“HR Challenge: Dynamics of Value Creation and Competitiveness Through People”
As one grows older there is often the tendency to reflect back upon our life and its contribution to people and situations most near and dear to us, and especially to the legacy we hope to leave for succeeding generations. In the case of the late Prof. Sudatha Ranasinghe, despite a lifetime of distinguished service in many spheres including 25 years in the university system of Sri Lanka, he was still actively pursuing the completion of his final achievement in the days leading up to his death in May of this year.
“HR Challenge: Dynamics of Value Creation and Competition Through People” which Prof. Ranasinghe compiled and edited in conjunction with Dr. Ajantha Dharmasiri, is indeed a fitting tribute that will endure through its valuable contribution to academic and professional development in the field of human resource management both in Sri Lanka and overseas.
Those actively involved in HRM, as well as newcomers to the field, will find the first three chapters of great benefit in enlightening the reader on the current situation and the significant challenges facing HR professionals today. The editors themselves have made a valuable contribution in this respect with Prof. Ranasinghe setting the scene with a challenge to HRM practice to be more diverse in the role that it should play in a competitive business environment, especially in Sri Lanka while Dr. Dharmasiri explores the importance of strategic HRM in developing economies focusing specifically on the broader South Asian context. These challenges can, of course, only be met if effective and appropriate training and development are in place, therefore in a review of current practices , Prof. Vathsala Wickremasinghe presents her findings based on empirical research together with timely recommendations for a more formalized and structured human resource development strategy in Sri Lankan organisations.
A recurrent theme in all three papers is the requirement for improvement in the development of HRM in practice and status in the Sri Lankan business context in the light of the strong need for the greater involvement of HR professionals in strategy making and implementation in contemporary organisations.
While academics will be particularly interested in these macro level discussions, HRM practitioners will find many valuable guidelines for working towards achievement of the goals espoused in the introductory chapters. The remaining nine chapters provide not only well researched analytical studies of a carefully selected range of topics, but also provide pathways for practitioners to consider in terms of growing and improving HRM practices in Sri Lanka. Each is written by an experienced academic, researcher, consultant or practitioner.
In terms of core HR practice, topics such as performance appraisal systems, industrial relations, leadership and employee commitment are examined with a particular emphasis on what is and what can be within the Sri Lankan business environment. If change is to be brought about then innovative practices have to be developed and fostered. Very appropriately two chapters are therefore devoted to the role of innovation as it relates to HR strategy. The formulation of a framework for innovative HR practices leading to a great competitive capacity will no doubt be of considerable interest to CEO’s, senior management and their HR divisions from a business perspective, as well as providing a set of theoretical propositions that can provide future academic research. At the same time such innovation is much needed in the huge public sector, and a further chapter explores a variety of possibilities in this area.
As HR by definition is very much about people, it is pleasing to see a range of current human relations issues addressed, particularly as there has been little previously published on the extent to which they impact upon the Sri Lankan work environment. Chapters are devoted to HR within the family business, work-family conflict, sexual harassment in the workplace and development of a positive employee emotional environment.
Collectively, HR Challenge lives up to its title in that it leaves us with the ingredients and the ideas for HRM in Sri Lanka to seek new directions and greater heights in the corporate and public sectors. The contributors, Dr. Dharmasiri and the Institute of Personnel Management, which has played a major role in bringing this publication to fruition, are to be congratulated on their efforts to not only provide a much needed and valuable resource in the field of HR, but also to honour the legacy of the late Prof. Ranasinghe.