Thomson Religion Newspapers Group in Canada - Coursework Example

Important points to be noted Critique of journal article Text highlighted in green: This text shows that I have has engaged with texts about research methods This allows me to clearly define what a literature review is and what it should contain. Text highlighted in yellow: This text demonstrates effective critique. I have used what I have found in the texts about research and apply this to the selected journal article. I have identified strengths of the literature review. The text highlighted in green and yellow shows that the I have followed the ‘Guidelines for Critique’ which I have been given for literature review This essay critiques into details the principal elements of a research study that was undertaken by Gregor Gall and was aimed to research on human resource policy management. The study was done in one of the subsidiary companies known as Thomson Religion newspapers group that is based in Canada. This company was suitable because it had just started the implementation of the policies in all its business. The article is obtained from a research based on the industrial relations on the editorial area of retain provincial newspaper (Gall, 1995, p. 43). The research methodology used by the researchers was face-to-face with the managers and employees of the company. Human resource management seeks to reduce and undermine the role of the trade unions as they emphasis on individualism. Individualism is against the human resource management policies as it is evident in the article (Gall, 1995). It is evident from the study that the desire to practice human resource management policies is market driven when there is competition and pressure brought about desire to increase profits but cannot be done under normal circumstances (Guest, 1989, p.23). The policies are also implemented because of the need to maintain the best talent this is evident from Edinburgh Evening news editor. It is also clear that the policies are implemented due to the power of the trade unions which make them increase their pay rates to level higher than the market rate (an assistant managing director) (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009). The research demonstrates that the employee communication system at the recognized centres has changed to direct between journalists and their supervisors. Additionally the editor has been backed up by the sub- companies of the company and the employees report directly to the management. Because of the implementation of the policies the formal mechanism like the weekly departmental meetings have been scraped off, and doors meetings and approachable managers are the system to be used (Gall, 1995, p. 47). From the article, Thomas regional newspaper has implemented a strategy to eliminate the influence of the National Union of Journalists as many newspaper groups have done (Gall, 1995, p. 45). It is also clear that the inducement of signing personal contracts in Thomas regional news paper has been either a bonus in terms of cash or ineligibility of receiving the offered pay rise until when the contract has been signed (Gall, 1995, p. 46). This shows that management uses inappropriate methods to make the workers to get into contracts with the company. The other method that is normally used according to the study is a reduction and curtailment of the existing arrangements of collective bargaining by way of condition positioning, unilateral charges, and refusing the union requests for negotiations and meetings (Gall, 1995, p .46). The writer indicates that several centres had the formal recognition or derecognition statements on that matters of the collective representation, bargaining and consultation that did not accord with the actual state of deracination or recognition. This is the reason that in the Thomas Regional Newspapers Group, there is a mixture of wages with conditions determinant through personal contract. In every Thomas Religion Newspaper Centre, there is a lot of non-replacement of the staff, and this has provoked strikes though no action has been taken in effect to that as evident from the article (Gall 1995). This also happens to voluntary redundancies. In 1991, Thomson Quality Initiative (TQI) was formed and its main idea was that the staff should consider all the people they are dealing with as customers in the same way they would in the external paying clients. This is evident the new organization was determined to change the human resource management in the group (Gall, 1995, p .49). This is where the National Union of Journalists pleaded with the company on the basis that if the company was ready to listen to the employees then it was acceptable for the union was involved. However, the company was not willing to include the union in the talks (Armstrong, 2006, p. 19). Until 1987, Thomas Regional Newspapers Group was believed to pay some of the highest wages by journalists in the provincial sector. However, it turned to be one of the lowest with the system of wage determination (Bratton & Gold, 2001, p.49). At Belfast, since the year1988 all the wage rises have been set below the RPI while the people on personal contracts received a rise of 1-1.5% above this until the year1991. It is evident that since that time all the non executive journalists have got the same rise (Gall, 1995, p. 48). Research investigation methods used in the article The investigation methods used are undoubtedly effective when compared to the purpose and objectives that were aimed by the study. Some of the effective methods used are like the face-to-face interviewing, and questionnaires as displayed in the article (Gall 1995, p45). It is with no doubt that the methods are the best because the study is detailed. Additionally it utilized various theories from different types of sources expound deeper on the justification reasons on the importance of human resource management rather than leave them hanging without any supporting reasons. With these explanations, the study is more reliable as it gives highly detailed