History of Human Resource Management

Questions and Answers

What were some of the sources that contributed to the foundation of modern HRM?

Conflict management, specialization of labor, scientific approach of management, 'empire building' activities, employment-related law

What were some responses of employers reflected in the history of human resource management?

Employers' reactions to public policy and trade union growth

What role did common humanity and political pressure play in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution?

Combining with enlightened self-interest among some larger employers

What did factory owners impose in response to the challenges faced during the Industrial Revolution?

Extraordinary codes of discipline and fines Signup and view all the answers

In what ways did the history of human resource management reflect prevailing beliefs and attitudes about employees?

Through responses to public policy and trade union growth Signup and view all the answers

What was the genesis of personnel management reflective of?

Prevailing beliefs in society about employees, employer responses to public policy, and reactions to trade union growth Signup and view all the answers

What was the main focus of Quaker employers Cadbury and Rowntree in the 1890s?

Developing model factory villages Signup and view all the answers

Which term best describes the personnel policies implemented by Henry Ford's autoplant in the USA?

Paternalistic Signup and view all the answers

What was one outcome of the increased employment of women during World War I?

Greater concern for workers' welfare in industrial work Signup and view all the answers

What led to the emergence of the industrial relations function in Britain during World War I?

Concern over skilled labour shortage Signup and view all the answers

What characterized the inter-war period according to the text?

High levels of unemployment and economic depression Signup and view all the answers

What was a key factor that led to the expansion of capacity during World War I?

Introduction of complex new payment systems Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Emergence of Modern HRM

The foundation of modern Human Resource Management (HRM) emerged from several interrelated sources, including conflict management, increased specialization of labor, scientific approach to management, and employment-related law.
The employment relationship is inherently characterized by tensions and contradictions.

The Genesis of Personnel Management

The history of HRM reflects prevailing beliefs and attitudes about employees, employers' response to public policy, and reactions to trade union growth.
During the Industrial Revolution in Britain, factory owners imposed extraordinary codes of discipline and fines to manage an untrained workforce.
In the 1840s, common humanity and political pressure led employers to adopt alternative ways of managing their workforce, beyond coercion, sanctions, or monetary reward.

Paternalistic Employer Policies

By the 1890s, employers in Britain and North America began to accept responsibility for their workers' general welfare, adopting paternalistic care and concern.
Quaker employers, such as Cadbury and Rowntree, emphasized welfare by appointing 'industrial welfare' workers and building model factory villages.
In the USA, Henry Ford's autoplant established a 'Sociological Department' to administer personnel policies, including a '$5 a day' remuneration package.
German companies like Krupp and Siemens were also highly paternalistic by 1900.

Impact of World War I

World War I (1914-18) accelerated industrial welfare activities, with many women entering industry for the first time.
By 1918, around 1000 women supervisors had been appointed to regulate work conditions, establishing a relationship between welfare and efficiency.
The war led to the development of premium bonus systems (PBS) and the creation of centralized wages departments, further boosting the role of personnel management.

The Emergence of Industrial Relations

World War I saw the emergence of the industrial relations function in its modern sense in Britain.
In 1919, the Welfare Workers Association and the North Western Area Industrial Association merged to form the Welfare Workers Institute (WWI), with a membership of 700.
The inter-war period was characterized by economic depression and high levels of unemployment.