SOLUTION MANUAL for Human
Resource Information Systems: Basics,
Applications, and Future Directions, 5th
Edition by Richard D. Johnson
ALL CHAPTERS 1-17| VERIFIED
STUDY GUIDE
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Page | 1
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, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I: Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)
Chapter 1: The Evolution of HRM and HRIS
Chapter 2: Systems Considerations in the Design of an HRIS
Part II: Managing HRIS Implementations
Chapter 3: The Systems Development Life Cycle and HRIS Needs Analysis
Chapter 4: System Design and Acquisition
Chapter 5: Change Management and System Implementation
Chapter 6: Cost-Justifying HRIS Investments
Part III: Human Resource Information Systems Applications
Chapter 7: HR Administration and HRIS
Chapter 8: Talent Management and HR Planning
Chapter 9: Recruitment and Selection in an Internet Context
Chapter 10: Training and Development
Chapter 11: Rewarding Employees and HRIS
Chapter 12: Strategic Considerations in HRIS
Part IV: Advanced HRIS Applications and Future Trends
Chapter 13: HRIS and International HRM
Chapter 14: HR Metrics and Workforce Analytics
Chapter 15: HRIS Privacy and Security
Chapter 16: The Role of Social Media in HR
Chapter 17: The Future of HRIS
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, Chapter 1: The Evolution of HRM and HRIS
1. What are the factors that changed the primary role of HRM from a caretaker of records to a strategic partner?
The major factors were as follows:
• The mobilization and utilization of labor during World War II had a great impact on the development of the
personnel function. Managers realized that employee productivity and motivation had a significant impact on the
profitability of the firm. The human relations movement after the war emphasized that employees were motivated
not just by money but also by social and psychological factors such as recognition of work achievements and work
norms.
• During the Social Issues era, there was an increasing need to be in compliance with numerous pieces of
employee protection legislation or suffer significant monetary penalties. This made senior managers aware of the
importance of the HRM function. In other words, effective and correct practices in HRM were starting to affect the
“bottom line” of the firms, so there was a significant growth of HR departments.
• The increased use of technology and the changed focus of the HRM function as adding value to the
organization’s product or service led to the emergence of the HR department as a strategic partner. With the growing
importance and recognition of people and people management in contemporary organizations, strategic HRM
(SHRM) has become critically important in management thinking and practice. SHRM derives its theoretical
significance from the resource-based view of the firm that treats human capital as a strategic asset and a competitive
advantage in improving organizational performance.
The students may or may not mention the importance of HR metrics in answering this question. This factor is
implied in the discussion of the cost- effectiveness section of the chapter. For example, one could not complete a
balanced scorecard or a cost–benefit analysis without having HR metrics. You should emphasize this point to the
students and indicate there is much more detail on this topic in Chapter 6.
2. Describe the historical evolution of HRM and HRIS in terms of the changing role of HRM and the influence of
computer technology on HRM.
• The role of HRM in the firm has changed over time from primarily being concerned with routine
transactional and traditional HR activities to dealing with complex transformational ones. Transactional activities
are the routine bookkeeping tasks--for example, changing an employee’s home address or health care provider.
Traditional HR activities are focused on HR programs like selection, compensation, and performance appraisal.
However, transformational HR activities are those actions of an organization that “add value” to the consumption of
the firm’s product or service. Transformational activities increase the strategic importance and visibility of the HR
function in the firm.
• The historical evolution of HRM can be classified in terms of five broad phases of the historical
development of industry in the United States. These phases are Pre–World War II, Post–World War II, Social Issues,
Cost-Effectiveness, and Technological Advancement Era.
• During the Post–World War II phase, it is important to realize that computer technology was just beginning
to be used at this time, and it was complex and costly. During the Social Issues phase, effective and correct practices
in HRM were starting to affect the “bottom line” of the firms, so there was a significant growth of HR departments,
and computer technology had advanced to the point where it was beginning to be used. As a result, there was an
increasing demand for HR departments to adopt computer technology to process employee information more
effectively and efficiently. This trend resulted in an explosion in the number of vendors who could assist HR
Ar
departments in automating their programs in terms of both hardware and software. Simultaneously, computer
technology was evolving and delivering better productivity at lower costs. During the Cost-Effectiveness phase, to
ch
achieve the goal of improving effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery through cost reduction and value-
Do
Page | 3
c
, added services, the HR departments came under pressure to harness technology that was becoming cheaper and
more powerful. Even small and medium firms could afford computer-based HR systems that were run by
increasingly user-friendly microcomputers and could be shown to be cost- effective. During the Technological
Advancement Era, the increased use of technology changed the focus of the HRM function. There was a shift to
adding value to the organization’s product or service, which led to the emergence of the HR department as a
strategic partner. With the growing importance and recognition of people and people management in contemporary
organizations, strategic human resource management (strategic HRM) has become critically important in
management thinking and practice. Technology is key to the implementation of strategic HRM.
