An investigation into the optimization of core HR administrative activities through outsourcing

Abstract 

Organization performance depends on many aspects and the key among them is the Human resource management. In general there are two important types of administrations task across the HR and they are core and noncore HR administration tasks. HR outsourcing is the widely used practice these days and this implementation has shown success across most of the organizations in the context of reduced costs and also improved organizational performance. Both the direct and indirect cost incurred on the organization are reduced a lot with the perfect implementation of the HR outsourcing and in this context a research problem is constructed and the details are as given below 

To understand the impact of the HR outsourcing on the organization performance with respect to cost reduction and improved efficiency this research is conducted at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). Interpretivism is implemented as the research philosophy and inductive research approach is followed as the required solution to the problem considered is derived from the observations which were gathered from the interview with the respondents like two HR managers, one business development manager and 10 employees. All the respondents are interviewed with an intention to understand the impact of HR outsourcing on few aspects like cost reduction, organization performance and employee performance.

From the analysis and findings done after the interview it is clear that HR outsourcing has shown lot of benefits to the organization and the overall efficiency of the organization is improved and also the cost reduction attempts made were successful. The key findings are similar to the critical analysis done in the literature review and the important aspects like training and development, payroll and staffing are successfully implemented across the HJR outsourcing. There are few recommendations in this context like the employee satisfaction against HR outsourcing and their feedback in executing the noncore HR administration should be considered. 

Project background and Thesis Organization

Project background of the research is discussed against the importance of HR outsourcing and a problem is identified with the required aims, objectives and research questions and given in the introduction chapter. A detailed review on HR outsourcing and its impact on the organization performance against the business value and cost reduction aspects are discussed in detail in the Literature Review along with the required author references. The methodology followed to proceed with the research is discussed in this chapter. Different research philosophies, strategies and approaches followed to gather the primary source of information are presented in the Research methodology chapter and also a questionnaire is prepared and attached in the appendix section.

Based on the semi structured interviews taken from the respondents like HR managers, business development manager and employees all the findings from the interviews are presented in this chapter under different sections. All the research questions identified in the introduction chapter are answered against the findings and the required analysis is given in the research analysis chapter. A detailed conclusion to the overall research done is given in the conclusion chapter covering all the key findings and analysis and the future scope to improve the research is also given in this chapter.

Research Methods and Ethical Issues in Research of Human Resource administration

Research Methods:

There are many methods for data collection. Data collection in qualitative research method is basically divided into two different categories and they are Primary data and secondary data.

Primary data:

  1. Interview process: It can be semi structured or structured interviews.
  2. Conducting Surveys using either structure or unstructured questionnaire.
  3. Group discussions.

Secondary data:

Secondary data is that data which have already been gathered for some kind of other purpose, possibly processed or subsequently stored up (Saunders, et al 2007).

1. Analysis of different kinds of data and literature.

2. Data management and analysis methods.

3. Basic information about the company such as annual budget report, policies, company journals and growth report.

In this research, the primary data used is conducting surveys where HR professionals from different companies are going to be participated. They will be given a questionnaire which is mainly prepared to get the most accurate answers from participants about outsourcing HR administration. Type of questionnaire which is going to be used to conduct surveys is unstructured. Unstructured questionnaire mainly consists of different type of questions from choose the option to giving comment. The main objective of using this type of questionnaire is to get clear idea about further research. Based upon these responses I am going to give the conclusions.

 Main sources of secondary data in this study is different kinds of literature available in the town that can be journals, research papers, books, magazines, statistics of the companies etc. clear evaluation of these secondary sources will be done based upon this literature I support my research results from primary data. Secondary data mainly helps researchers to gain more details about the topic.  Type of secondary data used for this research is mainly related to the topics like human resource, human resource management, outsourcing and outsourcing HR administration activities. Research methodology used here is qualitative. 

Ethical Issues in Research:

For any good research there are basically some ethical issues related to them. Research ethics is all about how the researches clearly explain topic of research, data collection methods and how far the results and reports of this research are moral and responsible in nature. Research ethics is mainly concern with the fairness of the researcher attitude in relation to the right of the research work. Process of data collection and protection policies needs to be considered by researchers(Saunders etal,2009).The Qualitative research methodology have large number of issues to be considered compare to qualitative methodology. Some of the ethical issues which should be considered in qualitative methodology and they are

  1. Participants of the research are voluntary and have full right of withdraw from the research at any time.
  2. The information of the individuals who participated in the research kept secret and information used only for the academic purpose.
  3. Participants given full protection during the research process.
  4. Intellectual property right given a most preference in the research. 

