Author: SR Mohandas & R Krishna Murthy

Price: Rs 400

Human Resource Management (HRM) is perhaps the most important managerial function for without people no economic function can be performed. Though it has been a much flaunted phrase by corporate India, the authors SR Mohan Das and R Krishna Murthy believe that it is a "rarely understood or explained process for making people know and appreciate what the phrase signifies." So much so that even professionals in the field are often unable to identify the coverage and the starting point of HRM. Perhaps "they were not taught these things in their post-graduate studies or they were themselves never curious about the subject," reckon the authors. They seek to correct the first through the publishing of this book.

"A variety of characteristics governing human resources, an awareness on reasonably rational, tangible and measurable terms, not individually but collectively through humanorganisations, the role of indigenous socio-cultural setting and its influence on individual and group behaviour, and above all the challenges posed by industrial-technological revolution on human resources in terms of their own actual and intended role, are required to be understood in both intrinsic and extrinsic terms. Human resources placed in the context of such disciplines as economics and finance are also required to be understood in that context. This book aims at a start in coverage of this area of Human Resource Management."

The book is meant to serve as a text book for management students "in both their general management skills development as also in their specialisation in the area of Human Resources Management." Unlike most other authors who have written on the subject, the authors have had a good exposure to the Indian business scenario. That this book has been written keeping in mind the Indian situation is clearly evident from its title. This is what makes it stands apart from most standardtext-books on the subject which fail to provide a sufficient insight into the labour scenario prevailing in the country.

This is not to say that the book can replace the standard text-books on the subject. Absolutely not--rather it could be used as additional reading matter to supplement the knowledge gained from the standard text-books. This is because the authors have failed to provide the basic conceptual framework required to understand the subject thoroughly. Perhaps they have chosen to address those who already have a working knowledge of the subject. Besides, the style in which the book has been written does not appear to be suitable for the first time learner who might find it extremely boring to go through the historical perspectives provided. For the more enlightened, however, it would be interesting reading as it provides answers to the several questions that might have been gnawing on the student for long.

Consider for instance the following in this regard : "The term `human resources' isspecifically used to denote qualitative resources that are utilisable in organisations for producing goods and services, either by their direct contributions or supporting contributions to the whole team of resources comprising the organisation. Under such a definition there is no such thing as `unskilled'...'semi-skilled categories. All human resources have to attain skills and sophistications in two areas, apart from other functional skills. They have to acquire disciplines to ensure collective effectiveness and transcend a total individualistic perception towards a cosmopolitan interface with all others in an organisation."

Besides a thorough understanding of the concepts a student of HRM must also be aware of fallacies that prevail in the system. The authors have highlighted the fallacies in industrial relations that have resulted in a mind-set which prevent any development change in the country. Here are a few that they have pointed out: Labour is viewed as a factor totally separate and isolated fromthe different constituencies that constitute the enterprise. Work emphasises physical and intellectual inputs without any reference or co-relationship to an output result in a time span. The "master-servant" concept still dominates our society, obedience is given a higher priority than performance.

Correcting these fallacies should be paramount on the agenda of every organisation. Considering that the human resource is available in plenty in our nation, every attempt must be made to utilise it to the fullest. However, it appears that the abundance of the resource is turning out to be the very reason for the sad state of affairs in the HRM function in a majority of the country's organisation. At least through attempts such as this book, some awareness regarding the issue is being created. This should be reason enough to flip through its pages even though its editorial quality may not really be much to speak of.