In this respect, one recent trend within the field of HRM, consistent with the total quality management philosophy, is for the HR executive to take a customer-oriented approach to implementing the function. In other words, the strategic planning process that takes place at the level of the business can also be performed with the HRM function.

HR executives in more progressive U.S. companies have begun to view the HRM function as a strategic business unit and have tried to define that business in terms of their customer base, their customers’ needs, and the technologies required to satisfy customers’ needs (Figure 16.2).

For example, Joe Ruocco, the former chief HR officer at Goodyear, encouraged his HR function to take a customer-centric approach.

Figure 16.2 Customer-Oriented Perspective of the HRM Function

Assignment Workload:

• This Assignment comprise of a short Case.
• Assignment is to be submitted by each student individually.

Assignment Purposes/Learning Outcomes:

After completion of Assignment-3 students will able to understand the following LOs:

(Lo 1.1).Demonstrate overall Human Resource concepts, goals and strategies within the context of organizations goals and strategies.

(Lo 1.2) Explain the Differentiation between the major functions of HR and describe their interdependency.

(Lo 1.9).Ability to Examine the role of Employees as a strategic partner in an organization.

Assignment-2

• Please read the case “Employees Make A Difference at Amy’s Ice Creams” HR IN SMALL BUSINESS at the end of Chapter 16, Strategically Managing the HRM Functions available in your textbook Human Resource Management: Gaining A Competitive Advantage-Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, Wright,11e., and answer the following questions:

Assignment Question(s):(Marks 5)

1. Which elements of a customer-oriented HRM perspective does Amy’s Ice Creams seem to have? (See Figure 16.2.)
2. Suppose Amy’s hired you as a consultant to evaluate whether the company has an effective HRM function. Which outcomes would you look for? How would you measure them?
3. Generally, a small ice cream shop such as Amy’s cannot afford to pay store workers very high wages. How well do you think the company can achieve high employee satisfaction without high pay? What can it do to foster satisfaction besides the efforts described here? How could e-HRM support these efforts?

Answers:

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