Timetable for research:

TASK   DURATION
Analyzing the data   2 weeks
Requirements

Gathering

  2 weeks 
Conducting Research   2 weeks
Analysis of results   1 week
Reviewing   2 weeks
Documentation   2 weeks
Project report   2 weeks        
 Total    13 Weeks

 

Conclusion:

In this research proposal all the activities which are going to be done for this research project briefly described. In This proposal I have clearly explained different   aspects of HR administration outsourcing. 

Research Paradigm and Research Methodology of HR Administration Outsourcing

Research Paradigm:

There are huge number of research done on HR field so there is large number of information is already available for the fresh researchers.

Saunders and others stated Research paradigm as “the process of examining the research paradigm by which those topics can be clearly understand and explain.”. The research paradigm is going to helpful for the researchers in order to gain good knowledge about particular topic.

Mainly there are two different types of research paradigms available which are going to back the different research strategies and methods used by researchers and they are

1. Positivism paradigm

2. Interpretative paradigm

Research Methodology:

Research is a fundamental part of educational, ”research is a methodical study of objects as well as sources etc. with the aim of establishing facts and arrive at new conclusions”(Oxford Concise Dictionary). The method through that a research is carried out or written is very imperative as it has a vast impact upon the conclusions arrived at the ending part of the research.

In order to decide research methodology used in the research we should select one approach between deductive and inductive approaches. Research methodology which is selected should fulfill the primary aims as well as the objectives of this research.

Deductive approach:

 The Deductive approach structures the theory based upon the rigorous survey. This approach is mainly concentrates on building a theory after completion of literature review process. 

Inductive approach:

Inductive approach states that the social phenomena can only be observe and explained through experiment and observations. Inductive approach mainly concentrates on data collection and making the conclusions based upon the results of data analysis.

In this research Inductive approach is the best method where research is mainly based upon the results of data analysis. In achieving our research objectives I am conducting surveys which include different HR professionals from around the world. This data will be used to come to a conclusion on research which satisfies our primary objectives of the research. Type of questionnaire given to the HR professionals is unstructured.

 Basically there are two different approaches in surveys one is structured and another is unstructured surveys. The main different between both the surveys are structure surveys consists only  of the same type of questions that either choose an option or give comment where as unstructured survey is the combination of different type of questions that is it contains some choose the option questions and some other giving the comment questions. So based upon the research objectives we have to prepare questionnaire very carefully.

Literature Review regarding Outsourcing HR Administration

Professor Ed Lawler who is professor of business at the Marshall School of Business at the University of California at Los Angeles stated outsourcing HR administration as  “. “Most midsize companies don’t have competency in the administrative and transactional activities that go on in HR”.

HR administration is of no use if it not enhances the organizations operational capability and it looks non value adding department of the company which is of no benefit. So HR administration required really skilled, hardworking, intelligent people who can really make the difference to the organization in a positive context.

Now new trend in global market is outsourcing which is mainly done by the companies either to enhance the performance of one particular service and decrease the workload of the employees or to reduce the operational cost of the organizations. Most or the organizations in HR administration wants to transfer non-core activities to the specialist service provide companies .This new trend is shifting HR administration is from being tactical towards strategic.

Organizations opt for Outsourcing mainly because of  either to enhance the operational capability of the organization by allowing employees to focus on core activities or to cut the unnecessary costs. 

Literature review regarding Human Resource administration

Human Resource administration mainly deals with procedures, structures, and policies rather than the results of the organization. The primary activity of HR administration of any company is preparing policies and strategies, Recruitment of staff, Payroll management, and performance management and so on. HR activities of any company can have greater impact on success of the organization and influence the organization to make changes in strategic objectives. Individuals who are responsible to frame HR administration policy can be held for organizations success or failure.

HR administration is of no use if it not enhances the organizations operational capability and it looks non value adding department of the company which is of no benefit. So HR administration required really skilled, hardworking, intelligent people who can really make the difference to the organization in a positive context. 

