This study puts into focus the key challenges of human resource development in Wal-Mart, the aspects of human resource development that the company does well, and the proper human resource development model that works better. All these considerations are aimed at providing various recommendations for the company.
Presently, local and multinational organizations are considering the human resource as the most valuable of all assets that can provide a significantly sustainable competitive advantage in a rather volatile business environment. If a human resource in an organization is not effective in the provision strategic advantage, it becomes evident that the human resource management in the given organization is less ineffective in achieving its objectives. At the same time, human resource departments continue to consider the traditional roles of just looking at managing the workforce, recruiting, and training. Instead, current requirements indicate that such departments are also looking at providing a platform for meeting factors such as increased work-life balance of the employees with the aim of ensuring high levels of commitment, productivity, and satisfaction among employees.
Human resource development involves several strategies and a set of intentional activities carried out by an organization with the aim of ensuring improved employee's skills, abilities, and the job know how. At the same time, employee development activities aim at directing these skills and abilities acquired by the employees for the benefit of the organization as pointed out by Gennard. The term also refers to the planned procedures and implemented strategies through which the human capital of the given business organization grows to people to the outcomes of developmental procedures. In every context, within this concept of human resource development, the existence of different dimensions of strategy, perspectives, contents, and process have been helping organizational strategists to avoid the unexpected consequences of poor practice and its impact on organizational performance.
The founder and former CEO of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton is the greatest resource the organization has. Walton’s leadership model and the desire for success have been significant in taking the company towards the realization of its objectives. Despite his death in 1992, Walton’s contribution lives on within the company owing to his ideas of offering low prices and great service.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Company Overview
- Training Needs for Wal-Mart: A HRD Challenge
- Performance Management: Strength
- Kirkpatrick Hierarchical Model
- Recommendations
- Outcome 1: Improved Customer Service
- Outcome 2: Improved Communication and Diversity
- Outcome 3: Improved Teamwork
- References
Objectives and Key Themes
This study aims to analyze the key human resource development (HRD) challenges faced by Wal-Mart, identify its HRD strengths, and propose an effective HRD model. The analysis will provide recommendations for improving Wal-Mart's HRD practices.
- Challenges in Wal-Mart's HRD practices, particularly in training needs assessment.
- Wal-Mart's strengths in HRD, focusing on performance management.
- The role of effective HRD in achieving sustainable competitive advantage.
- The importance of aligning HRD strategies with organizational goals.
- Recommendations for improving customer service, communication, diversity, and teamwork at Wal-Mart.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the concept of human resource development (HRD) and its significance in achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in today's volatile business environment. It highlights the evolving role of HR departments, emphasizing their responsibility in fostering employee commitment, productivity, and satisfaction. The chapter establishes the context for the study by focusing on the key challenges of HRD at Wal-Mart, its areas of strength, and the need for an effective HRD model. The authors lay the groundwork for investigating how Wal-Mart can leverage its HRD functions to enhance its overall performance.
Company Overview: This section provides a background on Wal-Mart, emphasizing the lasting impact of its founder, Sam Walton, and his business model. The chapter analyzes Wal-Mart's competitive advantages, including its extensive network of stores, large employee base, economies of scale, and diverse product offerings. While acknowledging its size and product diversity as strengths, the chapter highlights the imitability of these resources and points to the analysis of training needs as a key HRD challenge. The company’s strengths in performance management are contrasted with its weaknesses in training need assessment.
Training Needs for Wal-Mart: A HRD Challenge: This chapter focuses on the critical importance of training needs assessment in designing effective training programs. It emphasizes the need to determine the gaps between employees' existing skills and the requirements of their jobs. The chapter specifically discusses Wal-Mart’s customer service challenges as a potential area for targeted training interventions. The need assessment process is framed within the context of organizational requirements for employee welfare and mentions the need to consider factors like gender and language fluency in the assessment.
Keywords
Human Resource Development (HRD), Wal-Mart, training needs assessment, performance management, competitive advantage, employee satisfaction, customer service, communication, diversity, teamwork, sustainable competitive advantage, strategic HR.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Wal-Mart's HRD Practices
What is the main focus of this study?
This study analyzes the human resource development (HRD) challenges and strengths of Wal-Mart, proposing an effective HRD model to improve its practices. It focuses on areas like training needs assessment, performance management, and the impact of HRD on achieving a sustainable competitive advantage.
What are the key themes explored in this analysis?
Key themes include challenges in Wal-Mart's HRD practices (particularly training needs assessment), Wal-Mart's strengths in performance management, the role of effective HRD in achieving sustainable competitive advantage, aligning HRD strategies with organizational goals, and recommendations for improving customer service, communication, diversity, and teamwork.
What are the key challenges identified in Wal-Mart's HRD practices?
A significant challenge lies in the effective assessment of training needs. The study highlights the need to bridge the gap between employee skills and job requirements, especially concerning customer service. The need to consider factors such as gender and language fluency in this assessment is also emphasized.
What are Wal-Mart's HRD strengths?
The study identifies Wal-Mart's performance management system as a key strength. Further details on the specifics of this system are not provided in this preview.
What recommendations are made for improving Wal-Mart's HRD?
Recommendations focus on improving customer service, communication, diversity, and teamwork. The study suggests an effective HRD model to achieve these improvements, though the specifics of this model are not detailed in this preview.
What is the structure of the document?
The document includes an introduction, a company overview of Wal-Mart, a detailed look at training needs assessment as a key HRD challenge, a discussion of Wal-Mart's performance management strengths, and finally, recommendations for improvement. It also includes a table of contents, a list of objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What is the Kirkpatrick Hierarchical Model's role in this analysis?
While the Kirkpatrick Hierarchical Model is mentioned in the table of contents, the preview does not provide details on its application or relevance to the analysis of Wal-Mart's HRD practices.
What is the significance of aligning HRD strategies with organizational goals?
The study emphasizes the importance of aligning HRD strategies with overall organizational goals to ensure that HRD initiatives contribute directly to Wal-Mart's success and competitive advantage.
What is the overall conclusion of this study (as far as this preview shows)?
The preview concludes that Wal-Mart needs to improve its training needs assessment process and leverage its performance management strengths to enhance customer service, communication, diversity, and teamwork. Further, effective HRD is presented as vital for a sustainable competitive advantage.
- Quote paper
- Doctor Alfhonce Michael (Author), 2016, Human Resource Development in Wal-Mart, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/373287
