Learning and Development Report: HRM Strategies for M&S Analysis

This report provides an in-depth analysis of learning and development (L&D) within an organizational context, with a specific focus on Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by differentiating between organizational learning and learning organizations, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement and adaptation to external environments. The main body explores various International Human Resource Management (IHRM) models and learning theories, including the Standard Causal model, the Human Resource Value Chain, the 8-box model by Paul Boselie, and the HR Value Chain advanced. These models are examined in the context of M&S, highlighting how they contribute to employee skill enhancement, organizational growth, and competitive advantage. The report also reflects on key problems and provides an evaluation of the effectiveness of these models, ultimately concluding on the significance of L&D for sustained business success in a dynamic market. The report emphasizes the role of HRM in fostering a culture of learning and innovation to meet customer expectations and adapt to external changes.

Learning and development

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Key difference between organisation learning and learning organisation...................................3
International human resource management models and learning theory....................................5
Reflection.....................................................................................................................................8
Evaluation of key problems.........................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Learning and development is essential for every individual as it contribute in enhancing
skills and capabilities of personso that it can get more opportunities in future career. Human
resource manager is responsible for recruitment as well as planning for growth and development
of employees skills for achievements of organisational objectives. Every individual needs to
learn new things at each stage to be remained updated in order to have more growth in future
circumstance in both professional and personal life. Learning and development for organisation
is most important process in changing circumstance and external environment in order to grow
and sustain for long period of time. There is huge difference between organisation learning and
learning organisation. The report is about Marks and Spencer that operates its business in retail
sectors offers clothing, food and other necessary products to wide range of customers living in
UK and across worldwide. It has also included information about learning that company trying
and key approaches, models and concept of HRM that helped in organizational learning and
enhancing their activities.
MAIN BODY
Key difference between organisation learning and learning organisation
Both terms are mostly similar to each other but have several differences such as one
involves process of actual learning on the other hand other emphasis on course or action that are
taken to learn new and innovative things. These terms are most popular in recent organisation as
every enterprise want to gain competitive advantage in particular industry by bringing new ideas
and innovation to fulfil needs of customers (Budhwar, 2016). Difference between organisation
learning and learning organisation can be illustrated in term of their respective definition such as:
Organisational learning includes all process that are used to improve particular action by
making use of understanding and knowledge. Whereas learning organisation is type of firm in
which HR manager have made such type of structure or strategies that influence individuals to
learn from each other so that it can grow and sustain its business for long term (Organizational
Learning VS Learning Organization, 2019). Effective organisation structure and better strategies
of human resource management contributed in maximum learning skills of individual thus
achievements of goals in best possible manner.

Therefore, in short it can be stated that organisation learning refers to existing method,
activities or process which contributed in enhancing learning or brining new idea within
organisation so that it can gain competitive advantage (Katou, 2017). On the other hand, in case
of learning organisation it evaluates what actually it is doing, will do in future circumstance in
order to differentiate itself from others.Thus, it involves process of evaluation and analysis of
actual performance and future changes so that manager can find new ways or strategies to
promote sales volume and profitability of firm. Or in simple term one is plan and other is action
or steps through which company can retained and gained competitive positioning in industry.
It can be stated that competition level is rising rapidlyso it is necessary for organisation to
learn new things or brining innovative idea or method to fulfil requirements of customers.
Company needs to adapt its strategies as per external environment such as various training and
development program so that individuals can get confident to accept change and contributed in
effective expansion of business (Li and Herd, 2017). Therefore,organisation in order to sustain
their business in world of high competition and globalisation has to learned new ways of doing
particular things in order to meet customer’s expectation.
There are certain characteristics of learning organisation such as system thinking which
means business always take all crucial decision at end of each fiscal year or quarter. All this
decision are made on basis of previous experienced that organisation have learned from its
mistake and achievements (Arievitch, 2017). Learning organisation always think of future
changes in circumstance and situation that can impact on operation and strategy of firm.
Organisation learning is term that more emphasis on process of transferring knowledge over time
so learning can be different types such as individual, group, inter organisation learning. When a
single individual learned from its previous experienced or worked for development of various
skills so that it can perform specific task within organisation. Whereas group learning refers to
learning in which similar group of individual learn new skills within organisation by method of
training and development program or communicating with each others on continuous basis.
Organisation is important for various companies as it helps in improving overall performance
and productivity of employees to work hard for growth and success of firm. It helps company to
effectively adapt to various external changes of business environment so that it can get
competitive advantages (Lau, 2016). For examples: Hr manager of marks and spencer by
providing proper working environment and innovative culture have enhanced learning skills of