Literature Review regarding Human resource management

Literature Review:

This research deals with different topics with in human resource management. Literature review of any research evaluates the different kinds of information and research already available in different kind of sources. Literature works as a base for any quantitative research methodology that is it gives support to the research outcomes. It also helps the researcher to gain good knowledge about the topic which eventually helps him or her in their thesis building. Here there is different kind of literature regarding HR, HR administration, Outsourcing and how these terms relate to each other.

 Literature regarding Human resource management:

Susan stated HR management as “Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management can also be performed by line managers”.

Susan also stated that Human resource management is the firms activities which mainly related to the employees such as Recruiting, training, personal development, performance management, administration activities, compensation and welfare of staff etc.

Human resources are very important strategic asset for any organization in today’s world. Managing and maintaining these valuable resources can key for the organizations success .So companies are spending so much money on the HR administration. The main activities of HR management including

1. Maintaining and organization of human resources.

2. Recruitment and staffing.

3. Maintaining HR systems.

4. Conducting personal development programs for staff which enhance the skills of the staff.

5. Take care of employee welfare programs.

6. Analysis and monitoring organizations progress.

HR Administration Outsourcing: How HR professionals optimize the Core Activities

Introduction:

In this globalized world, companies are trying to get strategic advantage by taking decisions to enhance operational capability of the company. Outsourcing some of the organizations operations to other companies which are specialist in doing those operations. When it comes to HR administration some of the activities are considered as core and other non-core.by transferring non-core operations of the organizations company can divert the resources to the more important work which is going to be more productive. It is very important to select non-core activities of the organization because if some of the HR activities should be in the hands of the organizations which should not be outsourced. In order to achieve objectives of the research qualitative research methodology is followed where survey is conducted in which number of HR professionals are going to be participated. Research conclusions are prepared based on the responses of the HR professionals.

Aims and Objectives of the Research:

The Aim of the Research is to optimize the core Activities of HR professional by moving non-core Human Resource activities to HR business process outsourcing organizations. Following are specific objectives of this research:

  1. To examine how moving of non-core HR activities to outsourcing firms enhance the performance and efficiency of the organization.
  2. To identify how HR administration could give strategic advantage to the organization compare to its competitors.
  3. To examine how HR administration outsourcing increase the efficiency of HR professionals
  4.  To examine how HR Administration Outsourcing helps in cost cutting in organization operations.

Research Questions:

The main research question we have to address here is how outsourcing non-core HR administration activities can give more space for HR managers to work on more productive activities. The main activities which can be outsourced to other organizations are maintaining organizational structure, recruiting, training, analysis of individual department progress, staff orientation programs, employee welfare programs and employee benefit management programs. Following are some of main research questions which are going to be addressed in this research and they are

1. How non-core HR administration outsourcing can increase the organizational efficiency and reduce the cost of operations?

2. How outsourcing can allow HR professional to concentrate more strategic functions?

3. What is the criterion in deciding core and non-core HR administrative functions?

.4.What can be the negative impacts of HR administration outsourcing? 

Background of the study:

Human Resource administration mainly deals with procedures, structures, and policies rather than the results of the organization. The primary activity of HR administration of any company is preparing policies and strategies, Recruitment of staff, Payroll management, and performance management and so on. HR activities of any company can have greater impact on success of the organization and influence the organization to make changes in strategic objectives. Individuals who are responsible to frame HR administration policy can be held for organizations success or failure.

HR administration is of no use if it not enhances the organizations operational capability and it looks non value adding department of the company which is of no benefit. So HR administration required really skilled, hardworking, intelligent people who can really make the difference to the organization in a positive context.

Now new trend in global market is outsourcing which is mainly done by the companies either to enhance the performance of one particular service and decrease the workload of the employees or to reduce the operational cost of the organizations. Most or the organizations in HR administration wants to transfer non-core activities to the specialist service provide companies .This new trend is shifting HR administration is from being tactical towards strategic.

The main reason for HR administration outsourcing is to achieve strategic advantage that is achieving more profits and getting appropriate resources to succeed in global markets. Organizations in last 8 years are mainly concentrating to reduce large capital investments on non-core HR administration operations and leave them to other outsourcing organizations. The main reason behind this is most of the organizations are losing their time and resources in maintaining and upgrading HR administration systems  which eventually puts so much pressure on the organization and individuals. Transferring non-core functions to outsourcing also allows the managers to concentrate their time in strategic and core HR administration activities.

