Human resource planning and competitive advantage : investigating the relationship

The research examines various determinants of human resource (HR) planning affecting competitive advantage in a manufacturing firm. Some of such considerations are future orientation, goal orientation, strategic staffing, training, compensation, labor market condition and performance management. Data were collected from 100 employees based on a structured questionnaire. The study harnessed reliability test, regression analyses and Pearson’s correlations for data analysis. Results showed that goal orientation, labor market condition, performance management and training were significantly related to competitive advantage. In contrast, future orientation, strategic staffing and compensation were unrelated to the firms’ competitive advantage. Findings suggest that considering on these determinants prior to human resource planning might contribute manufacturing firm to attain competitive advantage.