Human Resource Managementin SriLanka: A Profession or a Skilled Occupation?

Abstract

WhilethereisnodoubtabouttheimportanceofHumanResourceManagement(HR) for businesses around the world, the debate continues as to whether HR is a profession similarto medicine, engineering,accountancy, and law. Theaim of this paperistocompare andcontrasttheattributesofaprofessionidentifiedby Greenwood(1957)withHRMdiscipline,toidentifywhetherHRMisaprofessionora skilledoccupationinSriLanka.Employingqualitative researchmethodology,indepthinterviewswereconducted with16topHR professionals,andsecondary informationwas gatheredfromwebsitesand documentsrelatedtoInstituteof PersonnelManagementSriLankaas wellas AssociationofHRprofessionals,which are the knownprofessionalbodies relatedtoHR inSri Lanka. The findingsindicated howtheHRinSri Lankadoesnotappeartopossessmanycriteriaofa profession, indicatingtheneedforHRMdisciplineinSri Lankatoacquireanddemonstrate systematic theory,authority,community sanction,ethicalcodesandaprofessional culture.Accordingtotheinterviewinformation,HRcanbeidentifiedasmoreofa skillbased occupationinSriLanka,where thesuccessofanHR personnelissaidto dependmore onhisorherinherentskillsandabilities(visavisthesystematic knowledge).Hence,itisclearthat,atthemoment,HRinSriLankaappearstobe more ofanoccupationwithspecializedskillsanddistinctcompetenciesratherthana profession withattributesof a profession.