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Human resource concepts challenge traditional personnel system
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-05-20 12:46

Refusing his father's proposal, Liu Peng, an entrepreneur in Beijing, finally opted for the title " human resources department" instead of "personnel department" for his new company.

"'Personnel' is widely viewed as a word leftover from the planned economy era, more a reminder of something related to administrative regulations," said Liu, who thought "human resources" was better since it has been widely accepted by his colleagues and clients.

Maybe for the same reason, a report early released by the Development Research Center (DRC) of the State Council indicates that most Chinese enterprises have renamed their "personnel department" to "human resource department".

The wording change, thought slight, has revealed that Chinese enterprises are undergoing changes in their personnel concept, according to experts.

"In comparison, 'human resources' is of much more meaning than 'personnel' and it clearly spells that people should be treated as a kind of resource, instead of simply as an administrative subject, " said Ma Shuping, from the DRC's enterprise research branch.

Lenovo, one of the flagships of China's information technology industry, renamed its "personnel department" into "human resource department" as early as in 1995, a bid praised as not only a wording change, but a step towards concept innovation.

Despite all this, the general fact for most Chinese enterprises is that many of their human resource staffs know not so much about modern human resource ideas. They remain busy with traditional personnel work ideas and practices, which generally stress the use and control of employees based on the thinking that they are tools for product purposes.

However, the country's economic development has been shaking off such thinking and related practices and replacing them with western ones, which some Chinese employers are eager to implement.

In recent years, China has held various forums and training courses and published many books on human resources, arousing enthusiasm among ordinary Chinese people. Over 2,002 Chinese colleges have also opened human resources courses and related ones.

"It's a significant sign that people have gradually realized that enterprises must reform their traditional personnel work via introducing and bettering their human resources management," said Chen Qingtai, deputy DRC director.

But, a tough fact Chinese enterprises have to face is that most of their human resource staff don't have enough human resource knowledge and all their previous experience is with administrative affairs.

"They should work as enterprise strategy designers and enterprise leader assistants instead of as daily affair goers who only care if a special rule has been fully implemented," said Dr. Lin Zeyan, a human resources expert.

A report by an elite Beijing-based institute warns that competition for cultivating skilled workers has been major task for Chinese enterprises since the country entered the World Trade Organization.

"The rival will decide which enterprises will smile the last smile. Chinese enterprises must speed up to set up new mechanisms that attract talents and encourage capable hands," said Lin.

According to Chen, the establishment of a localized human resource management system will be a key to Chinese enterprises' future growth.

"The introduction of a human resources management concept will bring about a revolution to China's tradition personnel work concepts and practices," said Lin.

 
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