Most organizations involve employment; people selling their labor in exchange for a wage. Some employees also participate in managing the terms and conditions of employment for others. If they’re very high up in the organizattional hierarchy these employees may manage the terms and conditions of their own employment (as in the case of top-level executives who often are able to set their own compensation levels and work conditions – subject to approval by Boards of Directors). Most managers, however, are involved in the employment of other people.
In your posts for this discussion please consider the conflicting interests and processes in a) managing “human resources” as Robbins and Coulter suggest is best and, b) being a “human resource” – aka the experience of work in organizations. How can these two experiences and agendas be reconciled? Or can they?
Make sure to refer to specific ideas and techniques from the chapter as well as from the complementary readings.