Human Resource Unit (HRU) & System
Human Resource Management (HRM) is the organizational function concerned with the systematic acquisition, development, deployment, governance, and reproduction of human capabilities in pursuit of organizational objectives.
HR does not manage personnel resources; it acts as an intermediary coordinating the workforce system across organizational units in order to staff them.
HR does not managed it sataff and coordinat eworklof proceses.
Wha tis the relation with Administration of an Organization? It's HRM part of the administartion? In the sense that adminmistration takes alrady the set of (agents) in order to coordinate them? An Organization has many administrative layer - or systems -
How to design, evalute, and improve the administration of the Human Resources Unit - Across a Governmetn AGency adn across th government?
HR: Does not administer govermetn personal - each organization unit does that - HR adminit4rs the agents under the HR Agency - Organizational Unit that deals with a set of proceses realated with the ...
Functions:
- How many agents are needed?
- When and where are they needed?
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Which agents (skills, roles, constraints)?
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How is reality deviating from plan, and how do we correct it?
Note: I Don't Understand teh Term 'Human Resource Management (HRM)' becuase this does not manage the resources actually - it just run a set of process and task to masure that Organizational Unit are well staff - and yes -so this manaages the agents that execute those tasks - not the agents resources of other units.
HR Operating Abstraction
Guding Abstractions to guide the Public Human Resource Operation's:
| Abstraction Type | Instance(s) | Description | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle | Merit-Based Appointment Political Neutrality Representative Bureaucracy Proportionality |
Foundational axioms dictating how public HR decisions must be morally and legally grounded. Merit ensures selection by competence; neutrality guarantees service regardless of political regime; representativeness ensures workforce mirrors society; proportionality ensures means align with ends. | Serves as constitutional constraints and ethical boundaries that prevent arbitrary, discriminatory, or politically weaponized personnel decisions. Acts as the non-negotiable "hard code" of legitimacy. |
| Doctrine | Weberian Bureaucracy New Public Management (NPM) New Public Service (NPS) Digital-Era Governance |
Established bodies of administrative theory prescribing the structural logic of public employment. Weber emphasizes hierarchy/lifetime tenure; NPM emphasizes performance contracts and private-sector mimicry; NPS emphasizes democratic citizenship and community service; DEG emphasizes data-driven agility. | Provides the paradigmatic lens through which HR systems are designed—determining whether the system prioritizes rule-following (Weber), results (NPM), deliberation (NPS), or algorithmic optimization (DEG). |
| Operation Model | Career-Based Civil Service Position-Based System Mixed/Parallel Systems Agencification |
The architectural blueprint for HR execution. Career systems emphasize entry-level recruitment and internal promotion; position systems treat each role as distinct and open; mixed systems combine elements; agencification creates arm's-length HR bodies. | Dictates resource allocation, career pathing, and mobility rules. Determines whether the organization builds talent internally (career) or buys it externally (position), fundamentally affecting institutional memory and adaptability. |
| Philosophy | Public Service Motivation (PSM) Civic Republicanism Utilitarian Public Interest Professional Craftsmanship |
Ontological assumptions about why public servants work and the nature of the "public good." PSM emphasizes intrinsic altruistic drive; civic republicanism emphasizes active citizenship duty; utilitarianism emphasizes outcome maximization; craftsmanship emphasizes excellence in professional practice. | Shapes recruitment narratives, engagement strategies, and retention levers. Determines whether HR appeals to mission (PSM), duty (republicanism), impact metrics (utilitarian), or mastery (craftsmanship). |
| Strategy | Workforce Succession Planning Competency-Based Management Agile Talent Pipelines Diversity & Inclusion Architecture |
Deliberate, long-term orientations toward capability acquisition and deployment. Succession planning mitigates demographic risk; competency mapping aligns skills with mission; agility enables rapid reallocation; D\&I architecture ensures cognitive diversity. | Translates abstract principles into temporal action plans. Determines how the organization anticipates future skill gaps, competes for scarce talent, and maintains operational continuity through leadership transitions. |
| Policy | Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Conflict-of-Interest Rules Performance Appraisal Policy Remote Work Policy |
High-level prescriptions that translate principles, doctrines, and philosophy into formal organizational commitments. Policies provide the "rules of the game" for public HR operations. | Constrains decision-making and ensures consistency. Provides official guidance for managers and staff to act in alignment with overarching principles and legal/regulatory requirements. |
| Procedure | Job Requisition Process Hiring & Onboarding Workflow Performance Evaluation Cycle Disciplinary Action Steps |
Step-by-step instructions operationalizing policies. Procedures define how tasks are executed within the HR system, often including sequencing, responsible parties, and required documentation. | Ensures reproducibility and operational clarity. Reduces uncertainty and arbitrariness in executing HR tasks, enabling accountability and auditability. |
| Benchmark | Time-to-Hire Metrics Promotion Rate Targets Training Completion Standards Employee Engagement Scores |
Quantitative or qualitative reference points used to measure performance against policy and procedure. Benchmarks operationalize strategic objectives and allow monitoring of efficiency, effectiveness, and equity. | Provides evaluative feedback loops. Helps HR leadership identify gaps, validate process improvements, and guide resource allocation. Serves as a mechanism to measure alignment with doctrine, philosophy, and strategy. |
| Behavioral Pattern | Proactive Talent Coaching Peer Recognition Practices Cross-Functional Collaboration Ethical Decision-Making Habits |
Observable recurring actions or cultural routines by staff and managers that embody principles, policies, and procedures in daily practice. Patterns reflect the lived reality of the HR system. | Anchors abstract ideals into lived experience. Behavioral patterns sustain organizational culture, reinforce legitimacy, and reveal where policies or procedures may fail to produce intended outcomes, enabling iterative improvement. |
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HR Modelling
- Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna's HR Model emphasizes integrating HR and business strategies. It comprises four key components: selection, appraisal, development, and rewards.