employees and contributed in growth of organisation for longer time frame. So, it can be stated
that both learning organisation and organisation learning are important for firm because they
help in effective achievements of goals.
International human resource management models and learning theory
Human resource management plays an crucial role in organisation as it recruit, select and
hire best candidate, plan for its growth and development so that company can attained its
objectives. HR manager is also responsible for providing safe and secure working environment
to employees so that they can put more efforts for benefits of organisation (Stentoft, 2017).
Company by learning from its competitors such as Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury is able to
learned that it have to make use of innovative technologies such as social media to increased
awareness about company products and services or rebuild its brand image. Effective reflective
cycle has helped HR manager to know about key strength and weakness of firm that can helped
in making optimum utilisation of available opportunities (Caspersen, Smeby and Olaf Aamodt,
2017). Therefore, HRM of Mark and Spencer by making use of various model and concept,
framework has motivated employees to enhance their existing skills and capabilities so that
company can earn maximum profitability. Hr manager have put its best efforts to enhance
learning skills of diverse employees so that company can easily grow and expand its business in
retail sectors.
Standard Casual model of HRM-
It is one of the best international human resource management models accessible in the
world of business (Jacob, Manalel and Minimol, 2020). This model HR manager can use in
regard to organizational learning of Mark and Spencer. It derived from many similar concepts
published throughout 90s and shows a common chain that begins with business tactic and ends,
through human resource procedure with better financial performance. According to this model,
when HR manager in firm can use their functions and practices in workplace effectively they can
create inclusive work culture which is quite beneficial for company in term of increasing
productivity and allow them to learn who culture affect performance of individual. When HR
activities are aligned with firm objectives and tactics they can lead to better business
performance within marketplace. Human resource practices follow its strategy such as hiring,
appraisal, training and compensation. For example, by providing training to staff HR manager

can enhance skills of workers and reduce threat in their mind about they cannot work with
changes in workplace. This practice leads to varied outcomes such as high employee
engagement, increasing motivation and decreasing employee resistance for any type of change.
This outcome lead in turn to enhanced internal activities and functions of M&S includes
innovation and better quality of products, it can also lead to financial performance i.e., better
profit margin, revenue, financial turnover and ROI than competitors. This model is really very
effective for company and applicable in context of situations.
Human resource value chain-
Along with above model, this concept really works in context organizational learning
that influence its productivity. It is one of the best known and commonly used models in
International human resource management (Zaid, Jaaron and Bon, 2018). It is relies on work of
Richardson and Paauwe and developed a nuance on concepts about in context to how human
resource operates. Accordant to this model, IHRM can do everything and measure current
situation in Marks and Spencer by dividing into two different categories such as HRM outcomes
and activities.HRM actions are day to day practice including compensation, succession planning
etc. These activities often measure utilizing human resource metric and use to solve conflict at
workplace that decrease staff performance and productivity even bitter. When manager identify
that employee resist for change they can perform and act towards solving this problem by using
and conducting her or his daily practice in workplace. This process helps firm to learn how to
deal with several challenges in effective manner.
For instance, people in work area sometimes do not except change in their working
environment because of poor skills and knowledge. At that situation, by understanding needs of
workers international human resource management and company can solve their problem, they
can arrange all equipment and tools for increasing existing and new applicant’s skills even better
via providing training. This model clearly define what IHRM can do while playing role in firm at
international level with teams of members.
8 box model by Paul Boselie-
This model is can also be use in M&S to let them learn about workers issues that help in
growth and success of brand, as it reflects different internal and external elements that influence

