Summary (Reflection IV to VI)

In sum, there are three topics I had learned and wrote the reflections which are HRIS systems architecture, HRIS model as well as Employee Learning and Development (ELD). There are three technological architectures which are standalone systems, data warehouse model and single integrated system model which are correlated to multinational model, international model and global model. In addition, there are three HR service delivery model which are global services, regional services and local services that response to various types of HR activities, each activity have different need. In HRIS model, there are three components that produce report as the output of the system. Besides that, I know that Employee Self Service (ESS) is very convenient and it bring lots of benefits to both employees and management level. As a HR student, I know that training is very important to develop employees and improve their performance. Therefore, ELD is very important for an organization to implement all the progress that regard to employees’ learning and development based on its useful and helpful functions.   

Reflection VI - Employee Learning and Development (ELD)

 Mathis and Jackson (2010) state that training as a revenue source. Some organizations think that training is an expense but in my opinion, training is an investment for an organization.  Training is very important as it can improve employees’ KSA and performance, reduce turnover, functions in job redesign and so on. Training is needed when introduce new technology, orientation for new employees, change in job process, inadequate performance and other issues.

Besides that, Maurer (2002) mention the significant of employees’ voluntary development and continuous learning has become extensively known as important to organization effectiveness. Therefore, it is importance to have an Employee Learning Development (ELD) system which includes employee personal information, performance before training, training course, training transfer and program evaluation.  This system can automate and systematic the overall training process. ELD system can record and store all the information related to training and learning program, fulfill new position and promotion, enable employee to access their performance appraisal and personal information, available course provided and others.

The ELD system is important for an organization but the learning culture in the organization also very important. It is important to create a learning culture in an organization by clearly communicating with the employees about the management’s expectation on them. According to Serrat (2009), “a learning organization values the role that learning can play in developing organizational effectiveness”. This elaborate the important of learning in an organization, it can be said that learning is the key to success. For an organization that really concern in employees’ learning and development, an ELD system is necessary to practice in the organization in order to implement all the task that related to learning and development program such as training, continuous education, and other course that can enhance employees’ self development.

References

Mathis, R. L. and Jackson, J. H. (2010). Human Resource Management, 13^th edition. USA: Joseph Sabatino.

Maurer, T. J. (2002). Employee Learning and Development Orientation: Toward an Integrative Model of Involvement in Continuous Learning. Theory and Conceptual Articles, p. 9-44.

Serrat, O. (2009). Building a Learning Organization. Knowledge Solutions, p.46- 53.

Reflection V – HRIS Model

HRIS model consists of 3 sets of components which are input subsystems, HRIS database and output subsystem. As Dr. Nur explain to us in first lecture, user key in information (input) such as personal information, employee annual/ medical leave, job description, and other data, the system will process it and come out with outputs which are employee record, leave report and so on. The input subsystems such as accounting information system, human resource research subsystem and human resource intelligence subsystem after process trough HRIS database would become output subsystem like workforce planning subsystem, recruiting subsystem and others.

According to Anheier and Doherty (2000), “Employee Self Service (ESS) is a combination of technology and organizational change that enables users to interact directly with their human resource data to inquire, review and act upon transactions in the workplace.” In ESS, employees also have the ability to update or change personal information such as direct deposit, home address and other information. ESS has grown rapidly, and is now one of the most prevalent and successful methods of HR service delivery used in business today.

ESS benefits both employees and management level. For employees, through ESS they can access and view their personal information (include of training history, salary history, self appraisals and etc.) and some company information, submit their holiday requests (annual leave/ medical leave/ unpaid leave) online, plan their own rosters and view department rosters, communication with other department, submitted report to management level and so on (Moran, 1999). For manager, they can approve or reject holiday request that submitted by employees, record employees absences, keep a record of job changes, view report that submitted by employees and others. Besides that, one of the greatest of ESS is it reduce workload of employees and enable them ideally creating more time for more strategic and business objective-aligned pursuits.

Reference

Moran Andrew (1999). Implementing Oracle Self-Service Human Resources (SSHR).

http://www.eease.com/hris/employee_self_service.php

http://www.security.ingersollrand.com/INTERFLEX/WORKFORCEPRODUCTIVITY/WORKFORCEMANAGEMENT/Pages/EmployeeSelfService.aspx

Reflection IV - Transnational HRIS

There are three technological architectures which are standalone systems, data warehouse model and single integrated system model.  According to Beaman (2004), standalone system runs its own independent systems which identify multinational model that is ultimately localized and highly decentralized. It consist lots of independent local business unites and only little control at the center. Data warehouse model is identifying international model that is focused on sharing. This model takes learning and sharing approach, it integrates the innovation that adopts from local business unit into global business model, then roll back throughout the organization. Single integrated system model has only one instance of the database that identify global model that is highly centralized and standardized which minimizes the needs of the local business units (Beaman, 2004).

 Besides that, there are three HR service delivery model which are global services, regional services and local services. For global level, the HR activities perform in globally and it is suit to executive management and stock allocation.  This is because for an organization, there was only one group of executive management no matter where the branches are. Stock allocation also need to manage in global level because  the headquarter need to know how many stock they have and which branches have shortage of stock and which branches have more, then the headquarter need to balance it. For management development training, workplace communication and increment compensation, these activities need to implement in regional level due to different culture, background and language of employees in different regional. Local level handles the activities such as recruitment, employee development, team building and other activities even when there is conflict occur among employee and supervisor. When the conflict occur, it was unreasonable handle by headquarter which unknown the real situation.

