Preface

Preface

  

Human Resource management has grown in its range and depth to the

point where it has become an industry rather than just an occupation.

This Fifth Edition of a book aimed at explaining the main areas of the

field has grown in each edition, expanding with the scope of the topic

to the point where even a summary of the topic is a large tome. In each

succeeding edition we find new ideas, new techniques and new legisla-

tion to describe. There is however, no diminution in the volume of

existing material because all is still relevant. It is necessary to know how

we have come to our present situation in order to understand where

we are going, and the trends which are continuing. HRM is highly sit-

uation specific, the context is infinitely variable and there are endless

applications.

Part of the joy of working in HRM is the significance of the work that

we do in this field, to help people and organizations to adjust to the

massive social, economic, political and technological changes that

influence the way people are managed.

The pace of change is such that we must acknowledge wider forces

affecting people management. Environmental change, increased secu-

rity risks, demographic changes, the rise of new economies such as

China, India and Brazil, and the expansion of the EU are some of the

obvious global pressures. The social changes we can all list include

shifts to values and lifestyles, families, education and health. What at

one time might have seemed remote from HRM is now central to our

work. Global, social and political changes affect all economic activities,

through marketing opportunities and threats, affecting employment,

costs, productivity and the social climate of relationships.

New ways of working and organizing, such as flatter, more devolved

organization structures, the burgeoning range of networks, whethertechnological, inter-organizational, intra-organizational, or personal,

and global ownership with international activities as a norm have

affected HRM. The HR functions in organizations are smaller and

more often linked to a wide range of service providers and sometimes

with the transactional activities outsourced. The HR role is diffused

throughout organizations, with new job titles reflecting the signifi-

cance of change management and talent management.

Not in spite of, but because of, these trends, there is every sign that

HRM as an activity is itself becoming widely distributed. There is conver-

gence in practices for example, between the public and private sectors,

and across national boundaries. Information flows are so fast the stan-

dard for communications is now instant, via electronic means, that the

latest ideas on the HR field are transmitted within seconds. There is trans-

parency in areas such as pay and benefits, labour market data, recruit-

ment opportunities and working trends. The world of the business of

HRM is mature, expanding and mainstream to all managerial activity.

These trends and changes would be sufficient justification for the

Fifth Edition of this text alone. The need for this kind of text continues

because whatever the discontinuities arising from the new challenges,

people management in all its aspects builds and develops from tradi-

tion and techniques. New cases and legislation in the field amend and

marginally reconfigure regulations, with our understanding of the

human condition comes a slow accretion of knowledge which is repre-

sented in the continuing traditions in techniques and approaches,

such as in selection, job evaluation, reward, training, development and

in industrial relations. The people working in this field are developing

knowledge and techniques as they face new problems, as communities

of practitioners.

The latest edition of this text seeks to bring together the main funda-

mental knowledge of areas of human resources, from organizational

behaviour to people management, industrial relations and employment

law. These are explored from the perspective of the current and emerg-

ing context of HRM and the latest techniques in managing people.

The themes of continuity and change are supported by the genesis

of this book, when Alfred York, the original co-author and I sat down

together to blend our joint knowledge and interests as a foundation

for the book, with John Milton’s words in mind:

‘Where there is much desire to learn, there of necessity will be much

arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but

knowledge in the making.’

Our desire to write the book was born as much out of a desire to learn

as the intention to communicate ideas and understanding.

viii Preface

H6795-Prelims.qxd 4/4/06 8:28 AM Page viiiThat desire continues, because with each new edition, come revi-

sions and new ideas. The field of HRM is one where there are new tech-

niques and fresh concepts by the bucketful, and where no book can

completely do justice to the topic.

This book is intended for anyone who wishes to find a comprehen-

sive guide to the subject, grounded in the principal theories and con-

cepts, with the authority of a long term perspective and a focus on the

latest techniques and practical ideas.

Later in these introductory pages I acknowledge my debt to Alfred

and to Jayne Ashley who over many years and editions have worked on

this book with me. In the ideas and perspectives found here, we hope

our readers will find ‘knowledge in the making’.