3. What is required for the effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in
the marketplace?
• The effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace
requires timely and accurate information on current employees and potential employees in the labor market. With
the evolution of computer technology, meeting this information requirement has been greatly enhanced through the
creation of HRIS.
4. Describe the emergence of strategic human resources management (strategic HRM) and the influence of computer
technology. What are some of the approaches used in HRM to facilitate the use of strategic HRM in a firm’s
business strategy?
• The development of HRIS helped enable HRM to become a strategic partner in organizations, which then
led to the emergence of strategic HRM. While technology is key to the implementation of strategic HRM, strategy is
not sufficient. Implementation is critical in the firm’s ability to gain a competitive advantage. A critical aspect of an
HRIS in supporting the implementation of strategic plans is using it to make decisions about employees, human
capital programs, and initiatives. All of these HRM decisions are aided by the ability of the HRIS to generate reports
(e.g., the number of new employees needed for a specific job).
5. How does technology help deliver transactional, traditional, and transformational HR activities more efficiently
and effectively?
One of the major advantages of the design, development, and implementation of an HRIS is to reduce the amount of
time the HR staff have to spend on transactional activities, allowing the staff to spend more time on traditional and
transformational activities. This notion of using technology to process transactional activities more efficiently is the
central theme of this book and provides one of the primary justifications for a computer-based system.
6. Justify the need for an HRIS.
There are several advantages to firms in using HRIS. They include the following:
• Providing a comprehensive information picture as a single, comprehensive database; this enables
organizations to provide structural connectivity across units and activities and increase the speed of information
transactions
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• Increasing competitiveness by improving HR operations and improving management processes
• Collecting appropriate data and converting them to information and knowledge for improved timeliness and
ch
quality of decision making
Do
Page | 4
c
Resource Information Systems: Basics,
Applications, and Future Directions, 5th
Edition by Richard D. Johnson
ALL CHAPTERS 1-17| VERIFIED
STUDY GUIDE
Ar
ch
Do
Page | 1
c
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
Part I: Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS)
Chapter 1: The Evolution of HRM and HRIS
Chapter 2: Systems Considerations in the Design of an HRIS
Part II: Managing HRIS Implementations
Chapter 3: The Systems Development Life Cycle and HRIS Needs Analysis
Chapter 4: System Design and Acquisition
Chapter 5: Change Management and System Implementation
Chapter 6: Cost-Justifying HRIS Investments
Part III: Human Resource Information Systems Applications
Chapter 7: HR Administration and HRIS
Chapter 8: Talent Management and HR Planning
Chapter 9: Recruitment and Selection in an Internet Context
Chapter 10: Training and Development
Chapter 11: Rewarding Employees and HRIS
Chapter 12: Strategic Considerations in HRIS
Part IV: Advanced HRIS Applications and Future Trends
Chapter 13: HRIS and International HRM
Chapter 14: HR Metrics and Workforce Analytics
Chapter 15: HRIS Privacy and Security
Chapter 16: The Role of Social Media in HR
Chapter 17: The Future of HRIS
Ar
ch
Do
Page | 2
c
, Chapter 1: The Evolution of HRM and HRIS
1. What are the factors that changed the primary role of HRM from a caretaker of records to a strategic partner?
The major factors were as follows:
• The mobilization and utilization of labor during World War II had a great impact on the development of the
personnel function. Managers realized that employee productivity and motivation had a significant impact on the
profitability of the firm. The human relations movement after the war emphasized that employees were motivated
not just by money but also by social and psychological factors such as recognition of work achievements and work
norms.
• During the Social Issues era, there was an increasing need to be in compliance with numerous pieces of
employee protection legislation or suffer significant monetary penalties. This made senior managers aware of the
importance of the HRM function. In other words, effective and correct practices in HRM were starting to affect the
“bottom line” of the firms, so there was a significant growth of HR departments.