HRT & Human Resource Management – MBA Assignment Pointers

MBA TOP UP – (Falcons), Subject: HRT & Human Resource Management – Assignment Pointers.

Q: Discuss and critically evaluate the view that, in a globalised economy, an organisation must ensure that it recruits and retains the most skilled, qualified and talented staff possible.

Recruitment on merit and objective measures is a key feature of HRM

Retention: Some key stands within HRM perspectives and characteristics

  • Motivate (Engagement Theory)
  • Develop (Human Capital Theory)
  • Reward on contribution (HPWS)
  • Flexibility ( contracts/ Hours)

Most skilled, qualified and talented suggests:

  • Effective recruitment selection
  • Performance Appraisal / (HPWS)
  • Portfolio management of the Human Resource. (Beardwell and Claydon p372 5 Ed.) I.e. Get rid of dead wood (Dogs), Support your high potential problem children with additional guidance e.g. coaching (? marks), Invest strongly in your rising stars (Current high potential and high performance) and maintain your workhorses- experienced / plateaued managers by using them on special projects and as mentors. (Cash cows )
  • N.B Employee development means investing in all to maintain the operation and to motivate and reward.
  • Effective job related training and development and management of a diversified workforce
  • Talent management

Generic:

Impacts of these issues on key functions of HRM: Acquire, Retain, Develop and Redeploy and the CIPD Partnership model.

N.B. Be aware of Strategic HRM and some contradictions in the various perspectives on HRM and its evolution. E.g. Engagement vs. HPWS (See Armstrong; Beardwell and Claydon)

You should consider: 

The concept of ‘globalisation’

The increasing diversity of the workforce

The changing nature of the workplace 

This assignment forms 100% of your overall mark for this module.

Core texts:

Use essay or report format

  • · Guide length: 2,500 words (excluding references) 

Marking Criteria

1. Evidence of background reading, research. 15%

2. Use and application of academic theories, models, quotes, etc 20%

3. Discussion, evaluation and analysis of key topic areas as listed 35%

4. Validity of conclusions and recommendations 20%

5. Sound presentation in required format 10%

Introduction

Overview of HRM and global environment and economic conditions prevailing in UK and any specific sector and company you may be looking at. 

Main body

What is HRM? Address evolution and key perspectives/ strands within it and HRM generic core characteristics. 

Explain HRM functions and levels 

Define diversity and its context. Explore impact on HRM functions 

Diversity drivers: Competitive advantage via better ideas; recognition, motivation and engagement of talent; representative of stakeholder groups and EQ. The need to comply with the law. N.B Difference between Diversity and  EQ 

Consider diversity impacts in brief on key HRM functions ( Acquire, Retain, Develop and Redeploy) 

Focus in on one or two HRM systems and apply analysis in depth relating to globalisation, diversity and key HRM perspectives e.g.  Performance appraisal (HRPS) 

If applied to recruitment and selection: 

Diversity includes:

  • Having an appropriate diversity policy
  • Advertisement content and tone welcoming a diverse workforce.
  • Attracting candidates from different groupings and having an outward looking mentality
  • Considering people from non-standard backgrounds
  • Drawing up questions that don’t discriminate on cultural and other grounds and assessing diversity issues at interview.
  • Using objective and culturally sensitive screening and selections criteria and tests
  • Training managers in carrying out interviews and to be aware of diversity issues
  • Inducting people well to deal with cultural differences and awareness of diversity issues 

Conclusions / Recommendations

This means returning to the question, summarizing the key literature points and core issues and your findings. Recommendations are key action points relative to the conclusions and evidence presented in the main body. 

General:

  • Use Harvard based in-text referencing.
  • It is possible to use appendices for documents and surveys etc that would spoil the flow of the essay or report. Make sure you summarise the key elements in the main body and make an in text reference to it in the main body.
  • Utilise core texts and research articles. Do not just stick to the ones I gave. Put your own stamp on it. This is only my interpretation; you should interpret the question from your informed research as well.
  • If possible, you can utilise, interviews and surveys. Make sure you follow good practice.
  • Utilise mini-case examples, but be sure to evaluate these against theory to show good / poor practice.
  • Utilise CIPD website.
  • Define, explain, compare and contrast theory and then draw conclusions per subject/topic area.
  • DON’T Plagiarise.

