Role of HR Professionals in Mitigating Labor Crisis in Australian Mining Industry

This article analyzes the role of HR professionals in mitigating the labor crisis in the Australian mining industry through effective decision making, community engagement, and employee engagement. The article offers insights into the use of constructs like SHRM, AHP, and GSCM for enhancing job productivity.

Running head: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Managing Human Resources
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Article 1:
Full reference of the article:
Bakker, R. M., & Shepherd, D. A. (2017). Pull the plug or take the plunge: Multiple
opportunities and the speed of venturing decisions in the Australian mining
industry. Academy of Management Journal, 60(1), 130-155. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2013.1165
Objective and research question:
The aim of the authors Bakker and Shepherd in this article try to analyze the role of
human resource management teams in the particular context of the Australian mining
industry. The authors are of the viewpoint that one of the most important job roles that the
HR professionals perform within the mining industry of Australia is that of recruitment and
selection. The primary research question that the authors have selected in the article under
discussion is “To understand the degree to which the decision making abilities of the HR
professionals in the recruitment and selection process affect the prospects of Australian
mining organizations”.
Method:
The authors for the completion of this article collected “unique data on 3,269 mineral
exploration ventures in the Australian mining industry”. These data or information were
analyzed through the use of quantitative data analysis technique and at the same time review
of the past literature related to the topic under discussion here was also conducted by the
authors for the effective analysis of the research question.

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Findings and discussion
Bakker and Shepherd after an analysis of the primary as well as the secondary data
which were collected by them state that the HR professionals need to understand the
opportunities offered by the local labor markets and on the basis of this they need to take the
help of effective decision making process for the selection of the right kind of candidates.
More importantly, the authors at the same time found that the HR professionals for the
effective utilization of the opportunities offered by the local domestic labor market need to
take the help of different kinds of strategies like e-recruitment, skill analysis and others for
the selection of the right kind of employees. In this regard, the authors state that one of the
major challenges that the various Australian organizations related to the mining sector is the
dearth of skilled labors who are available to them. For the mitigation of this threat the authors
states that “firms are not necessarily fast or slow regarding all the decisions they make, and
by offering an opportunity-evaluation framework that recognizes that decision makers can—
in fact, often do—pursue multiple potential opportunities simultaneously”. Thus, it can be
said that the HR professionals can mitigate the adverse effects of the labor crisis through
effective decision making regarding the strategies that they use for recruitment and also the
kind of candidates that they hire.
Conclusion
The authors conclude that through the effective use of the process of recruitment and
selection and also the effective utilization of the different kinds of recruitment opportunities
that are available to them the HR professionals can resolve the labor issues that they are
currently facing in an effective manner.

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How this article will contribute to my Essay 3
I personally believe that this will be an important source for the Essay 3 which I
would be required to complete in January. For example, the article under discussion here is
completely relevant to the topic which I have selected, that is, the role of the HR
professionals within the framework of the Australian mining industry and also the manner in
which the HR professionals can address the issue of labor crisis through effective decision
making. Furthermore, the article is a credible source, being published in the “Academy of
Management Journal” in the year 2017. More importantly, the authors objectively argue on
both sides of the argument and offers extensive information related to the concept of
recruitment and selection process in the mining industry.
Article 2:
Full reference of the article:
Moffat, K., & Zhang, A. (2014). The paths to social licence to operate: An integrative model
explaining community acceptance of mining. Resources Policy, 39, 61-70. Retrieved
from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.11.003
Objective and research question:
The aim of the authors Moffat and Zhang in this article is to analyze the manner in
which the HR professionals related to the different Australian mining organizations can not
only eradicate the stigma that the employees related to these organizations had to face but at
the same time increase their human capital. The major research question that the authors try
to explore in the article under discussion here is “To what extent community acceptance of
individuals related to the mining industry can resolve the labor issues that the organizations
related to the Australian mining industry are currently facing”.

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Method:
The authors for the completion of the article under discussion here conducted survey
with the various individuals related to the Australian mining industry so as to collect the
necessary data or information. The authors thus take the help of the quantitative data analysis
method for the analysis of the information that they had collected through surveys. Along
with this some of the community members were also interviewed so as to understand the
attitude of the people towards the individuals who are working in the mining industry of
Australia. More importantly, past literature related to the HR practices in the mining industry
were also taken into effective consideration for the completion of the article.
Findings and discussion
The authors during the course of completion of the article found that one of the major
reasons which deterred the individuals from working in the mining industry and the one
which contributed in a substantial manner towards the labor crisis that the organizations
related to the mining faced was the stigma that these individuals has to face. In this regard, it
needs to be said that since the traditional times the human society or community has looked
down upon the individuals who work in the mining industry because of the hard physical
labor that the employees in these mining organizations needed to perform. The authors thus
come to the conclusion that one of the best possible measures that the HR professionals can
use for overcoming the labor issues that they are facing currently is to change the attitude of
the community or the society towards the employees in the mining industry. The findings of
the authors thus reveal that “fair treatment and high-quality engagement of mining companies
with communities, alongside mitigation of operational impacts, in securing and holding a
social licence to operate” can help the HR professionals to overcome the challenges like labor
crisis, high employment turnover rate and others that they are facing.