• The increased use of technology and the changed focus of the HRM function as adding value to the
organization’s product or service led to the emergence of the HR department as a strategic partner. With the growing
importance and recognition of people and people management in contemporary organizations, strategic HRM
(SHRM) has become critically important in management thinking and practice. SHRM derives its theoretical
significance from the resource-based view of the firm that treats human capital as a strategic asset and a competitive
advantage in improving organizational performance.
The students may or may not mention the importance of HR metrics in answering this question. This factor is
implied in the discussion of the cost- effectiveness section of the chapter. For example, one could not complete a
balanced scorecard or a cost–benefit analysis without having HR metrics. You should emphasize this point to the
students and indicate there is much more detail on this topic in Chapter 6.
2. Describe the historical evolution of HRM and HRIS in terms of the changing role of HRM and the influence of
computer technology on HRM.
• The role of HRM in the firm has changed over time from primarily being concerned with routine
transactional and traditional HR activities to dealing with complex transformational ones. Transactional activities
are the routine bookkeeping tasks--for example, changing an employee’s home address or health care provider.
Traditional HR activities are focused on HR programs like selection, compensation, and performance appraisal.
However, transformational HR activities are those actions of an organization that “add value” to the consumption of
the firm’s product or service. Transformational activities increase the strategic importance and visibility of the HR
function in the firm.
• The historical evolution of HRM can be classified in terms of five broad phases of the historical
development of industry in the United States. These phases are Pre–World War II, Post–World War II, Social Issues,
Cost-Effectiveness, and Technological Advancement Era.
• During the Post–World War II phase, it is important to realize that computer technology was just beginning
to be used at this time, and it was complex and costly. During the Social Issues phase, effective and correct practices
in HRM were starting to affect the “bottom line” of the firms, so there was a significant growth of HR departments,
and computer technology had advanced to the point where it was beginning to be used. As a result, there was an
increasing demand for HR departments to adopt computer technology to process employee information more
effectively and efficiently. This trend resulted in an explosion in the number of vendors who could assist HR
Ar
departments in automating their programs in terms of both hardware and software. Simultaneously, computer
technology was evolving and delivering better productivity at lower costs. During the Cost-Effectiveness phase, to
ch
achieve the goal of improving effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery through cost reduction and value-
Do
Page | 3
c
, added services, the HR departments came under pressure to harness technology that was becoming cheaper and
more powerful. Even small and medium firms could afford computer-based HR systems that were run by
increasingly user-friendly microcomputers and could be shown to be cost- effective. During the Technological
Advancement Era, the increased use of technology changed the focus of the HRM function. There was a shift to
adding value to the organization’s product or service, which led to the emergence of the HR department as a
strategic partner. With the growing importance and recognition of people and people management in contemporary
organizations, strategic human resource management (strategic HRM) has become critically important in
management thinking and practice. Technology is key to the implementation of strategic HRM.
3. What is required for the effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in
the marketplace?
• The effective management of human resources in a firm to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace
requires timely and accurate information on current employees and potential employees in the labor market. With
the evolution of computer technology, meeting this information requirement has been greatly enhanced through the
creation of HRIS.
4. Describe the emergence of strategic human resources management (strategic HRM) and the influence of computer
technology. What are some of the approaches used in HRM to facilitate the use of strategic HRM in a firm’s
business strategy?
• The development of HRIS helped enable HRM to become a strategic partner in organizations, which then
led to the emergence of strategic HRM. While technology is key to the implementation of strategic HRM, strategy is
not sufficient. Implementation is critical in the firm’s ability to gain a competitive advantage. A critical aspect of an
HRIS in supporting the implementation of strategic plans is using it to make decisions about employees, human
capital programs, and initiatives. All of these HRM decisions are aided by the ability of the HRIS to generate reports
(e.g., the number of new employees needed for a specific job).
5. How does technology help deliver transactional, traditional, and transformational HR activities more efficiently
and effectively?
One of the major advantages of the design, development, and implementation of an HRIS is to reduce the amount of
time the HR staff have to spend on transactional activities, allowing the staff to spend more time on traditional and
transformational activities. This notion of using technology to process transactional activities more efficiently is the
central theme of this book and provides one of the primary justifications for a computer-based system.
6. Justify the need for an HRIS.
There are several advantages to firms in using HRIS. They include the following:
• Providing a comprehensive information picture as a single, comprehensive database; this enables
organizations to provide structural connectivity across units and activities and increase the speed of information
transactions
Ar
• Increasing competitiveness by improving HR operations and improving management processes
• Collecting appropriate data and converting them to information and knowledge for improved timeliness and
ch
quality of decision making
Do
Page | 4
c
