Human resources and personnel management
by William B. Werther · 1993
Genre: Business
Rating: 3.8/5
Werther's textbook maps HRM's 1990s basics with clarity and cases. Thorough yet time-capsuled—great starter, not standalone.
A solid but dated textbook that competently maps the transition from personnel management to human resources without fully embracing the future.
William B. Werther's 'Human Resources and Personnel Management' delivers a clear, structured introduction to HRM fundamentals for its era. It excels in breaking down recruitment, evaluation, and compensation into teachable parts. Yet its 1993 vantage point leaves it short on the strategic shifts that would soon redefine the field.
Imagine HRM in 1993: still shedding the 'personnel department' skin of paperwork and compliance. Werther (with Keith Davis in earlier editions) charts this evolution across five parts—framework, recruitment, development, compensation, and relations. Real-world cases, like union negotiations or performance appraisals, ground abstract concepts. Objectives and discussion questions make it a classroom staple: why does this matter? Because it equips managers to treat employees as assets, not just costs. (The prose? Functional, never flashy—think reliable sedan, not sports car.)
Strength lies in its systematic approach. Recruitment gets a full toolkit: job analysis, interviewing pitfalls, legal snares under EEOC rules. Development chapters tackle training ROI with formulas that demand evidence, not platitudes—a welcome jab at business-book fluff. Compensation? Werther demystifies benefits packages and incentive pay, showing how they align with organizational goals. It's the kind of book that turns 'HR' from buzzword to blueprint.
What elevates it? The emphasis on employee relations amid labor strife. Cases from 1980s strikes illustrate negotiation tactics: interest-based bargaining over positional haggling. Werther spotlights whose voices matter—line managers, not just HR silos. For history buffs in business lit, it's a snapshot of pre-globalization workplaces: domestic focus, union power intact. Why read it now? To grasp how far we've come (and haven't).
Here's the rub: datedness dooms it. No deep dive into workforce diversity beyond token nods, ignoring the multicultural boom ahead. Globalization? Barely a whisper—offshoring and virtual teams are absent. Strategic HRM, where HR drives CEO agendas, feels embryonic. Examples stale quickly (think pre-internet recruiting). Sentences occasionally plod: 'The process involves several steps which must be followed carefully.' Lazy thinking? Not quite, but it signals a textbook chasing completeness over insight. In 2026, it reads like a museum piece.
Still, for novices or nostalgia seekers, it's essential scaffolding. Werther proves HRM isn't soft skills—it's measurable strategy. Pair it with modern texts for contrast: what did we miss in '93? Changes how you see HR's arc from administrative to pivotal. Not revolutionary, but rigorously argued: a 4.0 contender with era's baggage.
Key Takeaways
- HR Evolution
- Evidence-Based Tools
- Employee Relations
Summary
- Organized into five parts covering HRM framework, recruitment, development, compensation, and relations.
- Uses real-world cases and discussion questions for practical teaching.
- Emphasizes evidence-based tools like training ROI formulas.
- Charts shift from traditional personnel to strategic human resources.
- Strong on employee relations and union negotiation tactics.
- Criticism: Lacks depth on diversity, globalization, and strategic integration.
- Dated 1993 examples limit contemporary relevance.
- Verdict: Solid foundation for beginners, but supplement with modern reads.
Chapter Guide
- Chapter 1: The Management of Human Resources
- Introduces the evolution from personnel management to strategic HRM, emphasizing its role in corporate strategy. Covers key functions like recruitment, training, and employee relations amid globalization.
- Chapter 2: Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity
- Examines legal frameworks for EEO, affirmative action, and managing cultural diversity in the workplace. Discusses compliance strategies and benefits of inclusive workforces.
- Chapter 3: Job Analysis and Design
- Details methods for conducting job analysis to create accurate job descriptions and specifications. Explores job design techniques to enhance motivation and productivity.
- Chapter 4: Recruitment and Selection
- Outlines sourcing strategies, internal vs. external recruitment, and selection tools like interviews and tests. Addresses globalization's impact on talent acquisition.
- Chapter 5: Training and Development
- Covers needs assessment, program design, and evaluation of training initiatives. Links development to career planning and organizational competitiveness.
Read the full review at https://reviewerinsight.com/book/69f576d5c84c962c4b76be99/human-resources-and-personnel-management