chapter 1
....................................................................................................................................................HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
SCOPE, ANALYSIS, AND
SIGNIFICANCE
....................................................................................................................................peter boxall
john purcell
patrick wright
Humanresource management (HRM), the management of work and people
towards desired ends, is a fundamental activity in any organization in which
human beings are employed. It is not something whose existence needs to be
elaborately justiWed: HRM is an inevitable consequence of starting and growing
an organization. While there are a myriad of variations in the ideologies, styles, and
managerial resources engaged, HRM happens in some form or other. It is one thing
to question therelativeperformance of particular models of HRM in particular
contexts or their contribution to enhanced organizational performancerelativeto
other organizational investments, such as new production technologies, advertis-
ing campaigns, and property acquisitions. These are important lines of analysis. It
is quite another thing, however, to question the necessity of the HRM process itself,
as if organizations could somehow survive or grow without making a reasonable
attempt at organizing work and managing people (Boxall and Steeneveld 1999 ). To
wish HRM away is to wish away all but the very smallest ofWrms.