Different Perspectives on Alliances – Cooperative Strategy By Distance Learning

Feedback to Activities – Cooperative Strategy By Distance Learning 

lesson 2.  Different Perspectives on Alliances

This session describes the varied perspectives from which alliances can be viewed, notably economic perspectives, game theory, strategic management theory, resource dependency theory, and organizational theory perspectives. It also emphasized the importance of trust in alliances.

After completing the reading and listening to the audio lectures, please answer the following questions.           

Q1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the economic perspectives on the rational for Strategic alliances?            

Q2. What contribution does management theory make to understanding alliances?

Q3. What contribution does organization theory make to understanding strategic alliances?

Please refer to the guided answers in the Activity Feedback folder under Session 2.

Feedback to Activities – Cooperative Strategy By Distance Learning 

Session 2: Different Perspectives on Alliances

Q1.What are the strengths and weaknesses of the economic perspectives on the rational for Strategic alliances?

Feedback:

  •  Explanations outside the economic paradigm (homo economicus) are not part of the contribution of these theories which is a weakness
  •  Strategic choice is not dealt with
  •  Organisation theory is absent
  •  A major strength however is that the economic theories account for the basic business reasons why alliances help increase a company’s strength in a market. 

Q2.What contribution does management theory make to understanding alliances?

Feedback:

  •  It accounts for the key element of strategic choice
  •  It focuses on the possibility of achieving sustainable competitive advantage through alliances
  •  It emphasises the need for trust if a successful alliance is to be achieved.
  •  It explains how game theory is relevant in alliance theory
  •  It brings the question of culture to the fore as key to cross-border alliance operation

Q3. What contribution does organization theory make to understanding strategic alliances?

Feedback:

  • It emphasises how key resource dependency theory is to explaining why alliances are formed
  • It shows how RDP can lead to differential power within the alliance
  • It highlights the importance of choosing the most appropriate organisational form for an alliance
  • It identifies the conditions in which the different forms of alliance are most appropriate

3. Partner Selection and Alliance Negotiation

This session explains the various alliance forms and identifies the criteria is deciding how to choose one. It also deals with an alliance partner selection, the importance of strategic and cultural fit and identifies the major things to consider in negotiating alliances.

DL Reading List International Cooperative Strategy – Session 3

After completing the reading and listening to the audio lectures, please answer the following questions.

Q1. What are the main things that should be borne in mind in selecting an alliance partner?

Q2.What forces influence the choice of alliance form? 

Q3. How must negotiation in an alliance differ from that typically found in M&A?

Q4. What forces influence the choice of alliance form?

The Nature of Cooperative Strategy: Context & Forms of Alliances

This introductory session compares and contrasts cooperative and competitive strategy. It explains strategic alliances as instruments of cooperative strategy, identifies the major types of strategic alliance and the key and most common motives for forming alliances.

Session 1. The Nature of Cooperative Strategy: Context & Forms of Alliances

After completing the reading and listening to the audio lectures, please answer the following questions.

Q1. Is cooperative strategy an alternative to competitive and corporate strategy or is it complementary?

Q2. Why has there been so much recent emphasis on cooperative strategy?

Q3. How does the resource dependency perspective illuminate motives for alliance formation?

Please refer to the guided answers in the Activity Feedback folder under Session 1. 

Session 1: The nature of Cooperative Strategy: Context & Forms of Alliances

Feedback to Activities – Cooperative Strategy By Distance Learning 

Q1. Is cooperative strategy an alternative to competitive and corporate strategy or is it complementary?

Feedback:

It is complementary since companies cooperate in order to compete more effectively in their markets.

Q2. Why has there been so much recent emphasis on cooperative strategy?

Feedback:

The major reasons relate to globalization, technology change, and shortening product life-cycles leading to greater finance and competences than most companies possess.

Q3. How does the resource dependency perspective illuminate motives for alliance formation?

Feedback:

The resource dependency perspective generalizes a fundamental reason why companies ally, that is to ensure their access to things they need whether it be finance, competences or resources.