The Changing Role of the Human Resource Profession in the Asia Pacific Region

Jayantee Saha, Chris Rowley

• Publisher: Chandos Publishing
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780857094759
• eBook ISBN: 9780857094766
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Human Resource Management
• Index: Business

The human resource (HR) profession has been on a long and challenging journey. Globalisation and sweeping policy changes have re-defined and re-aligned HR and its role. It is important for HR professionals to develop and become innovators in their respective industries. The Changing Role of the Human Resource Profession in the Asia Pacific Region is based on case-studies of retail, tourism, healthcare, security, education, and energy, spread across the greater Asia Pacific (AP) region. The book rests on the principle of the laws of attraction, that 'thoughts become things' and argues that acknowledging good human resource policies and practices can be a key influence on all aspects of an organisation. After an introduction, five chapters cover key topics: six major industries; changing HR practices across the AP; an insider's view on best practices; the role of HR in sustaining growth across the AP; and a conclusion looking towards the future of HR in the Asian Pacific Region. - Based on real and contemporary case studies with a focus on six industries (Retail, Tourism, Healthcare, Security, Education and Energy) spread across the Greater AP region - Highlights industry specific key HR challenges and suggests ways forward - Records recent developments

1

Introduction

As a result of globalisation and the evolving focus on business and organisations in the greater Asia Pacific (GAPAC) region, the human resource (HR) profession and practices in this part of the world have been undergoing change. The HR profession is perceived as being more strategic than merely administrative. Moreover, HR challenges and practices may be universal or industry specific. Given each industry has its own complexities, we examine the specific HR challenges that they bring and look at whether HR professionals can impact them in some way. This chapter provides the basic information needed to understand the book. This covers the background and rationale of HR, its significance, how it relates to readers and other related stakeholders, the kind of general principles and methodologies used to research the topic, and finally an overview of benefits that readers and stakeholders may draw from the book.

Keywords

Asia Pacific; human resources; management; policies; practices; profession

Introduction

The human resource (HR) profession has been on a long and challenging journey. Globalisation and sweeping policy changes are factors that have redefined and realigned HR and its role in the organisation. The HR function may be seen as having evolved not only over time, but content. There are many typologies and frameworks showing this such as those proposed by Tyson and Fell (1986). Others like Ulrich (1997), Ulrich, Younger, Brockbank, and Ulrich (2012) and Welch and Welch (2012) present different types of framework. What these convey is that the title of HR manager covers a wide range in terms of the content of the job, with greater or fewer levels on reactive – proactive or operational – strategic spectrums (Rowley & Jackson, 2011).

While explaining the business partner model, Ulrich and Brockbank (2008) pointed out that HR plays a significant role in the creation and maintenance of capabilities an organisation must have in order to deliver value to its customers, shareholders, employees and communities. Generally speaking, HR has evolved from just being transactional to being a strategic business partner, from being a cost centre to profit centre partnering business growth (Moore & Furlong, 2012). The post-2008 global financial crisis made it clear that economies were not just facing another cyclical economic downturn but in its wake came impactful, structural, demographic and mindset changes across various industries. Business leaders could not afford to respond with anything less than a major overhaul of the HR management (HRM) system to survive and sustain – HR as a practice and profession needs to ‘transmute’ (Mukherjee Saha, 2010, p. 21).

Our book addresses a set of interrelated questions. What are the principal challenges HR is facing? Given each industry has its own complexities, is it not a necessity to assess and analyse industry-specific HR challenges and best practices? Can HR take on the responsibility of increasing productivity in industries? With the rapid changes going on in workplaces and economies, is it not a prerequisite for HR professionals to develop competencies and enhance knowledge and by so doing have an effect on their respective industries (Ulrich et al., 2012)?

The premise of our book rests on the principle of laws of attraction, which claims that ‘thoughts become things’. In this world of business uncertainties and corporate fragilities, acknowledging good HR policies and practices can certainly influence the economic, societal and environmental aspects of an organisation. It may further trigger collective thinking on the part of the HR and business community, economies and societies at large for transmutation to take place for the common good (Mukherjee Saha, 2010, p. 21).

The book covers the following six key industries: (1) tourism and hospitality, (2) retail, (3) healthcare, (4) education, (5) security; (6) energy (including oil, gas and renewables). There is copious evidence that these industries play major roles in economies (as explained in Chapter 2). A closer look reveals the interdependence of these, something that will be elaborated in the following chapters. Industry-level analysis backed up by case studies of organisations from specific industries and operating in the region has been included to further elaborate the concept.

Why focus on the region?

The greater Asia Pacific (GAPAC) is that part of the world in or near the western Pacific Ocean. We take its main economies to include Australia, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Z...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Foreword by Dave Ulrich
• Foreword by Peter Cappelli
• Foreword by Prabir Jha
• Acknowledgements
• About the author
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Six major industries: An overview
• 3. Changing HR landscapes across the region
• 4. Best HR practices: Insider view
• 5. The role of human resources in sustaining the growth of industries
• 6. Conclusion
• Index