Variations in the Personnel Role – Some Irish Survey Evidence
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000001017 |
| Pages | 26-32 |
| Date | 01 February 1989 |
| Published date | 01 February 1989 |
| Author | Patrick Gunnigle,Gisela Shivanath |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
VARIATIONS IN THE PERSONNEL
ROLE - SOME IRISH SURVEY
EVIDENCE
by Patrick Gunnigle and Gisela Shivanath
Department of Business Studies, National Institute of Higher Education, Limerick
This article draws on the findings of a study into the role and status of personnel practitioners
in Irish organisations which sought to establish the key personnel activities carried out by
personnel practitioners in Ireland. The study also attempted to identify the role models currently
adopted by personnel practitioners in Irish organisations and explain variations in the personnel
role between organisations. The aim of the survey was to conduct exploratory research into
the role and status of personnel practitioners in Irish organisations. The concern was to obtain
a picture at a specific point in time. To achieve this end a self-adminstered postal survey using
an in-depth questionnaire was utilised. This questionnaire was sent to a random sample of
226 personnel practitioners. Of these, 71 replied, representing a response rate of 34 per cent.
ER 11,2
1989
26
The Role of Personnel Management
Personnel management is concerned with
man-
power and contributes to organisational success
by integrating the human resource element into
the overall managerial equation in such a way as
to improve organisational performance. The
specialist personnel function as part of the overall
management process must see its primary role as
helping the organisation achieve specified goals
in the most effective manner. The role played by
the personnel function, however, varies
considerably between organisations. In some
organisations this function may be the possessor
of considerable influence and status, while in
others it may be a low level function carrying out
various administrative tasks with little input into
top management decision making. These
variations have been partially explained by the
factors contingent upon the personnel functions'
environment; the organisation's development,
ideology of owners, size, and technology. Various
issues relating to the historical development of the
personnel function and the ambiguous nature of
personnel work have also been accredited with
contributing to the differing models of personnel
management.
This article seeks to identify the dominant role
models of personnel management adopted in Irish
organisations. The basis of this analysis are the
role models of personnel management developed
by Tyson [1]. These role models recognise the
differing roles that the personnel practitioner may
play in various organisational contexts, each
varying in complexity and level of representation
with the crucial factor being the status afforded
to the personnel practitioner in the job. These role
models are central to our analysis of the role and
status of personnel practitioners in Ireland and are
summarised below.
Administrative/Support Model
Here the personnel practitioner concentrates on
basics — wage administration, record keeping,
rules and regulations. Personnel management acts
as a support function to line management and is
seen to contribute to organisational success only
to the extent that it enables line functions to
achieve their particular objectives. This model is
characterised by low status afforded to the
personnel practitioner who would typically report
to a lower order manager.
Systems/Reactive Model
This role is played by personnel practitioners whose
companies recognise much of the intangibility of
personnel work and allow them to go beyond the
narrow scope of the first role model. Reporting to
a senior manager, the personnel practitioner is
involved in a sophisticated industrial relations
environment with particular emphasis on personnel
policies and procedures, engaging in effective
manpower planning and some of the more
To continue reading
Request your trial