經濟飛速發展下競爭的商業文章

 

在當前經濟飛速發展的情況下，競爭一詞是每個公司面臨的一大難題。克服這一問題則與公司產品和服務緊密相連。企業正關注和致力于提供最好的服務和高質量的產品。同時也研究如何通過人力資源管理來實現這一目標。 本文旨在分析和認識競爭策略，它的概念、模型和人力資源實踐。人力資源實踐指的是微軟公司利用種種案例來研究評估企業員工表現影響的實踐。

 

對于企業來說，了解自身在哪些方面具有競爭優勢和競爭優勢的基礎是至關重要的。這在戰略管理領域起著重要的作用。因此，本文在分析回答認識，保護和實現競爭優勢的基礎上，為微軟的戰略管理擴大了系統結構。

 

簡介

 

在目前的情況下,大多數企業發起和實施某種形式的授權策略作為他們公司的一部分。為了在當前的商業世界中獲得更好的業務和成就，一個企業從底層到高層包括一線員工都需要擁有才能，勢力，創意，創造力和知識。像微軟這種最好的企業通過給員工授權來實現這一目標。這樣，員工就會像企業的主人一樣主動，積極地工作，不需要一步步的管理。

 

如果一個企業失去了優秀的勞動力,就失去了能力,知識,技能,更重要的是失去了“企業記憶”。當我們看到由此而導致的公司表現，就會更大規模地影響服務質量，產品，效率和性能。這也將對工作場合的文化，員工關系，士氣產生消極影響。對于一個企業來說，找到和替換勞動力并訓練他們是非常困難的。

 

Competition Faced In Rapid Fire Paced Economies Business Essay

 

In the current rapid fire paced economy competition is the word every organization facing as an issue to overcome related to their products and services. Organizations are concentrating on and aiming to provide the best possible service and quality product and researching on how to accomplish this through the Human Resources Management. This paper aims to analyse and recognise the competitive strategies, concepts, models and the Human Resource practices related to Microsoft Corporation based on the case study provided to evaluate the impact on the performance of the employees of the organization.

 

It is vital for the organizations to understand the aspects and basics of competitive advantage and has gained significant importance in the area of strategic management. As a result this paper also extends a systematic framework for Microsoft's Strategic management regards to recognizing, protecting and accomplishing competitive advantage have been analysed and answered.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

簡介-Introduction

 

In the present scenario, most of the organizations are initiating and implementing some kind of empowerment strategy at least part of their firm. For the better business and success in the current business world, organizations require the man power with talent, power, ideas, creativity and knowledge from the bottom level of the organization to the top level of organization including the front line workers. The best companies like Microsoft achieve this by empowering their workforce, so that they can take the initiative and behave like owners of the company without being micro managed.

 

If an organization loses talented work force, it loses ability, knowledge, expertise and more importantly it loses the 'corporate memory'. When we look at the effect this is causing on the performance of the firm, it is in greater magnitude as it affects the quality of the service, product, productivity and performance. This will also have negative impact on work place culture, relationships and morale. It is very difficult for the organization to find and replace the work force and training them.

 

Microsoft Corporation is famous for its work place culture. The given case study explains that organization was rich in work culture to attract and retain the talented work force. But as the organization grows internationally the issues related to HR management like culture, race, antitrust etc started arising. The cost cutting methods introduced by the management started to de-motivate the employees.

 

An organization can be termed as a cohesive organism that needs to innovate the best possible ways of executing things effectively reacting to its environment (Child 1997: 67). The issue is that what really Microsoft Corporation needs to do for maintaining and managing or optimising this issue in its environment. Where it has to focus? Either technology or financial analysis or Human Resources. The given case study of Microsoft has been critically evaluated in this paper to match the academic theories related to human resource and how effective and efficient HRM practices changed the prosperity and development of the organization.

