Strategic Human Resource Management There are a multitude of definitions to describe the term strategic human resource management, the vast majority of which revolve around the conception that the term refers to a specific application of personnel to further the proficiency and productivity of a particular enterprise. There are two primary theories associated with strategic human resource management which conflict in ideology on one fairly important point: mutability. The first such theory, the best practice approach, virtually excludes mutability in its process and conceptualization of what produces effective human resource management. The other theory, the best-fit approach, hinges upon flexibility and change to further its notion of how strategic human resource management can maximize the output of a particular enterprise.

The best-practice approach sacrifices individuality and autonomy in its methodology for the sake...

This theory is based upon the fact that there exists a set, finite group of procedures for best organizing human resources that can produce optimum results in nearly all situations and organizations, regardless of industry, personnel features, company culture, and other autonomous variables which inherently differentiae businesses. Common best-practice policies include the implementation of protocol such as selective hiring, job security, ongoing training and sharing information to best accommodate employees in the workplace. Although all of these policies are certainly prudent, the best-practice theory does not account for individualized features or company components which separate the resources of one enterprise from another's, and which may be used as the basis for a competitive edge.
The best-fit approach, by contrast, utilizes the particularities of an enterprise's resources, the most important of…