03/09/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

In these series of articles are my notes from my Human Resources Management class. The link to the book studied from is below:

 

Cascio, Wayne F. Managing Human Resources. McGraw‑Hill, 2025.

 

Chapter 1: Human Resources In A Globally Competitive Business Environment

 

People are the foundation of businesses and yet businesses sometimes falsely assume that everyone is alike. Both physically and psychologically people can be different and these differences need attention so that each person’s potential and effectiveness is maximized, which in turn makes Human Resources more efficient. 

 

The text book's primary focus is on managing people. Human Resource Management (HRM) practices can effect:

 

1. Productivity: “a measure of the output of goods and services relative to the input of labor, capital, and equipment” (Cascio 5)

 

2. Quality of Work Life: the perception employees have of their physical and mental well-being when they are at work. 

 

3. Profit: income after expenses are subtracted from revenue

 

Managing means you are responsible for “optimizing” or using all resources available to you efficiently. Resources such as material, capital, and human labor are in view. In terms of managing people, managers must be concerned with five major activities:

 

1. Staffing: (a) Knowing the work requirements of your organization. (b) How many people does it take to complete the task? (c) Recruiting the people needed. Promoting qualified candidates.

 

2. Retention: (a) rewarding employees that perform their job well. (b) ensure there is a safe and harmonious work environment.

 

3. Development: “preserve and enhance employees’ competence in their jobs through improving their knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics; HR professionals use the term competencies to refer to these items.” (Cascio 5)

 

4. Adjustment: activities intended to make sure everything is within compliance of H.R. policies and business strategy.

 

5. Managing change: businesses and their environment change everyday. The intent of managing change is to ensure organizations are anticipating and responding to these changes. 

 

All of these activities together comprise Human Resource Management. The broad objective of HRM is to maximize the efficiency of all workers.

 

Globalization “is the ability of any individual or company to compete, connect, exchange, or collaborate globally.” (Cascio 9). Globalization makes everyone dependent on everyone and causes a ripple effect. The textbook uses China in 2020 as an example as when the country's suppliers shut down in 2020 due to Covid-19, industries such as airlines, automobiles, and electronics were affected. 

 

Five major technologies are reshaping the core structures of global business and the organizations that operate within it: cloud and mobile computing, big data and machine learning, sensor networks and intelligent manufacturing, advanced robotics and drones, and clean‑energy systems. Generative AI, capable of producing new audio, code, images, text, simulations, and video, fits within the broader domain of machine learning. Together, these technologies are not only improving speed and efficiency but also driving deep, structural changes in how work itself is organized and carried out.

 

Sustainability means meeting present needs without limiting the ability of future generations to meet theirs, pushing companies to consider social and environmental impacts alongside profit. This “triple bottom line” approach, people, planet, and profit, can strengthen competitive advantage, as seen in firms like Schneider Electric that grew by helping customers reduce emissions. Research links sustainability investments to benefits such as stronger reputation, innovation, productivity, and access to capital, and most business leaders expect to increase such investments soon.

 

Restructuring takes many forms, but downsizing, intentionally eliminating jobs or positions, is the most common. Companies may also restructure by selling or acquiring business units or by changing reporting relationships.

 

The Society for Human Resource Management conducted extensive international studies that led to the creation of the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge (BASK), a framework describing what effective HR professionals should know and be able to do. It identifies three behavioral competency clusters, leadership, interpersonal, and business, each containing three specific competencies that guide professional behavior. Alongside these, the BASK outlines three major knowledge domains: people, organization, and workplace, which together define the technical expertise required in HR practice. This structure provides a comprehensive model for developing and evaluating HR capability across global contexts.

 

•The leadership cluster involves Leadership, Ethical Practices, and Cultural Considerations. 

•The interpersonal cluster involves Relationships Management, Communication, and Global Mindset.

•The business cluster involves Business Acumen ,Consultation ,and Analytical Aptitude.

• People Knowledge domain involves HR Strategy; Talent Acquisition; Employee Engagement and Retention; Learning and Development; Total Rewards.

• Organization Knowledge domain involves Structure of the HR Function; Organizational Effectiveness and Development; Workforce Management; Employee and Labor Relations; Technology Management.

• Workplace Knowledge domain involves Managing a Global Workforce; Risk Management; Corporate Social Responsibility; U.S. Employment Law and Regulations.