Academic Journal Entry I feel as if I acquired several valuable lessons from the first several chapters of the text. The following sections will illustrate some of the points that I felt that were the most relevant to me. One of the most influential sections came at the beginning and helped me to understand what a foundation for a human resource strategy might look like. It is important in my opinion, above all else, to be proactive in employee relationships so that you can foster an environment in which the human resource department can serve as a cornerstone of the organization rather than some distant alien force that only swoops in when there is a major problem.

Human Capital

First of all, I liked the notion of human capital and how it applies to an overall, most holistic approach to a Human Resource strategy. There seem to be two approaches that a HR manager can take. The first approach is reactive and the HR professional will only act when directly confronted by an employee about an issue. In the opening section there was a story in which the HR manager wasn't aware of simple items about their employees such as what their name is or where they worked. The employee only came to the HR office as a last resort out of fear that they might lose their job if some action isn't taken regarding their problem.

In another example, the HR manager knows the employees name and job function and takes the time to speak with them without hesitation. Instead of the HR manager only being reactive to any new...

They have created an open atmosphere in which employees can come and discuss issues without anyone blaming them or feeling contempt for their visit. In this case the HR manager acts more like a facilitator that was only made possible through a proactive approach.
Despite the various theories and opinions on what makes a good HR strategy, it seems to me that the proactive approach should be the foundation in which any effective strategy is developed. It is important to be familiar with employees and their positions within the organization. Furthermore it is ideal to create an atmosphere in which employees can voice their issues without fear of retaliation. A HR manager performing this role can act more as a problem solver rather than someone everyone fears. This position also adds value to organizations by creating a level of synergy within the organization by positioning the HR department as an effective tool to address organizational issues which can add significant human capital potential for a competitive advantage.

Art of War -- Strategy Development

Comparing an organizational strategy or a human resource strategy provides many valuable insights. I thought that comparing a business strategy to a battlefield strategy makes the importance of the strategy even more clear because the stakes are much higher. For example, the author talks about a gung-ho strategy which may be a common strategy among HR departments. However,…