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INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS<br />

Human Resource Management Practices <strong>in</strong> Logistic Service<br />

Provider Industry: A Case Study<br />

Goh Hui Chyn<br />

Faculty <strong>of</strong> Management<br />

Multimedia University Malaysia<br />

Cyberjaya, Malaysia<br />

Dr. Maniam Kaliannan, PhD<br />

Faculty <strong>of</strong> Adm<strong>in</strong>istrative Science & Policy Studies<br />

Universiti Teknologi MARA<br />

Shah Alam, Malaysia<br />

Abstract<br />

Due to the cont<strong>in</strong>uous changes <strong>in</strong> external environment, the function <strong>of</strong> human resource<br />

(HR) department <strong>in</strong> an organization has been evolv<strong>in</strong>g from personnel management to<br />

strategic human resource management (SHRM). Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the resource-based view <strong>of</strong><br />

the firm (Barney, 1986, 1991, 1995), an organization can achieve susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />

competitive advantage by creat<strong>in</strong>g value that is rare and difficult to imitate by<br />

competitors. Literature reviews highlighted that the ‗change hand‘ effect <strong>of</strong> the logistic<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry can be addressed by enhanc<strong>in</strong>g both the operation efficiency and organizational<br />

competencies. The core competencies <strong>of</strong> the logistic service provider can be created<br />

through strategic Human resources management system (HRMS) us<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>in</strong>tegrated<br />

framework proposed by M. Progoulaki and I. Theotokas. A firm exhibits strategic human<br />

resource management [SHRM] when the human resource function is vertically aligned<br />

with the mission and objectives <strong>of</strong> the organization and horizontally <strong>in</strong>tegrated with other<br />

organizational functions. A qualitative case study methodology utilized <strong>in</strong>terviews,<br />

documentation and observation was adopted to study the HR practices <strong>in</strong> a selected<br />

logistic provider <strong>in</strong> Malaysia. The organization has 25 HR practices but still fac<strong>in</strong>g<br />

failure <strong>in</strong> align<strong>in</strong>g the organization structure, collaboration among workers, discipl<strong>in</strong>ary<br />

issues, high turnover rate among the lorry drivers. A strategic human resource<br />

management plan with sett<strong>in</strong>g up Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Development Department ,Bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

Cont<strong>in</strong>uity Plan, Develop Team Synergy , HR ―fit‖ (Vertical & Horizontal) <strong>in</strong>to bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

strategies and a Human Resource Management Information System (HR MIS as the<br />

<strong>in</strong>itiatives was proposed to the management <strong>of</strong>).<br />

Keywords: Strategic Human Resource Management, Logistic Service Provider<br />

Industry.<br />

1. Introduction<br />

The function <strong>of</strong> human resource (HR) department <strong>in</strong> an organization has been evolv<strong>in</strong>g<br />

from personnel management to human resource management (HRM). Over time, these<br />

focus shifted from manag<strong>in</strong>g people to creat<strong>in</strong>g strategic contributions. Hence, the<br />

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and International Strategic Human<br />

Resource Management (ISHRM) become major <strong>in</strong>terest among practitioner and<br />

academic. The reasons for the HR function‘s transformation are due to the cont<strong>in</strong>uous<br />

COPY RIGHT © 2011 Institute <strong>of</strong> <strong>Interdiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary</strong> Bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>Research</strong> 32<br />

JANUARY 2011<br />

VOL 2, NO 9<br />

Listed <strong>in</strong> ULRICH’S

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