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Case Study 5 Global Talent Management
Edward R Reyesarroyo
BUSI 642 Liberty University
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How would the new structure and roles for the HR function change the necessary
qualifications for future IBM HR leaders? For example, would the blending of
the roles of business support and centralized functional support create a greater
need for HR leaders adept at both business and traditional HR capabilities?
The new structure and roles for the HR function would definitely evolve the necessary
qualifications, and mainly the core competences for HR leaders within IBM. In general terms,
HR leaders from IBM would have to be able to keep up with their peers and be able follow the
trend competency of been able to understand and articulate the functional and technical aspects
of the business, versus simply been an expert on HR processes (Boudreau and Ziskin, 2011,
p.264). Case in point, focusing qualifications, and or core competencies in adaptability and
business processes would allow the HR professionals to be able to effectively understand and
support the requirements for business support, and centralized support. Consequently, the HR
leaders and staff members have enhanced capability to integrate HR processes with core business
specific processes. Thus, both HR and business specific processes would be more centric towards
the strategic goals of the organization. Therefore, HR leaders within IBM most be articulated at
both the technical aspect of the business and the traditional HR process, and be able to integrate
those in support of the strategic goals of IBM.
How would the new structure and roles change the necessary qualifications for
the role of leaders outside the HR profession, as talent strategists and decision
makers?
As any organization as IBM grows globally, most HR processes evolve in
complexity as well. Leaders outside the scope of responsibility of the HR department
must be able constantly adapt to any new HR processes, and not only to the upgrades
discussed on the case study. This general knowledge, or the ability of the business
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leaders to understand HR duties, and responsibilities, would allow the non-HR leader to
integrate any new practices and better serve the strategic goals of his organization.
Specifically, for the non HR leaders there would be an increased requirement for
him to be more versed on the HR perspective of the HR processes. In this matter, Ryan
(2012) reported the three main areas that non-HR leaders should understand the HR
stand points are: internal collaboration, global talent management, and employee
influencing.
This is validated by Van Eynde and Burr (2012) as they authors concluded that
most of the areas that non-HR leaders should be the most proficient at are talent
management, and employee influencing. The implication of the literature points towards
employee influencing, and talent management as the key aspects to associate for the
desired qualification of non-HR leaders. Furthermore, it would not be only the expertise
of the HR department that would be available for new process integration, but the non-
HR leader would be able to assist by providing a point of view for the technical aspects
associated with his department. This can be expanded by adding the fact that non HR
as well as HR leaders must keep focus on essential core management competencies as
“accountability for resources, effective management of personnel and assuring results”
and with a firm foundation in this neither leader will succeed (Filerman, 2003).
As more key decisions about talent demand, supply and development were made
by business leaders working directly with employees, what skills should all
business leaders be expected to have regarding fundamental principles of
learning, engagement, motivation and employee relations?
In the realm of the fundamental principles of learning, engagement, motivation
and employee relations the skills required from business leaders to succeed increase in
scope. This is expanded below.
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Learning- Leaders must be able to effectively to implement an effective appraisal
program were the focus is not the administrative requirement, but the strategic
development of the employee in support of the organization. Additionally, department
heads and leaders, must be able to implement the concept of the learning organization
at their levels. If the environment changes, the organization changes; consequently,
leaders must be able adapt to this quickly and suppor the organization’s new goals.
Engagement/motivation- Common sense dictate for most that an organization with a
highly engaged and motivated workforce has a competitive advantage over its
competitors. The leader must be able to communicate constantly and empower
employees to follow suit on their duties. In addition, they must manage appraisal and
incentive programs effectively, while balancing the reality of the resources available on
the ground. This is further discussed by Thiagarajan and Renugadevi (2011), the
authors proposed that “leaders should be educated on engagement, career
development opportunities … and that performance improvement should champion
work life balance, these practices are useful to increase engagement” (par 1).
Employee Relations- In this area the employee must be able to integrate all of the
above in order to nurture an employee relations environment that is consistent with the
success of the organization. Case in point, one way to accomplished this is to treat the
employees as integral stakeholder within the organization (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, and
Cardy, 2012). Again, if the leader have solid skills in the learning dimensions, and
engagement/motivation, and ensure employees are treated the integral stakeholders
that in reality they positive employee relations would be nurtured and success in this
area would be derivative.
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Should IBM’s business leaders be as informed about principles of talent markets and
decisions as they were about principles of decisions and markets for money, customers,
supply chains and technology?
