... major standpoints; soft hard HRM. Briefly explained, both aim to integrate the workforce with the goals of the organisation with an emphasis on the development of individuals. HRM strategies seek out the 'best contribution' from their employees through engaging in 'reciprocal dependence' (Legge 1995:70).Where employees are seen as a resource for competitive advantage, soft HRM prescribes an emphasis on employee responsibility, instilling them with trust, open communication flow, rewarding them when goals are achieved. Soft HRM stipulates that training and skill enhancement combined with promoting mutuality (1995:65) and integration into the organisation will produce commitment. Hard HRM has the same ultimate goal but aims to achieve commitment and flexibility through stressing elements of control, monitoring and even closer integration of the workforce in to the business strategy. HRM literature divides flexibility into three major categories; functional, numerical and financial flexibility. Functional Flexibility seeks to match the changing market demands with ...

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