difference in
this country is government first analysis the business structure, their need and desire and
according to need government set their policies and rules for the company (Factors Affecting
Global HR Management , 2016).
CONCLUSION
With the help of present essay it is articulated that human resource management and its
practices and policies plays and important role in organisation. The factors such as culture,
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economy and legal aspects affects the practices. The essay describes the comparative study of
human resource management practice in China and South Africa.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
Boxall, P. and Purcell, J., 2011. Strategy and human resource management. Palgrave Macmillan.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., 2012. Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave
Macmillan.
Chang, H. J., 2010. How to ‘do’a developmental state: political, organisational and human
resource requirements for the developmental state. Constructing a democratic
developmental state in South Africa: Potentials and challenges. pp.82-96.
CHUANG, C. H. and Liao, H.U.I., 2010. Strategic human resource management in service
context: Taking care of business by taking care of employees and customers. Personnel
Psychology. 63(1). pp.153-196.
Dessler, G., 2016. Human resource management. Prentice Hall.
Pool, L. D. and Sewell, P., 2007. The key to employability: developing a practical model of
graduate employability. Education + Training. 49(4). pp. 277–289.
Roberts, D., 2010. Prioritizing climate change adaptation and local level resilience in Durban,
South Africa. Environment and Urbanization. 22(2). pp.397-413.
Shuck, B., Reio Jr, T. G. and Rocco, T.S., 2011. Employee engagement: An examination of
antecedent and outcome variables. Human resource development international. 14(4).
pp.427-445.
Swider, B. W., Boswell, W. R. and Zimmerman, R. D., 2011. Examining the job search–turnover
relationship: The role of embeddedness, job satisfaction, and available alternatives. Journal
of applied psychology. 96(2). p.432.
Tams, S., 2008. Self-directed social learning: the role of individual differences. Journal of
Management Development. 27(2). pp.196 – 213.
Teare, R. and et.al., 2011. The role of action learning in personal, professional and business
development. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes. 3(1). pp. 60–65.
Varma, A. and Budhwar, P. S., 2013. Managing human resources in Asia-Pacific (Vol. 20).
Routledge.
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Online
Factors Affecting Global HR Management . 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.whatishumanresource.com/factors-affecting-global-hr-management>.
[Accessed on 18nd April 2016].
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