Development of European HR
Management
Michael Pitfield
Director of Corporate Relations
Henley Management College
Development of European HR
Management
Outline –
- Development of European HRM
- Changes in European HRM
- Differences within Europe
- HRM Trends in Europe
- HRD Trends in Europe
- Strategic Role of HRM
- Henley and HRM
HRM in Europe

Centralised decisions

Not ‘free market’

Group versus individual

Social partners

State intervention
Significant Factors

Cultural aspects

Institutional aspects

Business structures

HRM professionals
also…...

Public sectors

Small businesses

Social democracy
Models of HRM
 ‘Anglo-Saxon’
 ‘European’
Changes in HRM

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competitiveness vs protection
subsidies vs costs
flexibility vs commitment
age discrimination
integration
mergers and acquisitions
trans-national co-ordination
‘new’ HRM
Differences within Europe
Sweden
 Netherlands
 Germany
 France

HRM Trends in Europe




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Profile of entry level
work
demand and supply for
particular jobs
revolution of women
generational conflict
work ethic
employee values


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employee risk taking
number of
entrepreneurs
competition for new
markets
information technology
participation and
activism
role of trade unions
HRD Trends in Europe



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emerging work environment
strategic planning methods
systems orientated
future orientated
transformational management
decentralised and accountable
high priority of corporate executives
research orientated
human capital emphasis
HRD Trends in Europe
multi-faceted
 organisation development
 synergistic training
 international

The Strategic Role of HRM

global context

global HR function

organisational capability

global vs local
Evaluation of HRM
 Measurement
 Service
level agreements
 Performance Measurement
Henley and the HRM professional
General management
 Strategic development
 MBAs and Executive Development
 Henley MBA in Estonia

Henley and HRM associations

CIPD (UK)
DGfP (Germany)
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Finland

Estonia
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References

“Redefining the Field of European Human Resource
Management: a Battle between National Mindsets and
Forces of Business Transition?”
(Paul R Sparrow and Jean-Marie Hiltrop)

“International Studies of Management & Organisation:
Similarities and Differences in European Conceptions of
Human Resource Management”
International Studies of Management and Organisations
(Timothy Clark and Derek Pugh - Winter 1999/2000)
References

“Human Resource Trends for European Leaders”
European Business Review
(Philip R Harris - Bradford, 1999)

“Globalizing HR”
CIPD Executive Briefing