I think, your question is an  interesting oe. Strategic HRM refers to the adoption of HR systems and policies that help the organization attain its vision and goals by providing it competitive advantage. This is done through some hard and some soft HR interventions depending upon the needs of the organization.

But sustainable HR has the connotation of what the organization can afford to do in the present circumstances. For example, ideally, SHRM warrants that you should give certain welfare benefits to your employees  so as to promote their commitment and  get a competitive advantage. But that may not be warranted by the economic health of the organization presently.  That may lead the company to huge losses. So that may not be sustainable HR.

I think, your question is an  interesting oe. Strategic HRM refers to the adoption of HR systems and policies that help the organization attain its vision and goals by providing it competitive advantage. This is done through some hard and some soft HR interventions depending upon the needs of the organization.

But sustainable HR has the connotation of what the organization can afford to do in the present circumstances. For example, ideally, SHRM warrants that you should give certain welfare benefits to your employees  so as to promote their commitment and  get a competitive advantage. But that may not be warranted by the economic health of the organization presently.  That may lead the company to huge losses. So that may not be sustainable HR.

Strategic HRM should be a long- run plan cohesive with the strategy, vision, mission of the company etc. If this vision, mission and strategy aimes at sustainability, then we can say - that at least from the objective/ plan point of view Strategic HRM = Sustainable HRM, but: 

- strategic plans or mission does not have to take into account any sustainability objectives, 

- even if it is so, the strategic plans' procurement can be far from the initial objectives, (and still make the company competitive..), 

- then, HRM can aim at being sustainable but in reality it can be a bunch of  ceremonial practices (see eg. Kostova about that)

regards 

Beata 

There exist a limited degree of positive or negative correlation between Sustainable and strategic HRM depends on how we execute it. When ecological and social aspects are also equally taken into consideration with economic benefits then it reflects positive limited degree of correlation between Sustainable HRM and Strategic HRM and vice versa

As you mentioned before HR is a very important element in organization, actually its consider as one of the strategic capabilities, without it organization cant plan or implement the desire strategy. see bourini 2011.

Regards

Whilst every one has touched on the fundamentals worthy of mention - my input is that there is a very strong correlation between HRM strategy and sustainability. I look at the discussion this way; That HRM strategy is the ways and means of administering HR in a SMART way tangible roadmap in its implementation through agreeable set targets. In retrospect while integrating sustainability in the planning matrix - one reassures that HRM is deliverable in both short, medium and long term for present and future generations in an operational environment that is ever supportive and enriched.  

HRM is Human Resource Management and any Management for that matter is identifying, organizing, exploiting and discharging the elements and tools required to achieve a SMART objective by running a series of tasks efficiently, a temporary process, I believe. However when we talk about Strategy or Sustainability, it has a long term vision to deal with and hence it is more about policies and principles than targets and objectives. ‘Analyzing the status of the organization, identifying it’s long term needs and developing a dynamic, scalable organization structure to make the organization sustainable’ should be the Human Resource Development (not Management) Strategy for any organization that looks forward to, not just sustain but grow in both directions!

we should be cognizant that what we develop should be managed and for that matter sustainably! 

I think strategic management as a continuous organizational process which defines the implementation of strategies along the cycle periods of organization´s lifetime. As long the organization has a preview - even if it is only in the managers minds and actions, even intuitive (very typical in markets such as SMEs in Brazil) - of its future positioning, human resources are a critical component to understand, critic, plan and achieve the predefined goals.

In order to do so, aligned to strategic goals roadmap (or equivalent), HR preparation, admission, dismissal, preparation, etc. are also strategic tasks.

Hope it helps to keep this insteresting discussion.

J@mil

The relationship between human resources and sustainability, should be discussed further, since there are implemented strategies that have allowed improvements to certain sectors however the care the environment continues to be challenging for the industry and the best use of technological resources, material and human

Thanks to Prof. Jaharkanti Dattaguptafor it’s really an interesting question. I am strongly agreed with the answers of Prof. Debi S. Saini , & Prof. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija.