effectiveness of what human resource manager can do in varied conflict situations within
company.
Figure 1IHRM Models
(Source: 5 Human Resources Models, 2020)
External general market context, external general institutional context, population market
context and other are included in list of external factors of this model that affect how manage can
do their job (Sato, Kobayashi and Shirasaka, 2019). For instance, when in Mark and Spencer
work needs appropriate working culture at workplace to perform effectively, it can influence
human resource manager activity and decision making and influence how they can do their work
by communicating with management and understanding the requirements as well as expectation
of applicants. It can be said that organization practice and operations and technology use are also
considered as factors that also influence on how manager communicate with workers, what they
want to achieve, and how efficient they are in their HR strategies.
When firm is not creating effective culture at workplace and less focus on innovation or
change adaption, it also influence HR tactic and way he or she act in M&S. Strategies of internal
human resource management consist of 6 different parts such as intended HR activities, actual
HR practice, human resource outcomes, critical HR aims, ultimate business aims and at last
perceived HR practices.
HR value chain advanced-

It is one of the most effective and useful models in IHRM. It is quite similar to value
chain concept but with two differences. First think about this model is that organizational
performance can be defined in balanced score card which contains KPIs from a financial
perspectives, procedure and consumers perspectives. All these are integrated into human
resource value. It can aid to show and align with added value of manager to M&S. Second think,
is that this concept begins with range of HR enablers that are key for what manager is doing and
performing in company. It includes budget, HR systems, able professionals and other things.
Main thing is that these enablers need to be exist in order for value chain to manage efficiently.
When Human resource manager lacks well trained and experienced professional, when budget is
low for training and culture change or when programmes are outdates. Manager can be less
effective in reaching their desire outcomes and firm as well.
HR in M&S according to this model by working accordant to budget can make effective
plan that can allow firm to learn about how to manage thing according to situations and permit
them to get desire results which they want to obtain for so long. The best thing about this concept
is that it shows how situation can be handled by considering all areas.
Organizational learning theory-
This concept stated that, to be competitive and keep competitive position in market, M&S
and other firms must change their actions and aims as well which makes them capable to reach
those goals. First part of organizational learning procedure includes data acquisition. . It can help
to analyse and understand current environment in company and allow manager to take decision
accordingly. Company should make a conscious judgment to change their working environment
in response to retain skilled applicants with them for longer period of time. Furthermore, they
can take decision to satisfy consumer as well after changing their preferences.
Reflection
While working as HR manager in Mark and Spencer I have realised that firm is facing
many problems due to lack of innovation adaption, poor work culture and employee resistance.
These issues can affect decision making of human resource department and organization as well.
I realised that administration to overcome all problems can use all above international human
resource management models and learning theory. By using these concepts firm effectively

handle current situations. Working as human resource I am accountable for solving all issues and
using the best approaches in context of these.
Evaluation of key problems
As mention above, M&S faces many issues while managing their business operations and
functions in the United Kingdom. It can be said that firm is unable to except and adapt changes
in market place that can affect its business performance and productivity level negatively. It can
be evaluated that lack of innovation in technologies can decrease its profit margin and consumer
base, which is not suitable for M&S brand position across UK and all over the world where
millions of buyer are waiting to purchase its products. Along with this issue, company is also
facing challenges or problems that may be directly influence its workers attitudes and buying
behaviour of consumers as well as their loyalty towards this brand.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above discussion, it has been concluded organizational learning and a
learning organization is different from each other. Organizational learning it identified as
procedure of transferring key knowledge within Mark and Spencer. From above analysis, it has
been analysed that this process play vital role in establishing knowledge management and
promoting the main aims of company in effective manner. It has been utilized in firm to enhance
current practice and improve performance that helps to managing each activity in workplace.
Furthermore, it has been summarized that standard causal model, 8 Box model by Paul Boselie,
Human resource value chain advanced and HR value chain model of International human
resource management contributes in organizational learning of Mark & Spencer. It has been
identified that organizational learning theory helps a lot as it gives right way to learn things and
respond changes in environment.

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