'People are our greatest asset' is a tired cliche, but...
Craig T Dube, Student (University), Zimbabwe, Member
The 1990's have showed a growing sophistication in the nature of the HRM debate. This development is promoted by the realization that traditional sources of competitive advantage (technology, patents, capital) are becoming less important than they used to be.
Now the extent to which an organization can mobilize its internal human resources may hold the key to achieve and sustain such advantages in the future.
So yes, the general managerial epithet 'people are our greatest asset' is a tired cliche; but what distinguishes the most recent work is a renewed focus on the resource-based view model of HRM & the particular mix of skills & attributes that can be developed and maintained to result in superb long-term economic performance.