- The Harvard Model: Developed by Beer et al., this model views employees as stakeholders and emphasizes the importance of considering human and social factors in HR management.
- Guest's Model of HRM: Developed by David Guest, this model outlines the critical dimensions of HRM, including HR strategy, HR practices, HR outcomes, and behavioral outcomes.
- HR Value Chain Model: Developed by John J. Kavanagh and Michael J. Thite, this model is based on the concept of the value chain, adapted to HR. It outlines HR activities from business strategy to HR outcomes.
- Ulrich's HR Model: Dave Ulrich's model identifies four key roles of HR professionals: strategic partner, administrative expert, employee champion, and change agent. It is often referred to as the HR Business Partner Model.
- The Michigan Model: Also known as the matching model, developed by Fombrun, Tichy, and Devanna, it focuses on aligning HR practices with organizational strategy.
- The Warwick Model: Developed by Hendry and Pettigrew, this model focuses on the external and internal contextual factors influencing HR strategies and practices.
- The Control-Based Model: Proposes that HR practices should be designed to control employee behavior and align it with organizational goals. It emphasizes rules, procedures, and structures.
- The Resource-Based View (RBV) of HRM: This model suggests that competitive advantage is achieved by effectively managing valuable and rare resources, including human capital.
- The 7S Model: Not exclusively an HR model but often used for organizational analysis, it includes Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared Values, Skills, Style, and Staff.
- The Balanced Scorecard: While initially designed for strategic management, it includes HR-related metrics as part of its framework, linking HR activities to overall organizational goals.
- The Competency-Based HR Model: Focuses on identifying and developing the key competencies necessary for organizational success.
Public Sector HR Operating Model
Ho wto run the public serctor hr proceses? How to handle the public sector personal (beurocracy) - both institute wise - and public sector wise?
| Scope | Operating Model | Description | Characterization | Evaluation | Instance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Institution-Level HR | Centralized Bureaucratic HR | HR processes (recruitment, promotions, payroll, performance evaluation) are managed centrally within the institution, following standard rules and procedures. | Highly formalized, rigid hierarchy, process-driven, low flexibility; focus on compliance and documentation. | Strengths: ensures fairness, compliance, auditability. Weaknesses: slow decisions, low responsiveness, minimal innovation. |
Ministry HR units (e.g., Ministry of Health HR department). |
| Decentralized Agency HR | Individual departments or agencies manage HR independently but follow overall civil service rules. | Semi-formal, moderate flexibility; departments can adapt HR practices to operational needs. | Strengths: faster decisions, tailored processes. Weaknesses: inconsistent practices, potential inequities between departments. |
Large ministries (e.g., U.S. Department of Defense HR). | |
| Hybrid HR | Core functions (payroll, compliance) are centralized; recruitment, training, and performance management are decentralized. | Mix of control and autonomy; requires coordination between central HR and local units. | Strengths: balances standardization and flexibility. Weaknesses: needs strong governance and communication. |
Canadian Federal Ministries HR systems. | |
| Digital/Service-Oriented HR | Use of HR platforms for transactions (leave, benefits, learning), workflow automation, and analytics at the institution level. | Technology-driven, standardized processes, transparency, high efficiency. | Strengths: faster, data-driven, scalable. Weaknesses: high initial cost, training needed, digital literacy requirement. |
HRIS platforms in Singapore ministries, UAE e-Government HR systems. | |
| Public Sector-Wide HR | Civil Service Commission Model | A central agency governs HR standards, pay scales, recruitment rules, and career management for all public institutions. | Highly formalized, hierarchical, strong compliance focus; sets standards for the whole public sector. | Strengths: ensures equity across the public sector, transparency, legal compliance. Weaknesses: slow to adapt, may not fit specialized institutional needs. |
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), UK Civil Service Commission. |
| Strategic / Competency-Based Public Sector HR | Focus on capability development, talent pipelines, leadership, and performance aligned with public service outcomes across institutions. | Forward-looking, performance-oriented, integrated with strategic workforce planning. | Strengths: improves service quality, employee engagement, workforce capability. Weaknesses: hard to implement in rigid bureaucracy, requires culture change. |
Singapore Civil Service Leadership Development Programs, OECD public sector HR initiatives. | |
| Digital / Public Sector HR Platform | Centralized HR platform used across all institutions for payroll, recruitment, performance management, and workforce analytics. | Technology-enabled, standardized, transparent, scalable, integrates institutions. | Strengths: efficiency, data-driven decision-making, uniformity. Weaknesses: requires high governance, IT investment, digital skills. |
Estonia e-Government HR system, UAE Federal HR Platform. |
Scenario: Staffing a senior manager who will supervise a team and report to a higher-level officer.