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Conclusion
The authors conclude by saying that the use of this method would not only help the
HR professionals to reduce the high level of stigma as well as discrimination that the
employees related to the mining industry had to face but would at the same time help the HR
professionals to recruit individuals from the local communities as well.
How this article will contribute to my Essay 3
I am of the viewpoint that this would serve as an important source for my Essay 3
since it offers an insight into the manner in which the HR professionals can not only reduce
the stigma faced by the employees in the mining industry but at the same time resolve the
labor issues faced by them as well through effective engagement and also fair treatment. This
article published in the journal “Resources Policy” in 2014 is a completely relevant one for
the topic which I have selected. More importantly, the authors have objectively explored the
research question that they have selected in the article to shed light on the manner in which
the HR professionals can overcome the labor issues in the Australian mining industry. It is on
the basis of these factors that I have selected this article for the completion of this
assignment.
Article 3:
Full reference of the article:
Shen, L., Muduli, K., & Barve, A. (2015). Developing a sustainable development framework
in the context of mining industries: AHP approach. Resources Policy, 46, 15-26.
Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.10.006

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Objective and research question:
The aim of the authors Shen, Muduli and Barve in this article is to analyze the manner
in which the construct of strategic human resource management (SHRM) can be used by the
different organizations related to the Australian mining industry to enhance the job
productivity of the employees. The research question that the authors have used in the article
under discussion here is “To what extent the effective use of SHRM can help the Australian
mining organizations to improve the job productivity of the employees”.
Method
The authors for the collection of the required data that was needed for the completion
of the article under discussion here conducted surveys with employees related to the Indian
mining industry and also the Australian mining industry. Furthermore, for the analysis of
these data or information the authors took the help of the quantitative data analysis method
and also the theories as well as concepts propounded in the various past literature.
Findings and Discussion
Shen, Muduli and Barve found that the various organizations related to the Australian
mining industry can enhance the job productivity of the different employees through the
effective use of the constructs of SHRM and Analytic hierarchy process (AHP). However, for
the effective utilization of these two constructs the organizations related to the Australian
mining industry would have to strategically align the individual goals or objectives of the
different employees with the overall strategic goals or objectives of the organization itself. In
addition to this, the effective use of green supply chain management (GSCM) can also
enhance the job productivity of the different employees related to these organizations in a
substantial manner. Thus, the major findings of the authors state that the HR professionals so
as to mitigate the adverse effects of the challenges that they are currently facing can take the

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help of the processes of “’appropriate implementation approach’ and ‘continuous
improvement’”.
Conclusion
The authors conclude by saying that for the effective use of these constructs the
different HR professionals related to these industries would play a pivotal role since they
would have to take the onus for the effective use as well as implementation of these
constructs within the framework of the concerned organization.
How this article will contribute to my Essay 3
This will be an important resource for my Essay 3 assignment this article gives an
overview of the manner in which the different organizations related to the Australian mining
industry can utilize the constructs of SHRM, AHP, GSCM and others in an effective manner
for the enhancement of the job productivity of the employees. More importantly, this article
published in 2015 in the journal “Resources Policy” is a relevant as well as reliable source for
the essay which I will be completing later on. Furthermore, the authors in the article under
discussion here have objectively argued on both sides of the use of SHRM, AHP, GSCM and
others within the framework of the different Australian mining organizations.
Article 4:
Full reference of the article:
Moran, C. J., Lodhia, S., Kunz, N. C., & Huisingh, D. (2014). Sustainability in mining,
minerals and energy: new processes, pathways and human interactions for a
cautiously optimistic future. Journal of Cleaner Production, 84, 1-15. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.016

8MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Objective and research question
The aim of the authors Moran et al. in this article is to analyze the manner in which
the effective use of the construct of employee engagement by the HR professionals related to
the different Australian mining organizations can enhance the performance level of the
employees in a substantial manner. The research question which forms the fulcrum point of
the entire research work is “To what degree the construct of employee engagement can
enhance the job productivity of the employees related to the Australian mining industry”.
Method
The authors for the collection of the relevant information which were needed for the
completion of this article conducted surveys with different employees related to the
Australian mining industry. In addition to this, some of the HR professionals related to these
organizations were also interviewed and this data or information along with the ones derived
from the surveys was used for the completion of the article. Thus, the authors for the effective
analysis of the data or the information that they have gathered took the help of the
quantitative data analysis method.
Findings and Discussion
Moran et al. found that the construct of employee engagement had a positive impact
on the job productivity of the different employees related to the Australian mining industry.
More importantly, they found that the organizations which took the help of this construct
were able to foster a positive or congenial workplace culture wherein the employees were
able to perform as per their maximum potential. Furthermore, the authors also found that in
the organizations which had a high level of employee engagement the employees were able to
learn new kinds of skill sets which help them to complete the job roles or tasks that were
delegated to them in a much effective manner. However, the authors at the same time argue

9MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
the fact that for an effective utilization of this tool the HR professionals would have to play a
key and foster the kind of environment within the workplace wherein the different employees
would feel comfortable to interact with the other employees or their colleagues. The authors
thus state that the HR professionals in order to mitigate the adverse effects of the challenges
that they are facing can take the help of the processes of “sustainability agenda of the
minerals and energy supply and demand network: an integrative analysis of ecological,
ethical, economic, and technological dimensions” and others.
Conclusion
The authors come to the conclusion that the construct of employee engagement is an
important which the HR professionals related to the different Australian mining organizations
can utilize in an effective manner for the enhancement of the performance of the employees.
How this article will contribute to my Essay 3
This article will be an important source for my Essay 3 assignment because of the fact
that it offers valuable information regarding the tool of employee engagement and also the
manner in which the HR professionals related to the different Australian mining
organizations can use it for the enhancement of the performance of the employees. The article
published in the journal “Journal of Cleaner Production” in 2014 is a credible source which
will help in the completion of my next assignment. Furthermore, it is seen that the authors in
the article have discussed both the positive and the negative aspects of the usage of the
construct of employee engagement by the HR professionals of different Australian mining
organizations. In addition to this, it is seen that the authors have objectively argued regarding
the effectiveness of the tool of employee engagement and also the manner in which this tool
can be used by the different mining organizations for the enhancement of the performance
level of the employees.

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Article 5:
Full reference of the article:
Amponsah-Tawiah, K., & Mensah, J. (2016). Occupational health and safety and
organizational commitment: evidence from the Ghanaian mining industry. Safety and
Health at work, 7(3), 225-230. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.01.002
Objective and research question:
The aim of the authors Amponsah-Tawiah and Mensah in this article is to analyze the
manner in which the notions of occupational safety and health of the workers affect their job
productivity and also their commitment level towards the organization that they are working
for. More importantly, the authors at the same time have explored the manner in which the
HR professionals can enhance the safety level of the employees and thereby not only increase
their job productivity but also their commitment towards the organization as well. The lacuna
of the entire article is the research question “To what degree the factors of occupational
safety and wellbeing of the employees affect the level of their job productivity and
commitment towards the organization that they are working for”.
Method
The authors for the collection of the relevant data or information that were needed for
the completion of the article under discussion here took the help of the method of surveys. It
was with this purpose that the authors conducted cross-sectional surveys with more than 400
employees related to the different organizations of the Ghana mining industry. More
importantly, the authors at the same time also took the help of the past literature which had
been written on the research topic under discussion here. The authors for the effective

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analysis of the data that they have collected through surveys and questionnaires took the help
of the qualitative data analysis method.
Findings and Discussion
Amponsah-Tawiah and Mensah found that the job productivity of the employees
related to the Australian mining industry is directly dependent on the factors of occupational
safety and wellbeing of the employees. In this regard, it needs to be said that the mining
industry is one of the most hazardous ones of the world and the individuals related to this
particular industry had to face various kinds of occupational hazards as well as health
problems. Furthermore, the authors found that “positive and significant relationship between
occupational health and safety management, and affective, normative, and continuance
commitment” exists and thereby the HR professionals need to focus on safety as well as
wellbeing of the employees who are a part of these organizations. This will in turn increase
the job productivity of the employees and also the organizations in a substantial manner.
Conclusion
The authors conclude by saying that the results of this article can be used by the
different organizations related to the Australian mining industry for the enhancement of the
job productivity of the employees.
How this article will contribute to my Essay 3
This will serve as an important source for the completion of the Essay 3 because of
the fact that it sheds valuable light on the manner in which the factors of occupational safety
and the wellbeing of the employees affect their performance. Furthermore, I can also use the
measures that the authors state for the enhancement of the occupational safety and wellbeing
of the employees to shed more light on the job roles of the HR professionals in the Australian

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mining industry. The article published in “Safety and Health at work” in 2016 is a recent as
well as peer-reviewed one. Furthermore, it is seen that the authors have objectively argued on
both sides of the research question which have used by them for the completion of the article
under discussion here.