Bottom line up front, IBM’s business leaders must be as informed about principles of
talent markets and decisions as they are about principles of decisions and markets for money,
customers, supply chains, and technology. For instance a leader that is able to effectively
support the areas of retainability, effective hiring, and general organizational culture is more able
to support the business in the area of talent market because he is able to integrate these to the day
to day operations of his department.
How would IBM leverage its success with the WMI directly into products, revenue and
customer service?
IBM could leverage its success with the WMI directly into products, revenue and
customer service by articulating the financial and organizational advantages that WMI brought in
to the current operations of the organization, and how this advantages freed resources that could
be used somewhere else in support of more critical or needing departments within the
organization. For example, some of the financial resources saved by streamlining some of the
HR processes could be added to support more research and development functions that could
translate in product improvements, new product developments, or additional improvement to
internal processes. Either one of these could be translated in to an improvement that increases
revenue or customer service. In addition, the integration of HR functions at least at the cognitive
level across HR and non HR leaders would allow the organization to exploit the advantages of
WMI and ensure that the right talent is been developed and available to where it will be needed,
versus where it is currently needed.
How could HR retain the vital balance between the “soft” and the “hard” benefits?
The WMI enhanced HR’s role as a data-driven and analytically powerful discipline,
capable of solving talent issues with the kind of mathematics and logic previously reserved
only for more tangible resources. Was there a danger that the intangible and unquantifiable
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aspects of IBM’s employment relationship might be lost in a sea of numbers, equations and
optimization rules?
HR could retain the required balance between the different benefits by prioritizing the
need for these, and ensuring that the result is on the best long interest of IBM and its
stakeholders. In regards to the danger of that the intangible and unquantifiable aspects of IBM’s
employment relationship could have been lost in the sea of technicalities could have been an
issue. However, the article clearly stated that “the underlying logic of the Taxonomy was not
only enhancing utilization rates and responsiveness, but also supporting a stronger decision
science for talent management by seamlessly integrating demand, supply and development” and
with results as those reported the management can use the system to enhance an already more
human way of managing the workforce versus thinking the one way would replace the other.
Should the job of retaining IBM’s intangible values and employment brand be explicitly
assigned, or should it be a specific accountability for every business and HR leader?
The job of retaining IBM’s should the responsibility of all leaders and an implied task for
all members of the workforce. The leaders should be responsible and accountable for the culture
and all matters with their scope. On the other hand, the workforce, at the individual, and
collective levels are the ones that demonstrate intangible values, and employment brand making
those and implied part of their jobs.
Biblical Perspective
One of the main subjects implied within the case study is that of the ability of an organization to
adapt to the current times where technical advances can facilitate effective decision-making and
add empirical foundation to personnel decisions without taking out the human touch. In this
matter, Romans 12:2 reads “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect” (ESV). In reality, the meaning of the passage should be taking in to a
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more spiritual perspective. However, as with most of the bible teachings if we keep the
fundaments, it can be used in many ways. In this case, the reader may deduce that as long as
believers do not stray from the fundamental paths they should be able to adapt and test new
processes until an acceptable path is found. Furthermore, Colossians 3:23-24 states, “whatever
you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will
receive the inheritance as your reward”. You are serving the Lord Christ”. This passage can be
used as fundament for all decision making. Adding this perspective will ensure that the believer
follows a righteous path. Regarding the case applies in the fact that the organization does not
improve or exploit the technological advances in an ethical manner, how is this doing everything
to glorify the lord?
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References
Boudreau, J. and Ziskin, I. (2011). The future of HR and effective organizations.
Organizational Dynamics. 40 (4)255-266. Doi: org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2011.07.003.
Filerman, G.L. (2003). Closing the management competence gap. Human Resources
for Health 2003 (1) 7. Doi: 10.1186/1478-4491-1-7.
Gomez-Mejia, L. R., Balkin, D. B., and Cardy, R. L. (2012). Managing human resources
(7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education
Ryan, L. (2012). What every CEO needs to know about HR. Bloomberg Businessweek.
Retrieved form http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-25/what-every-
ceo-needs-to-know-about-hr
Thiagarajan, B, and Renugadevi, V. (2011). Employee engagement practices in indian
PBO industries- Aa empirical investigation. Interdisciplinary Journal of
Contemporary Research in Business, 2(10), 134-141. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/857667235?accountid=12085
Van Eynde, D.,F., and Burr, R. M. (2011). Human resource knowledge and skills needed
by non-HR managers: Recommendations from leading senior HR executives.
