HRMT20024 - Assessment 2: Reviewing HRM Literature for Essay 3

This document presents a literature review of four peer-reviewed journal articles focusing on various aspects of Human Resource Management (HRM). The first article explores the historical evolution and development of HRM, tracing its roots from prehistoric times to its contemporary significance. The second article investigates emerging HRM skills in Australia, analyzing the importance of HR policies in attracting, hiring, and retaining talent within the context of a changing job market. The third article reviews the importance of Industrial Relations (IR) and its relationship with HRM, examining the impact of IR on workplace culture and regulations. The fourth article focuses on Human Resource Planning (HRP) as an important practice to anticipate future human resource requirements. Each article review includes the full reference, objective, research question, methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion, as well as how the article contributes to the student's essay 3. The assignment follows the guidelines provided in the assignment brief, including the specified headings and word count for each section of the review.

Article 1
Full reference of the article:
Rotich, K. (2015). HISTORY, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: A CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVE. Global Journal Of
Human Resource Management, 3(3), 58-73. Retrieved from
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/40940336/History-Evolution-and-
Development-of-Human-Resource-Management-A-Contemporary-Perspective.pdf?response-
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Objective and Research Question:
Human resource management can be termed as a strategic and logical approach of the
management to manage an organization’s people or employee, who works individually or
together towards improved performance and betterment of the company. The objective of the
journal is to understand the historical evolution and development of the discipline of HRM or
Human Resource Management. The probable research question that can be deciphered from the
journal is: What are the various evolutionary phases that has contributed in shaping Human
Resource Management as a discipline and profession?
Method:

In the course of the research, a vast data has been retrieved from the available data about the
evolution process of Human Resource Management. Firstly, the historical development of HRM
as a discipline have been discussed. Then, the specific characteristics of each evolutionary phase
that shaped the idea of HRM have been outlined. Lastly, a summary of key issues have been
provided justifying HRM as a contemporary subject.
Findings and Discussion:
It has been derived that the roots of HRM date back to the pre-historic times during the culture of
tribal group leaders. Over time, people felt the need to select specific individuals for respective
job roles and provide them with proper training. The early instance of HRMs appeared in the
form of Employee Personnel. In places like the UK and the US, factors like working hours and
payment were mostly governed by the government. Slowly, these countries started to adapt few
Strategic Management Theories for the betterment of organizations as well as their employees.
These management theories were later turned into the concept of human resource management
and also further helped the HR managers to apply them in their course of work.
Now, the concept of HRM underwent development through few stages. In Australia, the
evolution of HRM occurred through four different stages. The first stage was the administration
stage with line managers, personnel managers and experts like recruitment officers and trainers
carrying out the HR activities without being declared as an independent profession. In Australia,
before World War II, such functions were mostly restricted to administrative areas. The second
stage saw a more professional approach as employers had to look out for hiring skilled workers
fueled by government initiatives and job demand in a Post-World War II scene. By the third
stage, personnel management started merging into human resource management. The concept of

HRM and SHRM was established. The fourth stage is the latest stage when factors like
globalization and growing world economy has resulted in an increased demand of HRM.
Conclusion:
It can be concluded from the article that human resource was known to mankind even during the
age of cavemen and hunter gatherers. The concept evolved over time alongside the changing
world and changing business scenarios and models. HRM is an ever changing process and serves
as an extremely essential factor behind the success of an organization today.
How will this article contribute to my essay 3:
As education sectors have taken up human resources as an academic discipline, the article will
contribute to my essay in understanding the entire process of how human resource systems have
evolved over the years. Having an idea of the background and history of any particular subject
matter is necessary and human resources as a discipline is no different.

