Impact of Information Technology to Human Resource : A Research Proposal Sample

Introduction             Globalization and technology are considered as two of the most important aspects that affected the overall aspects of company, particularly its communication process and information flow.             As of now, organizations within the industrialized societies are experiencing a prolific growth in the development as well as deployment of information and communications technologies. In the entire sector of the economy, in both the public and private, within as well as between the organizational boundaries, computer-based information systems appear to be pervasive (Bloomfield & Coombs 2000, p. 1). However, there are still different questions and debates that pertain to the impact and relationship of IT to the human resource.             Furthermore, more and more companies and organizations, as of now, are applying IT in different areas and department in order to make sure that the information regarding the employees as well as internal data regarding their performance and financial matters are properly stored and can be retrieved for future use. Problem Statement             The main purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the different impacts of the application of IT to the overall management of human resource, in terms of individual and overall organizational performance. Furthermore, this study will focus on the advantage of applying IT in the human resource, and how it can help to improve the overall human resource performance of the company. Literature Review             The adoption of the IT helps to transform the way business is being conducted. This varies from the application and use of computers in preparing invoices, issuing checks, keeping track of the movement and flow of stock, as well as storing personnel and payroll records. In addition, the use of word processing and personal computers helps to change the patterns of the office works, thus affecting the efficiency and competitiveness of business, the structure of the work force, as well as the overall growth of the economic output. In general, the said transformation has a contribution in the revolution of the economic consequences, as large as those have been brought about by the industrial revolution (cited in Allen & Scott 1994, p. 5).             Computer technology has already progressed at an incredibly rapid pace since the widespread of reliance of large, slow, difficult-to-use mainframes 10 to 15 years ago. As of now, the environment of the client-server networks, LANs and WANs, and the Internet's World Wide Web are evolving and developing at speedy pace. Technology has a great promise for the further development of the human resource function as the partner of the business. On the other hand, most of the companies are still using outdated hardware and software, thus use HRIS or Human Resource Information System for only those most routine and used HR tasks (Groe & Pyle 1996, p. 56).              HRIS is used in the enterprise-wide decision-support system that can help to achieve both strategic and operations objectives and goals a specific company. Furthermore, the use and application of the fully integrated systems can help to facilitate the more seamless operation of a company across its functions and departments (Groe & Pyle 1996, p. 56).             There are many examples of companies that have already automated their HR administrative tasks, more specifically those that are connected with the activities and aspects of payroll as well as benefits administration, As a result, it can help to reduce the HR headcount, and help to free up the functional resources for the attention in more strategic aspects and issues of the company (Groe & Jamfrog 1996, p. 57).             As of now, there are different organizations that are utilizing their automated systems that have been reengineered process by applying interactive employee information kiosks or the Internet-based Web applications. One of this is the Levi Strauss that uses the system called the OLIVER, and systems that have been utilized by the Office Personnel Management by FED Express, in order to collect the data from the employees that uses the computer in order to answer their own questions, test the implications of a given decisions, as well as to change their enrollment in benefits. By the process of reengineering the benefits of the information, it can help organization to reduce the staff needs to answer the question, but also help to create a new and more direct relationship with the employees (Kovach & Cathcart 1999, p. 275).             In addition, the effectiveness of any human resource practice and practices in influencing the performance of the firm depends mainly on the strategy of that firm (Wright 1998, p. 56). That is the reason why it is important to adjust both the technology and human resource, in order to come up with each other, in order to maintain the business rule of the company that will help to maintain its position in the market.             Another important development in HR is the application of the Internet. Going online is considered as one of the aspects that fundamentally changing the way how the HR functions works in different companies. This can be done by posting their job openings in their home page as well as career services, where in the company ca receive resumes from different candidates in different part of the globe. The resume will then be passed and retrieved by the recruiting database, that will help the both the company and the applicants easier (cited in Wright 1998, p. 57).              Aside from that there are different multitude online services and resources of information that are connected and related with the HR like the interactive online guides, job placement services, consultant and contract worker listing as well as government sites (Wright 1998, p. 57). Methodology             The research will use qualitative research in order to know the different impact of IT to the human resource. This will be done by conducting a research to over 50 questions to the senior HR executives in 160 major companies in the country, that will help to represents the full variety of the industries as well as sizes. The questions will target the different human resource activities of the companies as well as the applications and software that are used in connection to the human resource process of the company, such as: what is the main reason for the application of IT to human resource? Who are the key players? What were the results? What were the major consequences and difficulties? What were the key learnings? Conclusion             Human resource is considered as one of the most important aspects, if not the most important, in any organization. This is due to the fact that it handles the different activities and issues regarding the most important resource of business and organization, the human power or the labor. This focuses on the process of production of the products and service that a specific company is offering. Furthermore, the satisfaction of the human power can reflect to the products and services that the company is offering to their customers.             Based on the information that have been gathered from the primary and secondary resources, it had been showed the IT has a great impact and influence over the management and process of human resource. It has a great impact on the process of controlling and managing the data and information that are related to human resource that can impact the entire performance of a specific company, in terms of production.