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MANAGING PROJECTS

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Projects represent nonroutine business activities that often have long-term strategic ramifications for a firm. In this chapter, we examined how projects differ from routine business activities and discussed the major phases of projects. We noted how environmental changes have resulted in increased attention being paid to projects and project management over the past decade. In the second half of the chapter, we introduced some basic tools that businesses can use when planning for and controlling projects. Both Gantt charts and network diagrams give managers a visual picture of how a project is going. Network diagrams have the added advantage of showing the precedence between activities, as well as the critical path(s). We wrapped up the chapter by showing how these concepts are embedded in inexpensive yet powerful software packages such as Microsoft Project. If you want to learn more about project management, we encourage you to take a look at the Web site for the Proj...
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An Introduction to Human Resource Management

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Defining HRM. There is no universally agreed definition of HRM and definitions can refer to people management activities in the broadest sense, or to the specific meanings of highcommitment management or a strategic approach to people management.
Models of HRM. By the early 1980s, a number of US analysts were writing about HRM and devising models and explanations for its emergence, which can be traced back to the 1930s. Among the most significant of these are Devanna (fit and the matching model) and Beer (the Harvard model).
HRM and business performance. Guest (2011) identified six phases in the growing body of research into the association between HRM and organisational performance. Results from empirical studies suggest that there is a link, but the direction of causality is inconclusive, as is the assumption that a set of practices can have universal applicability.
HRM in practice. Empirical evidence continues to show that, although there is a high use of individual HRM practices, few organisations appear to adopt a full-blown version of highcommitment HRM. The general low level of take-up can be attributed to organisational inertia and cost considerations, but may also suggest that some organisations seek to achieve competitive advantage through a ‘low road’ approach of cost-cutting or new forms of Taylorism rather than the ‘high road’ approach of HRM. The financial crisis and subsequent recession have increased the use of cost-cutting HR practices such as pay freezes, overtime bans and redundancies in order to survive, but many organisations have tried to balance these with softer practices to maintain employee motivation and commitment.
HRM and HR professionals. The emergence of HRM and the emphasis on its contribution to the achievement of business goals have been perceived by many practitioners as presenting an opportunity to improve the power and status of the HR function. One of the most influential models over years was developed by Ulrich (1998). However, survey findings continue to show that, while many practitioners aspire to adopt a more strategic role, the administrative role is still dominant and HR often struggles to demonstrate that it adds significant value to the business. Critiques of the business partner model suggest that an overemphasis on short-term performance measures can be to the detriment of the employment experience for many. A number of models have been developed identifying the key competencies that HR professionals need in order to demonstrate credibility and meet the challenges of organisations now and in the future.

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