Impact of Inclusive HRM Practices on Clarks' Competitive Advantage

This dissertation investigates the effects of inclusive human resource management (HRM) practices on organizational performance and competitive advantages, focusing on Clarks, a British international retailer and shoe manufacturer. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, gathering in-depth qualitative data and first-hand quantitative data to identify the relationship between HRM practices and competitive advantages. The study explores various inclusive HRM practices, including teamwork, collaboration, innovation, and diversity training, and their impact on employee motivation, productivity, and retention. The findings highlight the importance of HRM strategies like cost leadership, differentiation, and focus for achieving a competitive edge. The dissertation concludes by recommending specific strategies for Clarks to enhance its HRM practices, improve organizational performance, and maintain its competitive advantage in the retail market. The report includes a literature review, research methodology, data analysis, and conclusions, along with appendices containing questionnaires.

INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF
INCLUSIVE HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN ATTINMENT
OF COMPETITIVE BENEFITS FOR CLARKS
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ABSTRACT
Main aim of this dissertation is to identify the impact of inclusive HRM practices on
organisational performance while attaining competitive advantages. Mixed methods have been
followed for attuning this purpose. With the help of qualitative data, researchers gathered in-
depth data and by using quantitative research, they gathered first hand data. Therefore, the main
findings of this research are that HRM practices are important for companies in accomplishment
of competitive advantages. Main conclusion and recommendation of this dissertation is cost-
leadership, differentiation and focus are important strategies for a company.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am thankful to my tutor who gave me a chance to conduct a dissertation on inclusive
HRM practices and its implication in attainment of competitive advantages.
I express my special thanks to my family members and friends who gave me accurate
guidance and support that helped me in successfully completing a full dissertation.
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GLOSSARY
1. Competitive edge
2. HRM- Human resource management
3. Inclusive Practice
4. Porter’s five force model
5. Porter’s generic strategy
6. Positivism philosophy
7. Probability sampling
8. Qualitative and quantitative research
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CONTENTS PAGE
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................3
GLOSSARY....................................................................................................................................4
CONTENTS PAGE.........................................................................................................................5
LIST OF TABLES...........................................................................................................................7
LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................8
LIST OF APPENDICES..................................................................................................................9
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................10
Introduction to the topic.............................................................................................................10
Background of the company......................................................................................................10
Problem statement.....................................................................................................................11
Research aim and objectives......................................................................................................11
Research questions.....................................................................................................................12
Rationale and significance.........................................................................................................12
LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................................................................................13
What are the inclusive HRM practices in context of Clarks?....................................................13
What are the effective factors that would be used by Clarks for achieving competitive edge? 15
How inclusive human resource management practices are effective in achievement of
competitive advantage?.............................................................................................................16
What are the essential strategies for human resource management in accomplishing
competitive advantage for Clarks?............................................................................................18
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................19
DATA ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................................22
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................................36
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................37
APPENDIX 1.................................................................................................................................40
Blank copy of questionnaire......................................................................................................40
APPENDIX 2.................................................................................................................................41
Completed Questionnaire..........................................................................................................41
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Knowledge regarding the inclusive practices of human resource management..............23
Table 2: Main inclusive practices of human resource management followed by Clarks..............24
Table 3: Benefits of using inclusive practices of human resource management for Clarks..........25
Table 4: Inclusive practices of human resource management facilitates Clarks in attainment of
competitive advantages..................................................................................................................26
Table 5: Determining factors of Clarks responsible for creating competitive advantage.............26
Table 6: Main functions of human resource management.............................................................28
Table 7: Human resource management play a significant part for the growth and success of
Clarks.............................................................................................................................................29
Table 8: Effective strategies for Clarks in achieving competitive advantage................................29
Table 9: Main challenges that would be faced by Clarks without the use of inclusive HRM
practices within an organisation....................................................................................................30
Table 10: Effective ways for overcoming those challenges associated with inclusive HRM
practices for Clarks........................................................................................................................31
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1..........................................................................................................................................23
Figure 2..........................................................................................................................................24
Figure 3..........................................................................................................................................25
Figure 4..........................................................................................................................................26
Figure 5..........................................................................................................................................27
Figure 6..........................................................................................................................................28
Figure 7..........................................................................................................................................29
Figure 8..........................................................................................................................................30
Figure 9..........................................................................................................................................31
Figure 10........................................................................................................................................32
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Blank copy of questionnaire………………………………………………………39
Appendix 2: Completed questionnaire………………………………………………………….40
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INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the topic
Human resource management introduces to the process and practice of recruiting,
selecting, hiring, deploying, managing, attracting and retaining an organisation’s employees. In
addition, HRM is the science and art of acquiring, motivating, satisfying, maintaining,
developing and retaining employees in their jobs within light of their technical, professional and
personal knowledge, needs, potentialities, values and skills with the accomplishment of
organisational and personal goals (Adjibolosoo, 2018). There are different benefits of having
human resource management within a workplace such as hiring workplace, better human
resource planning, retaining employees, motivating employees, enhancing organisational
effectiveness and improving employee relations.