Article 2
Full reference of the article:
Kramar, R., & Steane, P. (2012). Emerging HRM skills in Australia. Asia-Pacific Journal Of
Business Administration, 4(2), 139-157. doi: 10.1108/17574321211269289
Objective and research question:
Over the years, Australia has witnessed immense growth of economy and an expansion in the job
industry. This put further pressure in the human resource departments and the role of HR
managers to establish proper HR plans and policies for employee hiring, retaining and better
company performance. The main objective of this article is to study the areas of HR in
developmental context and to understand contextual issues surrounding skilled workers. It also
aims to explore the context of HR in relation to hiring and retention of employees. The proposed
research question is: “Are HR policies and practices being prioritised in Australian organisations
to develop, attract, hire and retain HR talent”?
Method:
The method used by the authors is survey questionnaire and procedure as well as sampling. An
online website survey was conducted with members of Australian Human Resource Institute in
2005. A total of 1, 372 HRM personnel responded to the completed survey. These responses
were further used as data for sampling in a statistical analysis to decipher a cross section of HR
personnel, segregating them on the context of age, gender and industry or area of work.
Findings and Discussion:
It was deciphered from the survey and analysis that majority of HR personnel considered their
primary role as HR managers in context of strategic human resource management. Training and
development of new employees came next. Further analysis showcased how strategic human

resource management and connection of HR management in context of developing
organisational strategy emerged as an area of importance both in the past 5 years and next 5
years of the HRM field. In the new environmental context, human resources management need to
adapt to new paradigms in various ways. HRMs should also keep in mind various cultural and
structural contexts existing within an organisation as many employees today work under the
psychological contract that ensures employee benefits. More diverse strategies should be
established by the HR department to focus on retention of skilled employees. Looking at this
shift from the traditional context of Australian training and development, it can be deciphered
that the protectionist industry policy of 20th century had rigid work patterns and strong support of
trade unions. It resulted in the introduction of fragmented training and development system in
Australia which is mainly focused on management control and occupational skills.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can been concluded that human resource management functions within various
strategic and developmental contexts. HRM also needs to keep environmental, traditional and
political contexts in mind while carrying out its functionalities. The human resource department
have witnessed many shifts in the traditional, political and social contexts in the past. This is a
time when meeting employee demands is being highly considered in organisations. It is to be
considered from the results that Australian organisations are still in the process of considering
human resource as an intrinsic competitive advantage.
How this article will contribute to my essay 3:
This article will contribute in understanding the various contexts in which HRD functions in
Australia and the world. The education sector in Australia needs to have a clear idea of all the
context in which HRD functions so that they make the students of the discipline aware of the

same. Moreover, the educational sector of Australia can adapt to those contexts and function
accordingly themselves. A lot of it determines the future of human resource development and
will help students of the discipline understand the future requirements and contexts in which
HRD can function in the forthcoming decade.

Article 3
Full reference of the article:
Burgess, J., Cameron, R., & Rainnie, A. (2014). Contemporary research on work, workplaces
and industrial relations in Australia. The Economic And Labour Relations Review, 25(1), 5-9.
doi: 10.1177/1035304613519200
Objectives and Research Question:
Industrial Relations can be defined as the set of rules, regulations, terms and conditions that
govern a particular workplace and employee relationship. Since time immemorial, Australia has
witnessed numerous debates and opinions regarding the same. Various demands over workplace
rules has been a constant in the country but the government has denied to recognize the
importance of Industrial Relations for bringing notable changes in workplace legislation.
Moreover, IR also remains important to academicians for studying innovations of work-life and
workplace. The main objective of this article is to review the importance of Industrial Relations
and showcase its relationship with HRM. The article also reviews certain issues that continue to
be a part of Industrial Relations.
Method:
Few methods are used to document and analyse this paper. A group of articles from the 27th
Conference of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics of Australia and New Zealand
are reviewed. The method of document analysis through interviews and surveys have also been
carried out in the paper.
Findings and Discussion:
It has been deciphered after reviewing the articles that Industrial Relations is essential for
establishing the concept of green economy and regeneration of regions that are declining. In

