Human Resource Theory and Business Organizations

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE THEORY AND PRACTICE
HUMAN RESOURCE THEORY AND PRACTICE
Name of the student
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Annotated Bibliography
Annotation 1
Ehnert, I., Harry, W., & Zink, K. J. (2014). Sustainability and HRM. In Sustainability
and human resource management (pp. 3-32). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Summary
The authors of the article have highlighted the relation between Human Resource
Management activities adopted by business organizations and the development of sustainable
business organizations. In this regard, the authors have contributed in analyzing the ways in
which Human Resource Management plays an integral role in developing sustainable
working conditions in business environments. The empirical and conceptual research
undertaken by the authors have helped in the provision of evidence pertaining to the
development of effective Human Resource Management Systems that are sustainable in
nature, thereby aiding in the understanding of the interrelationships and codependence among
economic, social, ecological and human sustainability. The authors have explained the
concept of sustainable Human Resource Management as the manner in which sustainability
can be incorporated within the management of people working within the scope of a business
organization. The importance of such sustainability has been identified to be the maintenance
of health and safety of the employees, retention of talent, supporting of work-life balance,
fostering of social responsibility towards the employees and other members of the
organization and enhancing the trust and loyalty of the employees towards the employers.
Evaluation
The researchers have developed the findings and analysis of the issues of sustainable
practices in Human Resource Management systems through the collection of qualitative and

2HUMAN RESOURCE THEORY AND PRACTICE
quantitative data from various cultural contexts. In this regard, the researchers have
incorporated in their study, an extensive discussion about whether the rich and more
developed countries have displayed a significantly larger amount of sustainability in their
human resource management practices. Some of the determining factors that have been
identified which affect the level and amount of sustainability adopted in the business
practices include competitiveness among the employees and other members of the
organization as well as the conditions of the workplace that are being provided to the
employees. It has been discussed by the authors of the article that the incorporation of
sustainability in human resource management activities can be quite demanding if observed
from the perspective of a global dimension. However, such sustainability is essential in order
to essential that the employees and other members of the organization are able to optimize
their performance and productivity thereby ultimately benefitting the business operations of
the organization.
Reflection
On an evaluation of the discussion provided by the authors of the mentioned article, it
can be deduced that sustainability in business practices as well as the management of human
resources has become an essential aspect of successful business operations. As explained by
the authors of the article, sustainability in human resource management in terms of
maintenance of the relationship between the employees and the employers can be categorized
as being long term oriented, impact control oriented, self sustaining and substance oriented,
partnership oriented and paradox oriented. The observations made in all the above mentioned
aspects provides a clear understanding about sustainability of human resource management in
terms of practices as well as strategies adopted by various business organizations throughout
the world.