Strategic HRM is about handling the choices to channelise Human Resources in the best way to align with organization's business strategy. On the other hand, Sustainable HRM is to foresee the change in HR practices, processes and technologies to manage human resources many years down the line and act accordingly to frame and implement those today to make these scalable for future. One of the objectives of Strategic HRM should be to make HR processes sustainable to justify the investment. 

I agree with Debi Saini. 

I agree with Debi Saini. 

This requires conducting a thorough analysis on what factors or variables will determine whether HRM is sustainable.  There is a correlation between strategic human resource management and HRM .  However, this requires conducting an analysis of the HRM systems and/or HRM functions to measure i.e. HR policy, practices, HR functions/.activities to be measured  for sustainability..  Strategic HRM means taking measures of HRM systems or HRM functions [company is using]  that will sustain the human resources [management. Conducting analysis would be appropriate.

I  do agree with Debi Saini also.  However, this is the reason what an analysis should be done over time to see if what HR policy, HR functions and practices are most effective for sustaining competitive advantage

It really depends on how you define and operationalize sustainable HRM. But, if you mean things like pay level, heavy focus on training and development, higly selekctive recruitment, job security, and long-term HR-planning, there is a positive relationship with organizational performance according to this meta-analysis: Combs, J., Liu, Y., Hall, A., & Ketchen, D. (2006). How much do high-performance work practices matter? A meta-analysis of their effects on organizational performance. Personnel Psychology, 59, 501-528. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.2006.00045.x

Yes, exactly along this perspective or train of thought...

ti consiglio di leggere questo intervento molto interessante:

http://issuu.com/etass_formazione_consulenza/docs/mario_moioli_-_formazione_sostenibile_e_filantropi# 

This is a very interesting question and the answer will differ depending on what type of organization. My view point here represents my experience in an educational  institution.

In an academic institution it seems that there are two HRs. One for faculty and one for staff.  a practice with which  I personally don't agree with.

One would presume that the organization's vision and strategy would encompass sustainability.

All actions in the workplace are measurable. The challenge is to compare "apples with apples"  (academics being apples and staff not - my observation) How do you measure the publication in a prestigious journal - academic to a staff member that design operational excellence - saving time, cash, promotes efficiency and good accounting principles? In my view these two are on equal.

Human resource management (HRM, or simply HR) is a function in organizations designed to maximize employee performance in service of their employer's strategic objectives. HR is primarily concerned with how people are managed within organizations, focusing on policies and systems.

How can both employees be motivated, how can their performance be maximized and then remuneration applied in a fair manner?

Academics/staff are inextricably linked. For HR to be sustainable and strategic in a academic institution has specific challenges. Sustainability would then also include that one apple is not more equal than the other orange.

I find the above peculiar to academic institutions. I am standing corrected.

Many thanks for the interesting issue brought up and the discursive inputs. I would look at the topic in two stages of analysis. First to differentiate the two concept of Strategic HRM and Sustainable HRM. Strategic HRM is more outward looking and long-term decisions regarding HRM with the objective of winning competitive advantage over out competitors. While the fundamental objective of the Sustainable HRM thinking is to develop employee loyalty and retention, the right HRM eco-system, and creating Quality of Work Life (internal focus). Second part is to develop a hypothesis that the internal focus strength (Sustainable HRM) has a strong relationship with the external focus goals (Strategic HRM)...this may worth a piece of PhD research work.

If you go back to earlier conceptualizations of HR systems I think you would find that high commitment and high involvement HR resemble what you refer to as sustainable HR. See for instance: 

Walton, R.E. (1985). From control to commitment in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 63(2), 77-84.

Arthur, J. B. (1994). Effects of human resource systems on manufacturing performance and turnover. Academy of Management Journal, 37(3), 670-687.

HRM contributes to the organizational Skilled and Knowledgeable People resources through the processes of

Workplace survival is an act of survival for the fittest and equally smart.

Work tensions and work place politics finally land on the weakest link to the Value cycle. The HRM function needs to delicately balance the effects and ultimately protect the Employee and their jobs from the negative consequences such as Stress, dissatisfaction, helplessness, work related health problems or inertia in decision making.To enable to cope up with paradoxical tensions by vulnerable employees become “victims of ambiguity”, leading to Quit is a challenge and requires real HR Processes set in place.