many states, there are multiple regions that once flourished in global manufacturing but are now
in an unfortunate state of economical decay, unemployment and diminishing infrastructure.
Proper IR system along with a correct HRM can introduce sustainable industries.
With the method of content analysis of agreements, a study of paid parental and maternity leave
was conducted. It has been noticed that over the years there has been a certain increase in the
number of agreements as well the duration of the leave. However, such leaves have only been
restricted to the IR provided by the government sector, the private sector continue to be deprived
of such facility.
Through another comparative case study, the relationship between IR and HRM have been
established. Two distinct HRM system with different set of IR has been studied. The cost-
minimization approach with high workload and poor performance resulted in employee turnover
and dissatisfaction of the client. Whereas, the value-added IR strategy and HRM approach with
training and development, high autonomy and scope of career progression resulted in job
satisfaction, low turnover, client satisfaction and quality service.
A study on the area outside formal IR standards was also conducted considering the visual arts
sector of Western Australia. In-depth interviews with such artists’ show the level of low income
and economic struggle in the self-employed sector.
It has also been established through an historical analysis that the IR system of Singapore that
contribute to the labour law was introduced based off on the arbitration system of Australia. This
system was first introduced after Australian independence in 1960 to control industrial dispute.
Conclusion:
Therefore, it can be concluded that Industrial Relations constitute an important part in
maintaining the regulatory framework of employment in a particular location. Although a good

IR approach is beneficial for organisations of a respective state, various limitations like unequal
pay among genders and unfair changes in workplace are persistent in few places. It can also be
established that IR can travel across countries and influence the same. Politics and economic
conditions can also influence the IR institution. Lastly, it can be established that Australia has a
great scope of further research in this sector.
How this article will contribute in my Essay 3:
This article is extremely important to my essay because understanding workplace culture, rules
and regulations of the country is of utmost importance. Moreover, it becomes even more
essential for the educational sector to understand and abide by the industrial relations and
workplace culture of the country. Learning about the history of Industrial Relations is essential to
understand the effects such changes brought in the country. Meanwhile, the present case studies
helps one to be aware about the current regulations of the job industry, where almost every
student will venture into post their part in the educational sector.

Article 4
Full reference of the article:
Samwel, J. (2018). Human Resource Planning as an Important Practice to Anticipate Future
Human Resource Requirements of the Organization – Literature review. International Journal
Of Research In Business Studies And Management, 5(3), 24-30. Retrieved from
http://www.ijrbsm.org/papers/v5-i3/4.pdf
Objectives and research question:
Today, we are standing at a time when the business environment of the world is ever-changing.
With the emergence of numerous companies and organisations worldwide, new business models
are evolving every day and so are the human resource management systems. Now, human
research planning forms an intrinsic part of the HRM system and contributes in improved
performance of the organization. Hence, the objective of this article is to establish the important
of HR Planning especially in a changing business environment.
Method:
The method used to study the objective of this paper is Literature review. Different literature
related to HR planning has been studied. The article also focusses on the various objectives and
importance of human resource planning. It also studies the process of human resource planning.
Findings and Discussion:
The findings of this article firstly outlines the concept of human resource planning in detail. It
can be established through the reviewed literature that scholars and researchers consider human
resource planning as one of the initial steps behind a successful human resource management
system. It is through that plan the requirements and objectives of an organisation can be
identified and successfully executed.