information on the issues that are at hand. The repeat of the study can be beneficial and remarkably easy as the study is already providing enough referencing, and information that can be used in the next study (Guest, 1989, p. 17). By the using the face-to-face method, it gives time for the study whereby it is easier to tell the feeling of a person when close to him or her rather than just seeing writings or getting the voice only. This helps the researchers to get the seriousness of the issues that are being studied and also helps know the appropriate solution for the issue. This is so because most studies or researches are done in order to try and get the real problem so as to know the exact solution for the problem at hand. The study was conducted in the UK where most managers are familiar with the importance of human resource management is beneficial as it has been proved by the prior research. Because of these beliefs of assumptions, the study should be conducted again after some time so that the old managers will have retired and fresh managers without that belief will have come in. The other reason as to why the research should be redone is so that the economic statues will have changed. This is because it significantly influences the principals of human resources management. The reason for the repetition of the study is to get the most convenient study without keeping some factors constant (Blyton & Turnbull, 1992, p. 117). Gender, age and the current nature are supposed to be considered as control variables in the study as they are also influential factors that can bring about a lot of wrong conclusions as they have the ability to predict many varieties of outcomes like the policies that are incorporated into them are remarkably different like in the case of gender. It can be noted that regression was done to verify the human resource management while the dependants were variable. This is a clear indication that in the research, there were no wrong conclusions from the study as there was no any guess work, or untruth in the study (Blyton & Turnbull, 1992, p. 119). Moreover the writer explains that TQI has involved its self in setting up of TQI committee’s staff for attitude surveys. The committee assumed that their talks with the supervisors were the most appropriate forums to speak out their problems. This would ensure that there are no protests like others who did so each time they met with their managers to talk over issues that concerned with the human resource management. The reason as to why the committee officials did not accept the idea of the tabling the grievances were because they were being appointed by the company and not elected. It is clear that the resistance of the TQI was afterwards heightened when the journalist was ordered to travel and apologize to a hairdresser (Noon, 1989, p 20). The journalist also gave her wins and chocolate after the haired dresser complained that the opinion that the journalist had on hair dressers in general. This is where the committee noted the importance of human resources management and decided to oppose the company as they noted that there was a violation of their rights (Gall, 1995, p. 50). The formation of the many unions and organizations is an indication that the workers were aware of their rights only that they were unable to claim them (Gall, 1993, p.18). Overall analysis The intended audience of this study are mostly the employees and employers. This study gives guidance to employers who have already employed people or those that about to employee on the importance of human resources management. This is done in order to ensure that employees are comfortable with their work and hence high yields. It also provides the way forward in order for employees to ensure that they are happy at their jobs and that their rights are observed (Blyton & Turnbull, 1992, p. 116). Although the study is about things that are happening in the market, it discriminative in a way in people who have high ranks in their jobs and those with low ranks or without any rank. The other point that is not elaborated is how the employees can make sure that there are proper human resource policies in their work place without protests. The studies validity is crucial to this research as it is the determinant of the time the study will last and involve all personnel. The findings are of considerable importance to the future generations as there will enough reference on the issue of human resource management (Buhler, 2002, p. 26). It is therefore, a brilliant idea to have the findings a bit more generalized. This is because they give an overview of what has happened in the resent times. Employees are also helped in visualising and identifying the complications that are normally faced in the jobs so that he or she can be mentally set. Literature about research process and methods Armstrong, M. 2006. A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page Publishers Blyton, P. & Turnbull, P. J. 1992. Reassessing Human Resource Management. SAGE Publishing Bratton, J. & Gold, J, 2001. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. Routledge Buhler, P. 2002. Human Resources Management: All the Information You Need to Manage Your Staff and Meet Your Business Objectives. Adams Media Publishers Fitz-enz, J. & Davison, B. 2002. How to Measure Human Resources Management. McGraw-Hill Professional Gall, G. 1993. The employers offensive in the provincial newspaper industry, Blackwell Publishing Ltd Gall, G. 1995. HRM in practice: A case study revisited, Personnel Review, vol. 24(3), p.43-55 Guest, D. E. 1989. Human Resource Management and Its Implications for Industrial Relations and Trade Unions. In J. Storey (Ed.), New Perspectives on Human Resource Management. Routledge. Lawler, E. E. & Boudreau, J.W, 2009. Achieving Excellence in Human Resources Management: An Assessment of Human Resource Functions. Stanford University Press Noon, M. 1989 "Human Resource Management in Practice: A case Study Analysis at Company Level", Personnel Review, vol. 18(4), p.15 - 23 Read More