The role of human resource and their management in the establishment of sustainable competitive advantages

INTRODUCTION
Human resources qualify for a source of competitive advantage, for they possess specific features which make them valuable, rare, inimitable, dynamic, etc. Two strands of the concept definitions are discussed 1. generalist 2. distinctive

 Most critical challenges faced The need to increase productivity, enhance organisational capabilities, expand into global markets develop and implement new technologies, respond to more demanding customer needs and changes in the highly volatile marketplace, increase revenue and decrease costs, attract and retain high-performing and flexible workforce, Introduce and manage relevant organizational change, etc.

 Human resource management was viewed under this perspective merely as a tool for reinforcing the Human resource management strategy, or , support - activity in the value creation chain. As a result a resource-based view (RBV) of the firm was developed, in which the focus of strategy specialists shifted from the external environment to the internal context of the organization.

Organisational resources as a source of competitive advantage

 The greatest emphasis was laid on the crucial role of organizational resources and capabilities, which were viewed as a strategic foundation of the organization and the primary source of competitive advantage. It is also noteworthy that a distinction is made between a competitive advantage and a sustained competitive advantage.

 COMPETETIVE ADVANTAGE - means the implementation of a strategy that is not followed by current or potential competitors. SUSTAINED COMPETETIVE ADVANTAGE means not only the possession of such a strategy, but its non-duplicability as well.