Human resource planning should be a part of the entire strategy of how an organisation function.
It should identify the needs of the employee and help them in achieving the organisational goals.
It has also been found that a proper human resource planning can understand the changing
business environment and anticipate future business needs and think ahead of time.
Furthermore, various objectives behind human resource development have been found. The main
purpose of HR planning remains understanding the employee and organisational needs
beforehand. It plays an integral role in identifying the future demands of the organisation’s
human resources or the employees.
It has been found through the course of the paper that human resource planning is a continuous
process. It scans and reviews all the environmental conditions and organisational requirements.
The plan should ensure that the right quantity and quality of human resource should be available,
as and when required by the company.
HR planning remains of utmost importance because of increased and improved productivity of
an organisation. It also enables quality performance by recruiting the best talents. Especially in a
competitive environment like the present time, a perfect HR planning system can ensure quality
service by an organisation, providing an edge over other competitors in the market.
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that an effective human resource planning acts as the backbone of a
respective organisation. It can provide the organisation with the right amount of support and help
required to be successful in the competitive business market. Human resource managers should
always value the system of HR planning and execute the same for betterment of their
organisation.
How this article will contribute to my Essay 3:

As discussed earlier, human resource planning is one of the most important aspects of human
resource management. The education sectors of the country need to take part in proper HR
planning as improved productivity and function of educational sectors enables progress of all
other sectors. The study of Human Resource Management will be considered complete only
when one is aware of the concept and process of Human Resource Planning. This article will
contribute to my essay in understanding the importance and necessity of a proper human
resource planning in the changing business environment.

Article 5
Full reference of the article:
Van den Broeck, A., De Cuyper, N., De Witte, H., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2010). Not all job
demands are equal: Differentiating job hindrances and job challenges in the Job Demands–
Resources model. European Journal Of Work And Organizational Psychology, 19(6), 735-759.
doi: 10.1080/13594320903223839
Objectives and research question:
At present, there is an influx of numerous job profiles in the world especially with the growing
job industry at every field of work. Although the growth is beneficial to world economy, there is
also a constant need of proper work design to meet the various demands of the employees.
Several challenges are faced by human resource planners while job designing in the current
global environment. This study aims to examine the difference between job hindrance and job
challenges. It also aims to study the relationships between particular job demands and work
engagement with the help of JD-R model.
Method:
The method used to study the particulars in this paper is data collection through sampling. The
samples included 261 Dutch call centre agents and 441 police officers from Belgian Police
Department. Response rates from Sample 1 and Sample 2 were 87% and 51% respectively.
Sample 1 took an Internet survey while Sample 2 took a survey on pen and paper.
Findings and Discussion:
According to the results, there is a notable existing relationship between the characteristics of a
job, job hindrances like emotional employee demands as well as the need for women’s health
initiative and job challenges like workload and cognitive demands. It is deciphered from the

responses that negative job challenges mostly arise from workplace exhaustion of the employees.
Whereas, the positivity for overcoming those negative job challenges comes from increased
vigour and enthusiasm in the workplace. It has been found that job designing challenges consists
characteristics like workload, work pressure, time constraint and cognitive exhaustion. Some of
the major issues in job designing include meeting demands like work from home and
telecommunicating, flexible working hours, sharing of job responsibilities and alternative work
schedules among others. Work designing to meet the demands of the employees is perhaps one
of the most crucial issues in the global environment today. Jobs should be analysed and designed
in a way that it remains relevant and the required competencies are met. Core market
competencies are to be recognised in order for a particular job to stand out in the competitive
market. Diversity management becomes another essential factor of job design. Keeping in mind
the factors of age, race and gender, the best talent should be hired from the entire human
resource pool and retained to provide competition to the other competitors in the market.
Conclusion:
It can be concluded from the paper that work designing is an essential factor for an organisation
to function in a global environment. Emotional, physical and psychological exhaustion at
workplace is the greatest challenge to job design. Job hindrance has a relationship with job
challenges and the former needs to decrease to positively impact on the latter.
How this article will contribute in my essay 3:
This article remains essential as it is extremely important to understand the existing work design
challenge in the global environment. The underlying causes and factors can help anyone in the
educational sector to have a proper understanding of what comprises of a proper work design and
what are the challenges needed to be dealt with once they step out in the industry. Educational

sectors of Australia also need to identify and overcome such challenges themselves to provide
quality service to students, who are ultimately the work designers of the future.