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Essay / Strategic Human Resource Management - 1647
Strategic Human Resource ManagementStrategic human resource management is the process of linking the human resources function to the strategic objectives of the organization in order to improve performance.Strategic ManagementThe word "strategy", derived from the Greek noun strategus, meaning "commander in chief", was first used in English in 1656. The development and usage of the word suggests that it is composed of stratos (army) and agein (to direct). In a management context, the word "strategy" has now replaced the more traditional term - "long-term planning" - to refer to a specific pattern of decisions and actions undertaken by the upper echelon of the organization in order to achieve performance objectives. Wheelen and Hunger (1995, p. 3) define strategic management as “that set of management decisions and actions that determine the long-term performance of an enterprise.” Hill and Jones (2001, p. 4) take a similar view when they define strategy as “an action taken by a firm to achieve superior performance”. Strategic management is considered an ongoing activity that requires constant adjustment of three major interdependent poles: the values of senior management, the environment and available resources. Strategic management modelIn descriptive and prescriptive management texts, strategic management appears as a cycle in which several activities follow one another and feed off each other. The strategic management process is generally broken down into five steps:1. Mission and objectives2. Environmental analysis3. Strategic formulation4. Strategy implementation5. Strategy evaluation.1. Mission and GoalsAt the corporate level, the strategic management process includes activities that range from assessing the organization's current mission and goals to strategic evaluation. The first step of the strategic management model begins with senior managers assessing their position in relation to the organization's current mission and goals. The mission describes the values and aspirations of the organization; it is the purpose of the organization and indicates the direction that senior management is taking. Objectives are the desired ends pursued through the actual operating procedures of the organization and generally describe short-term measurable results.2. Environmental Analysis Environmental analysis examines the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization as well as the external environment to detect opportunities and threats. The most important factors for the future of the organization are called strategic factors and can be summarized by the acronym SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.3. Strategic FormulationStrategic formulation involves senior managers evaluating the interaction between strategic factors and making strategic choices that guide managers to achieve the organization's objectives. Some strategies are formulated at the specific corporate, business and functional levels..