HRMT20024 Assessment 2: Literature Review on Human Resource Planning

This report presents a comprehensive literature review on human resource planning (HRP), exploring its critical role in achieving organizational objectives. The review analyzes five peer-reviewed journal articles, examining diverse approaches to HRP. The studies delve into topics such as prescriptive analytics for recruitment, methodological issues in health HRP, critical issues in central and non-central areas, and obstacles impacting service quality. The review highlights the importance of flexible and dynamic models, the use of robust optimization, and the significance of understanding the relationship between healthcare needs and utilization of services. Additionally, it uncovers critical issues in HR planning and obstacles affecting service delivery, especially within specific regional contexts. The report emphasizes the need for strategic recognition methods and strategies for growth and promotion, providing valuable insights into the complexities and best practices of HRP. The assignment was completed for the HRMT20024 course at Central Queensland University in 2019.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
Human Resource Planning – Literature Review
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
Human resource planning refers to the process by which future and current human
resource needs are identified for achieving the goals and objectives of a business organization.
The primary purpose of human resource planning is to serve as a link between overall strategic
plans and human resource management of an organization. This essay undertakes an in-depth
review of five scholastic works on the subject of human resource planning and management, to
arrive at a critical understanding of this process and discipline. The essay concludes that there are
diverse approaches to human resource planning and management.
Berk, L., Bertsimas, D., Weinstein, A. M., & Yan, J. (2019). Prescriptive analytics for
human resource planning in the professional services industry. European Journal of
Operational Research, 272(2), 636-641.
The research question and research objective of the above mentioned study is to develop
a model for human resource planning and management that will put companies in a position to
take decisions pertaining to recruitment and selection of employees in quite a dynamic manner
with the view of maximizing profit while remaining flexible in this respect at the same given
time.
In order to carry out the study, decisions with regard to human resource planning at
various firms have been examined by the researchers, specifically at firms that are engaged in the
buying and selling of contract-based consulting projects. The planning and decision making
activities at the firm have been studied in quite a systematic way so as to arrive at a thorough
understanding of what it is that influences decision making with respect to human resource

2HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
planning at firms and what it is that firms intend on achieving by engaging in such a decision
making process in the first place.
The findings of the research reveal that there are high levels of uncertainty in revenue
forecasts and deals that firms have to deal with which in turn makes the process of recruiting
right people for staffing projects quite a difficult affair for consulting firms.
The researchers propose that adaptive and robust optimization methods be utilized for
the purpose of human resource planning arguing that an adaptive method is one that is capable of
bringing about an improvement in profit while reducing risk over deterministic baseline at the
same given time. The methods that have been proposed are tractable in nature and are effective
on real time data that have been derived from an international consulting company.
In conclusion, it is argued by the researchers that a model of human resource planning
that makes use of the notion of robust optimization be utilized by firms around the globe to make
hiring decisions. By using such a model, the decisions taken by the firm with respect to human
resource planning and management will be of a dynamic and flexible nature with potential profit
improvements being demonstrated via simulations on real or actual data.
The article that has been reviewed is one that is going to prove to be rather useful for the
research work that I undertake on human resource planning as it provides be with an
understanding of the dynamics of human resource planning and management and the key factors
and conditions that are seen to influence human resource management decisions. Specifically, by
reading this article, I have come to understand how a flexible and dynamic model of human
resource planning and management that is based on robust optimization, may be used by firms of

3HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
international standing to recruit the right people in the firm for the purpose of staffing projects
undertaken by the firm.
Murphy, G. T. (2016). Methodological issues in health human resource planning:
cataloguing assumptions and controlling for variables in needs-based modeling. Canadian
Journal of Nursing Research Archive, 33(4)
The research question and the research objective of the above mentioned piece of work is
to uncover the methodological issues that persist in human resource planning in the domain of
health care. Specifically, the research is aimed at cataloguing assumptions and the process of
controlling of variables with reference to needs based modeling.
In order to carry out the investigation, the authors have taken recourse to an in-depth
literature review of the subject matter. The literature that has been reviewed and discussed by the
authors is one that relates to avoidance of atomistic and ecological fallacies, alternatives for
aggregating analysis in order to assess the relation that is seen to exist between utilization of
medical and nursing services and health needs, testing assumptions and how need is something
that is indirectly or directly related to healthcare.
It is the argument of the authors that HHRP models or health human resource planning
models as they are commonly known are those that approximate nursing requirements of the
future on the basis of a wide range of factors that are specific to the type of model that is being
deployed for this purpose. It is further argued by the authors that an urgent need exists of
developing better understanding of idea of what may be termed as sources of bias with regard to
statistical modeling for the purpose of ensuring that researchers are guided by robust and
accurate formulae. The findings of the research reveal that multilevel modeling is something that

4HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
can prove to be quite useful for undertaking simulation analysis of individuals as well as their
ecologies. The investigation also reveals that the process of small area variation modeling is
what holds a good deal of promise for the assessment of the relationship between utilization of
health care and nursing services and health needs.
It is thus the concluding argument of the researchers that small area variation model and
multi-level modeling be put to use, in order to arrive at an accurate understanding of the
relationship that is in existence between the health care needs of an individual and the manner by
which nursing and health care services are utilized, which in turn can provide researchers with a
solid and concrete understanding of how health human resource planning can be properly carried
out and implemented.
The scholarly article that has been reviewed above is an interesting and useful piece of
work that I am sure will stand me in good stead in my research work on human resource
planning. The work reveals important information about the types of models that can be put to
use to provide investigators and scholars with an understanding of the crucial relationship shared
between health care needs and requirements of individuals and the utilization of medical
services, especially nursing services. The methodological issues that can arise in human resource
planning are well pointed out by the researchers, which is a subject or area of study that I would
definitely want to include in my research work on human resource planning and management as
a whole.

5HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
Fogarassy, C., Szabo, K., & Poor, J. (2017). Critical issues of human resource planning,
performance evaluation and long-term development on the central region and non-central
areas: Hungarian case study for investors. International Journal of Engineering Business
Management, 9, 1847979016685338.
The research question and objective of the above mentioned article is to find out about
the critical issues that persist in human resource planning, performance evaluation and long term
development with respect to non-central and central areas in the context of Hungary.
In order to carry out their investigation, the authors have made use of what may be
termed as objective data. Personal company interviews have been taken, while online survey has
also be conducted using a specific questionnaire for this purpose. The data that was collected by
virtue of both of these methods was first put through a process of codification after which answer
codes were thoroughly analyzed with only Hungarian companies having been included as a
sample for the study.
The findings of the research reveal that non-central areas are those that appear to have a
greater number of employees per HR or human resource specialist which in turn can result in the
allocation of excess tasks. With regard to companies that are based in central Hungary, it was
found by the researchers that one human resource professional deals with as many as fifty five
employees at one time, and in the non-central areas, this number can go up to as much as
hundred and twelve employees at a time. The implication of this finding is that human resource
professionals who are based in the non-central areas of Hungary have to do double the work that
HR professionals in the central areas of the country have to do. The daily of operations of such
employees can thus bring plenty of work overload, some that concerns all the functions that are

6HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
performed by human resource. Some of the critical issues that have been detected in HR
planning that have been detected while doing this research are training, planning, development,
as well as the retention of talented individuals, a process that is also referred to as talent
management.
In conclusion, it is argued by the researchers that the implications and results of the
research, that is, the critical issues that have surfaced in human planning and management while
conducting the investigation are issues that are likely to pose problems of a very serious nature
for companies that are not situated in the region of Central Hungary.
The above research article is very useful for the research work that I am currently
undertaking on human resource planning and management as it gives me a thorough idea of the
type of critical issues that can prevail in human resource planning and how these issues are to be
taken cognizance of, if human resource planning is to be conducted in the manner desired.
Khumalo, N. (2019). Obstacles of human resource planning that affect workers in
delivering quality services. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(2), 114.
The research aim of the above article is to identify the obstacles that lie in the path of
human resource planning and which are likely to have an impact on the rendition of quality
services by workers. The research work has been undertaken by the researcher in the context of
South Africa, by studying the customer care centers which are situated in the various
municipalities of South Africa.
The research is one that has made use of a mixed method for the purpose of investigation
with the data collection tools comprising both quantitative as well as qualitative methods of
research. A sample population of 52 people was created for the study, with seven people being

7HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
subjected to in-depth personal interviews and the remaining forty five taking part in a survey that
was conducted using a questionnaire. The interviews were taken of supervisors working at
organizations while the questionnaire was circulated among workers of organizations.
What the results of the research reveal is that there is an absence of both external and
internal factors such as a shortage of employees or workers when it comes to carrying out the
duties and responsibilities of the municipality in customer care centers in South Africa. Such a
lack of issues is one that includes demographic issues, insufficient working tools, recruitment
policies, absence of education qualifications, the lack of a good working environment and the
lack of good career prospects.
The research argues in conclusion that strategic recognition methods for good
performance need to be developed in the areas where the investigation was undertaken and
venues need to be searched out where it is going to be possible for workers to deliver quality
services in a smooth an hassle free manner, without experiencing any interruptions in the process
of doing so. It is also argued by the author that a need exists for establishing as well as
implementing strategies for encouraging growth and promotion in the municipality. It is only
when such strategies are encouraged and implemented that the work culture of the designated
areas will see an improvement and workers will be feel the incentive to engage in the provision
of quality services for customers.
The article that has been reviewed is one that is going to prove to be very useful for my
research work as it tells me about the various obstacles that can lie in the road to good human
resource planning and management and the ways by which these obstacles need to be overcome
in order for workers in an organization to be able to work to potential. Specifically, the article

8HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
informs me of the many ways by which quality customer care service can be ensured through an
eradication of obstacles to human resource planning and management in an organization.
Juarez-Tarraga, A., Santandreu-Mascarell, C., & Marin-Garcia, J. A. (2019). What are the
main concerns of human resource managers in organizations?. Intangible Capital, 15(1), 72-
95.
The aim of the above mentioned research article is to find out whether or not work
programs of a high involvement nature are likely to respond successfully to priorities of human
resource planners and managers in an organization.
In order to carry out the investigation the researchers have analyzed reports for the
purpose of identifying the primary concerns of managers and solutions have been compared that
have been implemented in order to address such concerns of managers. Thereafter the
researchers have evaluated the extent to which the high involvement work programs have been
undertaken or implemented in order to go ahead and meet such challenges. The specific research
design that has been adopted by the authors is a systematic review of literature, by selecting
reports that have been published by HRM associations and consulting firms.
The findings of the investigation reveal that high involvement work programs are used in
organizations for the purpose of leveraging change in order to meet the varied challenges that
happen to be faced by HR executives and managers in an organization. The most important of
these high involvement work programs as carried out by organizations include bringing about
improvements in leadership and ensuring talent management. The authors recommend that the
priorities of HR managers and planners be compared to the priorities of managers in the same
organization in order to be able to resolve top priority problems in a smooth and efficient

9HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
manner. By doing so, human resource planners and managers will be able to get things done well
in advance, once they have a list prepared of the potential problems that they are likely to be
faced with when doing their work. In conclusion the authors argue that talent management and
bringing about changes and improvements in leadership are key to meeting the challenges and
obstacles that lie in the path of human resource planning in an organization. The authors are of
the view that if human resource managers and planners work in close liaison with the managers
of organizations, they will get a thorough understanding and overview of the obstacles that have
to be addressed, and how these must be resolved, that is, through implementation of high
involvement work programs such as programs geared towards improvement in leadership and
talent management.
The article that has been reviewed appears to be quite useful for my research as it informs
me about the obstacles and challenges that can be posed to human resource planners and
managers and how they can overcome these obstacles and challenges through the
implementation of high involvement work programs. The article gives me a good understanding
of what high involvement programs such as talent management and leadership training are and
how these can have a crucial role to play in resolving the obstacles and challenges which are
faced in the process of human resource planning and management.
Thus, all of the articles that have been reviewed above are examples of sound research
conducted on the subject of human resource management and planning. The articles reviewed
give a concrete idea of why human resource management and planning is important for an
organization, the type of issues and problems that are likely to be faced by managers and human
resource planners and the various ways by which these can be resolved, such as through

10HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
relocation of venues, implementation of talent management programs and initiating programs or
workshops in leadership training, among other solutions.

11HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING – LITERATURE REVIEW
References
Berk, L., Bertsimas, D., Weinstein, A. M., & Yan, J. (2019). Prescriptive analytics for human
resource planning in the professional services industry. European Journal of Operational
Research, 272(2), 636-641.
Fogarassy, C., Szabo, K., & Poor, J. (2017). Critical issues of human resource planning,
performance evaluation and long-term development on the central region and non-central
areas: Hungarian case study for investors. International Journal of Engineering Business
Management, 9, 1847979016685338.
Juarez-Tarraga, A., Santandreu-Mascarell, C., & Marin-Garcia, J. A. (2019). What are the main
concerns of human resource managers in organizations?. Intangible Capital, 15(1), 72-
95.
Khumalo, N. (2019). Obstacles of human resource planning that affect workers in delivering
quality services. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(2), 114.
Murphy, G. T. (2016). Methodological issues in health human resource planning: cataloguing
assumptions and controlling for variables in needs-based modeling. Canadian Journal of
Nursing Research Archive, 33(4)