 

A resource must be inimitable, non sustainable and rare to add value to an organization so that it can consider as a basis for sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991). Wright, et al (1994) critically evaluated that Human Resources as a basis of sustainable competitive advantage accepting and approving the concept of Barney (1991). According to Coff (1994), causal ambiguity and systematic information make the Human Resources as a significant of basis of sustainable competitive advantage and inimitable. According to Guest (1990), if the management of any organization believe in their employees and assign them critical and challenging tasks, they will reply and return with elevated dedication, superior motivation and with great performance.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

For a successful and prosperous organization, six aspects were identified by Gratton (1997). They are

 

Top management's devotion and commitment

 

Management's core capacity

 

It's ambition and aspiration

 

Management's capability to construct and manage alliances

 

Employees commitment, motivation and ambition

 

How organizations integrate their business in to international network

 

The explained literature clearly shows that the aspects of competitive advantage slowly started shifting from financial sources to technical and from technical to the human resources. In simple words, the prosperity of the organization is not relaying on the budget size or product or technology. But it actually depends on their work force skills, attitudes, ability, competencies, communication abilities, commitment, trust, workplace culture and relationships.

 

From the above literature, it is obvious that the most important and significant aspect of competitive advantage is employees. Their dedication, devotion, productivity and retention aspects are rising as the significant concerns for the organizations. Caplan and Teese(1997) explains the impact of losing the motivation and critical talented workforce and describes that downfall of organizations prosperity.

 

This can be clearly seen in the given Microsoft case study. The Microsoft was performing very well during late 1990s and the growth was good. The case study clearly states that, during the growth period of late 1990s the work culture was great and was considered as a great place to work. The organization was able to employ the skilled and talented work force due to its benefit programs and generous compensation.

 

But as the organization started to grow, these popular values started to demise. As the size of the organization increases, its work culture started losing the fame. This has shown a definite effect on the firm performance. The case study explains that the stock value started to fall down continuously. The investors were losing faith on the stocks of the organization. The product 'Windows 2000' launched by Microsoft said to have major bugs. So the value of the product is affected. As the stock value decreased, the employees started losing the interest on the Microsoft's stock option program. The profits were also started declining.

 

Human resources aspects play a significant role in every area of the firm, from finance to sales to customer service to line management. If the HR aspects lose its value, they will have severe effects on the performance of the organization and Microsoft case study is the best example.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

In the current scenario, the key area of Human Resources is to utilize the available skilled human talent efficiently and effectively to achieve the goals of the organization. Utilizing HR policies effectively as a competitive advantage means evaluating the components required for the firm's long term success. Microsoft Corporation recognised this factor and started to formulate new HR strategies to overcome the problems that was undergoing.

 

Hofstede (1991) identifies three key stages human mental programming

 

Human nature

 

Personality

 

Culture

 

Hofstede (1991) explains that the human character is inherited and widespread and can be considered as the source of psychological and physical functioning. This has been further confirmed by many researchers that this stage is unique to articulate one's capacity to express emotions, needs and feelings and is not affected by any other cultural influences. This stage is also so exact to group. The last stage 'personality' is particular to individual and is related to changes to environment. The below image explains the three levels of human mental stages and based on this theory, Microsoft started consolidating their Hr strategies

 

文化多樣性-Cultural Diversity

 

One of the major factors that affected the firm performance is that seven of Microsoft employees sued the company for racial discrimination. Booysen (2007c) stresses the requirement for organizations to come out of 'melting pot' or assimilation theory to multiculturalism and emphasis that competitive advantage can be leveraged with multiculturalism by promoting unity in diversity. The author also points out the potential risks involved such as disrespect, misunderstanding, inconsistency, conflict and quarrel etc.

 

Allard (2002) ascertains the importance of equal opportunity programmes and the need for focus on multiculturalism that recognises the need for diversity and promotes uniqueness. Microsoft top management realised the fact and had taken firm action to maintain diversity. They had introduced zero level tolerance towards discrimination and announced serious action against it to boost the confidence in the employees.

 

有效溝通-Effective communication

 

Employees in the organization usually spend most of their time in interpersonal situations. So it is quite easy to understand that the origin and source of many problems in the organization is the effect of poor communication. Effective and efficient communication plays significant and vital role in the growth and success of the firm. So it is the liability of the top management to make sure the suitable and proper communication tools and techniques are provided.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

The theories of Elton Mayo (1880-1949) Explains that employees of the organization just not only work for and motivated by money but meeting their social needs at work place also plays critical and vital role in motivating the. The importance of social needs ware ignored in the famous theory of Taylor (1856 - 1917). Mayo explains the need for manager's contribution at the work place and the importance of them taking attention towards employees and also emphasised that the employees of the organization enjoy and take benefit from interacting with each other. Three strong points were evaluated and emphasised by Mayo's theory to motivate the workers.

