HRM-a core function Vs HRM-a support function

In the recent past esp. in the last 5 years there has been an increase in the popularity of Human Resource Management as an important part of an organization’s functioning. It has been identified as being at par or even more important than technology, finance etc in helping an organization achieve competitive advantage. Infact it has been seen as the single major factor differentiating between successful & unsuccessful organizations.

This change of opinion & practice has further been facilitated with the use of technology esp. the internet & is most evident in the Service sector where workers are the primary source of contact with with customers either over the phone or face-to-face. Not only that the manufacturing industry too considers the management of its human resources a critial component to ensure quality & reliability in its production process by means of discretionary behavior, hence the ‘art-y’ behaviour. ( U could refer to previous posts in the same section for explanation on this 1 !)

Me being an HR person myself & partial to the field   am quite happy with the transition of opinion of HRM from a support function to a core function & think it was this changing opinion and highlighting that it got along with the various ways of implementation all unique to every organization & occupational group that got me interested & reading more about it, consult people about it and then go in for a specialisation in it