References

Beaman, Karen V. 2004. Sourcing Strategies for the Transnational Organization. IHRIM Journal. Pp 29-38.

Summary

Human Resource Information System (HRIS) is the combination of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Information Technology (IT), which means that use information system to manage and implement HR activities such as payroll, employee attendance, performance appraisal, employee record and others.

There are five competitive forces which are rivalry among existing firm within an industry, threats of new entrants, substitute products, the bargaining power of customers and suppliers. Besides that, there are five competitive strategies which include cost leadership, differentiation strategy, innovation strategy, growth strategy and alliance strategy. In addition, there are other competitive strategies such as look in customers and suppliers, build in switching costs, erect barriers to entry, build strategic IT capabilities and leverage investment in IT.

There are three different strategic needs for an organization to determine the HRIS model used in it which are responsive to locative, global efficiency and knowledge sharing. There are four HRIS model which are global model, multinational model, international model and transnational model. Global model is central oversight, multinational model is local autonomy, international model is the combination of global model and multinational model, and transnational model is one that embraces and exploits such paradoxes.

Relection III - On Globalizing HRIS

There are three models in HRIS which are global model, multinational model and international model. In addition, transnational model is the combination of these three models. There are three different strategic needs in determining the model of a company which are responsive to location, global efficiency and knowledge sharing.

Global model do not have localization which only use one system in an organization without consider culture of nation where its branches is. According to Beaman (2000), Global HRIS is a single, centralized, and standardized system which mange and implement HRIS efficiently.  The example of organization use global model is CIMB that use UK system and do not change to suit local practice.  Multinational HRIS is the one that responsive to local and regional differences (Beaman, 2000).  Which means headquarter of a multinational organization allowed its branches have autonomy to change the system to suit local and regional practice, they can decide the HRIS function according to their needs.  International model strikes a balance between local sovereignty and central omission which lies between Global model and Multinational model (Beaman and Walker, 2000).

Besides that, there is a model which consists of three models which is Transnational model. According to Beaman (2003), Transnational model comprise five core components which are vision, people, technology, process and organization. Vision is to set the overarching framework, direction, and values for the organization. People comprise the organization’s associates which are their skill, competencies, and orientations. Technology provides the fundamental infrastructure to support the people and processes. Process delineates the processes that individuals in the organization follow. Organization defines the organization structure that the enterprise will function within.

Reference

Karen V. Beaman (2003). The New Transnational HR Model: Building a Chaordic Organization. Pp1-27.

Karen Beaman and Alfred J. Walker (2000). Globalizing HRIS: The New Transnational Model. IHRIM Journal, pp 30-43.

Karen V. Beaman (2000). On Globalizing HRIS: Moving to a Transnational Solution. Pp. 33-36.

Reflection II - IS for competitive advantages

According to Ngai and Wat (2004), one of the benefits of HRIS is to increase competitiveness of an organization by using HRIS to improve HR operations. There are five competitive forces that mention by Shin (2001) which are rivalry among existing firm within an industry, threats of new entrants, substitute products, the bargaining power of customers and suppliers. “Although some have argued that today’s rapid pace of industry’s fundamental attractiveness, exposes the underlying drivers of average industry profitability, and provides insight into how profitability will evolve in the future. The five competitive forces still determine profitability even if suppliers, channels, substitutes, or competitors change (p.66).” (Porter, 2001 in Shin, 2001, p.165)

The example of rivalry competitive is KFC and McDonald, they are same in fast food industries which provide food service to customer and the food provided are almost the same. New entrants into an industry means there are new companies which provide same goods or services in a certain industry. Substitute product means that when the price of a product is high, we choose another substitute product which has lower price. For example, when the price of chicken is high, then we are not going to eat chicken but change to eat beef which provide protein to us also. Bargaining power of customer occur when there are lots of choices in market that customers are not limit to only one goods/ services provider. When there is bargaining power of supplier, which means that an amount of company need one supplier to supply their goods/ services, the supplier might increase the price of supplies which cause the cost of products for certain company force to increase.

Besides that, there are five competitive strategies which are cost leadership, differentiation strategy, innovation strategy, growth strategy and alliance strategy.  Cost leadership means a company provides goods/ services with lower price compare to other company with same goods/ services, the company who able to produce goods in lowest cost would gain best profits. Some of the companies try to produce different products/ services from its competitive to gain more customers, this is differentiation strategy. Innovation strategy means produce a unique product that the other company do not have to attract customers. Another way to compete with competitor is to improve the company itself which is developed or expend the company, make it into global markets to gain more customers and profit. Alliance strategy includes of mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and others. One of the examples of mergers is Google and Motorola, these two companies merge in order to compete with Apple. In addition, there are other competitive strategies such as look in customers and suppliers, build in switching costs, erect barriers to entry, build strategic IT capabilities and leverage investment in IT.  

Reference

E.W.T. Ngai and F.K.T. Wat (2006). Huamn Resource Information Systems: A Review and Empirical Analysis. Personal Review. Vol. 35 No.3, pp. 297-314.

Namchul Shin (2001). Strategies for Competitive Advantage in Electronic Commerce. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 164-171.

Porter, M. (2001). Strattegy and the Internet. Harvard Business Review. Pp. 62-78

http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/competitive_advantage.htm