 

Improved and enhanced communication between employees and managers

 

The manager's better participant and involvement in the working life of employees.

 

Team work

 

During the declining period of Microsoft Corporation, it was identified that there was no proper communication between the HR department and the employees. This was explicitly shown in the case study that at times only two emails where received by HR department. Further the case study shows that the employees were not connected to the organization or the vision or the mission.

 

Brummel the new appointed HR of chief understood and identified the need for better communication related to Mayo's theory. She had taken measures to improve the communication between Hr and employees. She had personally met the workers to understand their issues and problems. This helped her to formulate new strategies for motivation.

 

動機學說-Motivation Theories

 

Some important motivation theories that Microsoft Corporation concentrated to motivate their employees were analysed below

 

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of human needs

 

Maslow (1943) was one of the pioneers of motivation theories and constructed his conventional five level hierarchies of human requirements. They are

 

a. psychological and biological, b. Social, c. esteems d. safety, and e. self actualisation.

 

This theory explains the higher stage requirements acts as motivational factors when the basic and below stages of requirements fulfilled. The theory from low to high level is

 

Physiological factors like sufficient salary, proper office space and suitable facilities

 

Safety aspects such as sick leave , job security, pension scheme, medical requirements

 

Social needs at the work place like communications with colleagues, customers and teamwork

 

Self-esteem aspects of individual employees such as approval and admiration from colleagues and supervisors, recognition and reputation.

 

Self-actualization of individual employees where the employee himself recognises and utilizes his potential.

 

Herzberg's Two Factor Theory

 

This theory depends on several assumptions from Maslow's theory.

 

Two main categories ware identified that significantly influences the motivation. They are

 

The intrinsic Factors

 

These are the aspects that emerge from the work itself from the goals of individuals like growth, achievement and social relationship.

 

The extrinsic factors

 

These aspects arise from the environmental surroundings or fundamental requirements of Human beings like responsibility, family, office space and salary etc. The image explains the theory

 

McClelland's achievement motivation theory

 

This theory distinguishes the motivation of a specific class of employees who have a tough desire to accomplish and grow. In reference to this theory, the people with motivation will have some characters for achievement.

 

These employees will like to work on potential, difficult tasks.

 

They wish to experiment with calculated risks

 

They are not bothered money or rewards but always think about their personal achievement

 

They always look for appreciation and feed back to know how they are performing

 

All these theories were connected and associated to each other. Maslow's lower stages of classification are related Herzberg's extrinsic factors and higher stages are related to intrinsic aspects. And Herzberg's intrinsic aspects are related to achievement motivated people. The below image explains clear the relationship between the theories

 

Maslow (1943) assured that persons, including workers at the firms, are encouraged by the aspiration to accomplish or manage several situations that are basically depending on employee satisfaction. In general human beings continuously want to be in groups. These understandings offer practical and helpful points to the organizational leaders and managers of the Microsoft. One of the significant and important recommendations is to motivate the work force by conducting programs and practices that target to satisfy the emerging requirements of employees. Another important aspect of recommendations is that the firms need to focus on groups and team work. They need to concentrate on conducting programs that help the work force to release the stress particularly at the time of challenging tasks (Kreitner, 1998). The appointed new HR chief of Microsoft clearly emphasised the developments of Steers & Porter (1983) that says "managers have the accountability to generate appropriate and accurate climatic conditions where employees of the organization can extend to their fullest potential. Failure to offer this would theoretically enhance the frustration of the workforce and could consequence in poor and lower performance. This may reduce the job satisfaction and force the employee to leave the organization".#p#分頁標題#e#

 

Equity Theory

 

This theory recognizes the activities of individual employees to compare and contrast the rewards they receive for their work and efforts with their colleagues and other employees. The rewards can be in any form like wages and recognitions (Ramlall, 2004).