| Step | Responsibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Job Requirement Definition | HR + Superior | HR defines grade, competencies, and policy-compliant requirements; the superior identifies skills, experience, and leadership traits needed for the team/function. |
| Candidate Sourcing | HR | Could include internal postings, external recruitment, or talent pool nomination. HR ensures compliance with rules and fair consideration. |
| Screening & Shortlisting | HR + Superior | HR ensures candidates meet formal requirements. Superior provides input on fit for team/function, operational needs, and leadership potential. |
| Interviews / Assessment | Superior-led panel (often with HR support) | The superior participates in interviews, evaluates leadership competencies, and judges operational suitability. |
| Recommendation | Superior | Recommends preferred candidate to HR or approval committee (sometimes with cross-ministry calibration for senior levels). |
| Final Approval | HR / PSC / Senior Authority | HR ensures process compliance; PSC or ministry leadership may approve, but the superior’s input is critical in the decision. |
| Onboarding & Performance Alignment | Superior + HR | The superior manages integration, team alignment, and initial performance objectives; HR manages formal induction and documentation. |
- Promotion Board - Observer Member's - Rank and Stochasticity
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Case Study
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QA
Is selecting, evaluating, and dismissing administering the organization workforce (outside HR Unit), or is it administering the agents who execute the HR workflows?
- It fundamentally manages it's own agents - to execute HR Wrkflows.
- Proving as output the services of Selection, Dismissal, Evaluation, Promotion, Re-Deployment, etc - proving resourers to be administer by a given organizational unit - this is not direclty administration - it's just a suplifer of subjects to be administer.
HRM administers its own internal agents to deliver resources (employees, promotions, evaluations) that can then be administered by the operational units.
References
- Mazzarol, Tim. "A model of small business HR growth management." International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research 9.1 (2003): 27-49.
- Ericksen, Jeff, and Lee Dyer. "Toward a strategic human resource management model of high reliability organization performance." The international journal of human resource management 16.6 (2005): 907-928.
- McCartney, Steven, Caroline Murphy, and Jean Mccarthy. "21st century HR: a competency model for the emerging role of HR Analysts." Personnel review 50.6 (2021): 1495-1513.
- Ketkar, Sumita, and P. K. Sett. "HR flexibility and firm performance: Analysis of a multi-level causal model." The International Journal of Human Resource Management 20.5 (2009): 1009-1038.
- Brewster, Chris. "Developing a ‘European’model of human resource management." International Journal of Human Resource Management 4.4 (1993): 765-784.
- Gerhart, B., and R. D. Bretz Jr. "Employee compensation." New York (1994).
- Gerhart, Barry A., Harvey B. Minkoff, and Ray N. Olsen. "Employee compensation: Theory, practice, and evidence." (1995).
- Yamoah, Emmanuel Erastus. "Relationship between compensation and employee productivity." Singaporean Journal of Business, Economics and Management Studies 51.1115 (2013): 1-5.
- Lai, Hsin-Hsi. "The influence of compensation system design on employee satisfaction." African Journal of Business Management 5.26 (2011): 10718.
- Edmiston, Kelly D. "Workers’ compensation and state employment growth." Journal of Regional Science 46.1 (2006): 121-145.
- Dulebohn, James H., and Stephen E. Werling. "Compensation research past, present, and future." Human Resource Management Review 17.2 (2007): 191-207.
- Chiu, Randy K., Vivienne Wai‐Mei Luk, and Thomas Li‐Ping Tang. "Retaining and motivating employees: Compensation preferences in Hong Kong and China." Personnel review 31.4 (2002): 402-431.
- Yanadori, Yoshio, and Janet H. Marler. "Compensation strategy: does business strategy influence compensation in high‐technology firms?." Strategic Management Journal 27.6 (2006): 559-570.\Shearer, Bruce. "Piece-rates, principal-agent models, and productivity profiles: parametric and semi-parametric evidence from payroll records." Journal of Human Resources (1996): 275-303.
- Selection Board
- New York State Civil Service Commission