MGMT 5309 WBU Achieving a Competitive Advantage in Operations Division Discussion Noel et al. (2019) titled their book: Human Resource Management: Gaining

MGMT 5309 WBU Achieving a Competitive Advantage in Operations Division Discussion Noel et al. (2019) titled their book: Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. Neo et al. (2019) reported: “…human resources [employees] can provide a strategic competitive advantage in two additional ways: through emergent strategies and through enhancing competitiveness” (p. 98). Emergent strategies represent adjustments to a business’ strategy based on feedback loops that monitor the market environment and that monitor the internal work processes. Enhancing a business’ competitiveness represents HRM programs and initiatives that develop human resources [managers and employees] such as employee engagement, knowledge management, learning organization, talent management (Neo et al. 2019). Enhancing a business’s capacity to outperform its competitors through its people’s performance can lead to a competitive advantage. Thus, HRM represents a vital staff function that can assist a business by gaining a competitive advantage through people (Armstrong, 2011; Neo et al., 2019).

Porter M.E. (1985). Competitive advantage: creating and sustaining superior performance. New York, NY: Free Press.

Armstrong, M. (2011. Armstrong’s handbook on human resource management practices (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page

Neoet al. (2019) imply that HRM helps a business gain a “Competitive Advantage;” However, Neo et al. (2019) never defined the term Competitive Advantage. I provide this definition for Competitive Advantage; “The term competitive advantage refers to the ability gained through attributes and resources to perform at a higher level than others in the same industry or market” (Porter, 1985. p. 45). The definition of Competitive Advantage implies that employees [attribution and resources] through their continued performance competency cause a business to perform at a higher level than competitors. To achieve this higher level of performance, HRM must be incorporated into a business’ strategy.

Chapter 16 covered the strategic role of HRM functions and described the transitional focus of HRM from its transactional and traditional roles to a transformational role. This transformational role means that HRM becomes a strategic partner and develops HRM strategies to support the business strategy (Armstrong, 2019; Noe et al. 2019). Additionally, within the seven function of HRM, 1) HR Planning, 2) Employment Law, 3) Staffing, 4) Talent Management, 5) Total Rewards, 6) Risk Management, and 7) Employee Relations specific activities are bundled together to create tailored HR Strategies, such as knowledge management strategy, organizational development strategy, and Human Capital Strategy to name a few (Armstrong, 2011). One of the transitional roles of HRM is the redesign of HRM processes. Additionally, the redesign of HRM processes gave rise to a new role, the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO). This position serves the critical role of liaison between senior business managers and HRM functions. To assist the CHRO is the position of HR Business Partners. In HR Case Study #1, I introduce this term. AnHR business partner serves as a conduit between business units and HRM to coordinate and facilitate human resource [HR] policies, procedures, and programs throughout an organization that fit the needs, goals, and aims of a business and its top leadership. The HR business partner works with managers and the business strategy by seeing the vital contribution of HR towards a business’s strategic direction and goals.

Lastly, once a business strategy has been implemented, management’s next significant task is the sustainment of the strategy. For a business, sustainability means processes (structure – jobs) and people (behavior) in place; strategic business and HRM activities focus on performance objectives, and monitoring systems provide information for adjusting processes and or people towards the business’ strategic goals.

From the position of a Manager: You are the manager of a department that recently transitioned to new technologies, new work process structure, and new employees. Additionally, you and your three supervisors received training in the skills necessary to perform as a job performance coach. As reported by the Director of Operations, your department’s overall performance trend appears to be on track to make the department’s quantity and quality production goals. Since your department conducts the final production processing for the distribution of the business’ product to local and international markets, you see to achieve a competitive advantage in your department. Discuss HOW the HR Business Partner in the Operations Division can help you achieve a competitive advantage for the business.

From the position of an HR Manager:You are an HR Business Partner in the Operations Division; the Operations Division consists of three departments. A sequential processing link connects these departments. This sequential link creates a high-level of interdependency. The first department begins the sorting of chemical ingredients; the second department conducts the purification of chemical ingredients, and the three department conducts the refining of chemical ingredients for commercial sales. This third department recently transitioned to new technologies, new work process structure, and new employees. Additionally, the department manager and the manager’s three supervisors received training in the skills necessary to perform as a job performance coach. This department’s overall performance trend, as reported by the Director of Operations, appears to be on track to make the department’s quantity and quality production goals. The department manager approaches you for assistance in developing a competitive advantage in the department. As HR Business Partner in the Operations Division, discuss HOW you can help the department manager achieve a competitive advantage for the business.