 

Adams (1963) theory existing in Swinton (2007) can be considered as one of the significant research on social exchange relationships.

 

Equity theory is derived on 3 important assumptions:

 

Employees think that they should get proper reward for efforts on the Job

 

Employees always tend to compare their rewards with other colleagues.

 

If they think that rewards what they receive are unfair when compared to other colleagues they may be de-motivated and tend to leave the organization.

 

So, it is vital challenge for the organizations to regularly create proper, acceptable equitable reward systems that are in line with the level of value as per the employee association.

 

The Microsoft's earlier appraisal system the 'forced curve system' has got the limitations. It will rank the employees from 1 to 5 scale where 5 being the highest. But the number of employees who can get rank 5 is limited. So even if more people performed better, managers will be able to select only few for the top rank which is not fare and equity. So the employees who performed at their full potential were not equally treated and demoralised.

 

The new appraisal system 'commitment rating' is fairer then the old system. The objective is clearly inclined towards equity saying if 'N' number deserved an 'A' grade give all the 'N' number an 'A'. If 'Y' Number deserved a 'B' grade give them all 'B' grade. So rewards are based on your performance levels and everybody treated equally.

 

McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y

 

Douglas McGregor (1069-1964) developed the Theory X and Theory Y to explain the leadership qualities and how mangers attitudes and character affect the behaviour of employees and their motivation. The manager's qualities and behaviours explained in the following diagram based on the category of their theory.

 

In tradition therefore businesses should re-arrange the organizational values to promote superior utilization of team work and introduce managers to encourage better manager involvement in taking care of employees' interests.

 

The program 'The leadership league' introduced by the Microsoft Corporation used to rate managers according to their leadership quality. Employees rate their managers in the employee's surveys. If the managers don't get the good feedback, thee won't get the execution excellence award that is linked with increments and bonuses even if their business performance is higher. This will make the managers to opt for the 'Y' theory and work in an team environment to get organizational excellence.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

The job characteristics model

 

This theory can be considered as the most appropriate and perfect model in the current view of job design that was developed by Hackman and Oldman (1980). They projected that the motivation of work force is determined by 3 basic psychological aspects.

 

Workers must feel the personal responsibility for the results of the working task.

 

Employees must feel the job is meaningful and have effect on the organizational performance.

 

They have to understand the level contribution they are making to the firm.

 

New employee benefits introduced based on the feedback from the workers was based on the above discussed theories. The reward programs introduced were based on the intrinsic factors discussed in the Herzberg's Two Factor Theory and Maslow's hierarchy of human needs.

 

The low level needs like good salary, job guarantee where taken care in a perfect manner. The mobile medicine scheme of sending the doctors to home at emergency is related to extrinsic factors. The discounts on hybrid cars, child care, tuition benefits for children, pet discounts and auto care were other extrinsic benefits based on the above theories to motivate employees were offered by Microsoft Corporation under new HR strategies. Another good HR program introduced by Microsoft was 'the connector' which is a new transport service facility that brings the employees from their home to office. And the bus service also includes Wi-fi service so that the employees can in touch with their social network.

 

New office space was designed in an interactive and innovative manner. The office walls were designed with full of glass and graffiti designs that will have lounges, media rooms and kitchens etc for the employees to relax.

 

結論-Conclusion

 

The crucial and significant function Human resources is to make sure the efficient and effective use the great resource of human power to achieve the aims and objectives of organization. When the HR values and motivation of employees are negative, the firms have negative impact on the performance and growth. Microsoft case study is the best example for this.

 

When the HR values are designed in phase with motivation theories and the organizational value the profit increases. The major factor that keeps the firm at top level when compared with the competitors is its employees. The New HR measures taken by Microsoft had given the fruitful effects. The profit started increased in a regular which is explicit in the case. The stock value is regained its value. The employees appreciated the new measure and new talent want to join the company. The case study shows that the operating income and revenue started increasing every year from 2005.#p#分頁標題#e#

 

The excellence and brilliance of the firm's work force, their passion, and their satisfaction with their work and the devotion to the organization all have major impact on the firm's reputation, productivity, the rage of customer service and satisfaction and survival. In simple and effective words, only people can make the difference required in a competitive environment.