There are number of inclusive HR management practices that help an organisation in
improvement of its business of performance and achievement of competitive edge. These
practices includes offering of security to workers, recruiting the accurate applicable, self-
managed, effective and efficient team, equal and performance based compensation, educational
training and applicable skills, creating a horizontal and democratic organisation and making data
easily available to those who necessitate it (Al Marhoobi and Atan, 2018). These are main
human resource management practices that can be used for improving organisational
performance as well as achieving competitive benefits.
Therefore, with the use of HRM practices, the human resource of an organisation
becomes able in recruiting talented people. They are also responsible for retaining them for a
longer time period. With the help of talented employees, companies can easily increase the
number of customers that result in improved organisational performance and increased sales
(Anwar and et. al., 2018). Thus, it is important and beneficial for each and every business to use
inclusive HRM practices and attract and retain highly knowledgeable people within the working
environment. This will be beneficial for business growth and success as well as assist them in
achieving a competitive edge.
Background of the company
For this dissertation, C. and J. Clark International Ltd is a chosen research organisation
that is a British international retailer and shoe manufacture. Company was founded by Cyrus
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Clark and James Clark in 1825 and headquartered in Street, Somerset, England. Company
specializes in selling footwear with high quality, which is the biggest reason for its success and
growth. Company want to attain competitive advantages and improve their organisational
performance that is only possible with the use of inclusive practices for human resource
management. There are different inclusive practices such as providence of job security,
performance oriented compensation, effective training program etc. These are the main inclusive
practices that can be provided by human resource professionals as it helps an organisation in
retaining talented employees that result in improved organisational growth and attainment of
their competitive advantages (Barnes, Sang and Baruch, 2017).
Problem statement
Today it is not easy for companies to survive within a competitive environment. This is a
major problem for companies that adversely impact on their organisational performance. This is
a problem statement of the current dissertation. In order to overcome this problem, it is necessary
for each and every business to follow inclusive HR professional practices because it helps them
in attracting and retaining highly experienced employees within the working environment. Along
with this, highly experienced and knowledgeable employees are a significant part of business
success (Blinov and et. al., 2016). There are different benefits of having highly knowledgeable
and talented employees i.e. achievement of objectives, retaining and attracting highly
experienced workers, strengthening company’s human capital structure, succeeding in excess of
competitors, building up company’s reputation, effective decision making and operative business
performance. Therefore, it is important for companies to stay competitive and enhance their
organisational performance.
Research aim and objectives
Research aim:
Main purpose of this dissertation is “To investigate the impact of inclusive HRM
practices on organisational performance while attaining of competitive advantage: A study on
Clarks of the UK.
Research objectives:
 To identify the inclusive HRM practices in context of Clarks
 To determine the factors that would be used by Clarks for achieving competitive edge
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 To determine the effectiveness of inclusive human resource management practices in
achievement of competitive advantage
 To recommend strategies for human resource management in accomplishing competitive
advantage for Clarks
Research questions
 What are the inclusive HRM practices in context of Clarks?
 What are the effective factors that would be used by Clarks for achieving competitive
edge?
 How inclusive human resource management practices are effective in achievement of
competitive advantage?
 What are the essential strategies for human resource management in accomplishing
competitive advantage for Clarks?
Rationale and significance
Rationale: Main rationale for selecting this topic or research is to determine the
importance of using inclusive practices for human resource professional in improvement of
organisational performance. Today’s competitive environment, it is important for each and every
business to stay competitive because this will help them in enhancement of their sales
performance. It is important for HR professional to use inclusive practices and retain talented
employees at workplace (Buzko and et. al., 2016). As talented employees at workplace work
towards achievement of long term goals and objectives of company. Therefore, retaining talented
employees through inclusive HR practices company can easily improve their organisational
performance as well as accomplish competitive advantages.
Significance: Current research is externally significant for various stakeholders i.e.
researcher, students and companies. With the help of this research, students can easily enhance
their understanding regarding the importance of inclusive HR professional practices within a
workplace. For companies, this research or topic facilitates them in increasing their knowledge
about effectiveness of HR professional strategies in organisational performance and achievement
of competitive benefits. For researcher, present investigation is essential for them by increasing
their knowledge and research skills i.e. time management, presentation, decision making and
data collection. With the use of these skills researcher can easily enhance their professional
growth and development.
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