Gołembska, Elżbie a; Gołembski, Ma cin
A icle
A new model o he pe sonnel unc ion deli e y in he
logis ics o Polish i ms
Logis ics
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
MDPI – Mul idisciplina y Digi al Publishing Ins i u e, Basel
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Gołembska, Elżbie a; Gołembski, Ma cin (2020) : A new model o he pe sonnel
unc ion deli e y in he logis ics o Polish i ms, Logis ics, ISSN 2305-6290, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 4, Iss. 3,
pp. 1-14,
h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/logis ics4030015
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h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/310108
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logis ics
A icle
A New Model o he Pe sonnel Func ion Deli e y in he
Logis ics o Polish Fi ms
El˙zbie a Gołembska 1,* and Ma cin Gołembski 2
1Facul y o Finance and Banking WSP Uni e si y o Pozna´n, 61-895 Szczecin, Poland
2Managemen Ins i u e, Pozna´n Uni e si y o Economics and Business, 61-875 Pozna´n, Poland;
[email p o ec ed]
*Co espondence: [email p o ec ed]
Recei ed: 18 May 2020; Accep ed: 20 June 2020; Published: 7 July 2020

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Abs ac :
In he a icle, a new phenomenon o global logis i ica ion p o ides a con ex o p esen ing he
newes ends in he de elopmen o HR managemen and i s ole in logis ics. The new ends include
a g owing in e na ionaliza ion o i ms, combined lows o capi al, people and echnical knowledge,
and he issue o key logis ics compe ences. Agains his backg ound, he a icle desc ibes a new model o
he HR managemen unc ion in logis ics. The aim is o ind he ela ionship be ween designing and
deli e ing he pe sonnel unc ion in a i m and he e ec i eness o logis ics managemen . The key aspec s
o he pe sonnel unc ion managemen include alen and compe encies managemen , pe sonnel isk
managemen , and employe b anding. These HR p ac ices a e explo ed o de e mine a ibu es o
he pe sonnel unc ion, and o desc ibe challenges o he p oac i e human esou ce managemen in
logis ics. The a icle con inues wi h a p esen a ion o he esul s o empi ical s udies conduc ed in
he pe iod 2017–2018 o 236 la ge, medium-sized, and small Polish i ms. As he p ima y me hods,
he esea ch used a diagnos ic su ey, a ques ionnai e, and he s a is ical me hod o ac o analysis.
The second pa o he a icle p esen s an o iginal model o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen ,
wi h ega d o he speci ici y o Polish i ms. The indings based on he s udy esul s e e o bo h he
p esen and u u e s a us o HR managemen in logis ics. The main indings o he s udies acknowledge
he in luence o all-emb acing logis i ica ion on he olumes and s uc u e o knowledge ans e in
supply chains, and e eal a g owing decen aliza ion o HR managemen in la ge and medium-sized
companies, esul ing in an imbalance be ween he le els o pe sonnel unc ion implemen a ion in la ge
and medium-sized companies, compa ed wi h small i ms.
Keywo ds:
logis i ica ion; pe sonnel unc ion; logis ics managemen ; alen managemen ; HR a ibu es;
low o capi al; knowledge and people; employe b anding
1. In oduc ion
A new phenomenon o logis i ica ion o he wo ld inspi es managemen esea ch, including s udies on
HR managemen in logis ics. The aim o his a icle is o p esen he ela ionship be ween he design o he
pe sonnel unc ion and he e ec i eness o logis ics managemen in a i m. The new ends in he wen y- i s
cen u y wo ld economy de elop agains he backd op o all-emb acing logis i ica ion, unde s ood as
a b oad applica ion o logis ic p ocesses in economic and non-economic ac i i ies, wi hin and be ween
coun ies [
1
]. These new ends include a g owing in e na ionaliza ion o companies, and accele a ing
in e na ional lows o capi al, people, and knowledge, especially echnical knowledge. No ably, knowledge
Logis ics 2020,4, 15; doi:10.3390/logis ics4030015 www.mdpi.com/jou nal/logis ics
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 2 o 14
ans e is inc easingly associa ed wi h he pe sonnel unc ion [
2
]. In his pa icula con ex , he ollowing
hypo hesis is o mula ed:
Hypo hesis 1 (H1):
Logis i ica ion o he wo ld implies a g owing impo ance o he pe sonnel unc ion in
logis ics managemen .
A sys ema ic way o e i ying his hypo hesis is o selec and hen cha ac e ize he key elemen s o a
success ul deli e y o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen . The selec ion can bes be made by
posing he ollowing wo esea ch ques ions:
1. Which a eas o he pe sonnel unc ion ha e he g ea es in luence on a company’s logis ics?
2.
Wha is he na u e o he ela ionship be ween he pe sonnel unc ion and logis ics asks in Polish i ms?
This pape has wo pa s. The i s , a heo e ical sec ion, e iews he li e a u e o he las decade,
explo ing he place o HR managemen in logis ics. In o de o iden i y and classi y mode n-day challenges
o HR managemen , his pa o he a icle also p esen s he indings o s a is ical analysis o ele an da a
epo ed by leading consul ing i ms in he pe iod 2010–2018.
The second, empi ical pa o his a icle p esen s he esul s o s udies o 236 la ge, medium-sized and
small Polish i ms, comple ed in 2017–2018. To ensu e ep esen a i eness o he sample, a s a i ied andom
sampling was used. The induc i e-deduc i e model o esea ch was used, and he esea ch p ocedu e was
conduc ed by a diagnos ic su ey me hod. Subsequen ly, a s a is ical analysis o he esul s was made
using he esponse-s uc u e, co ela ion, and ac o analyses, which inally led o he p esen a ion o an
o iginal concep ual model o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen .
2. The Impo ance o Human Resou ce Managemen in Logis ics. A Li e a u e Re iew.
I is widely belie ed ha a new cu ency has eme ged in he economy o he wen y- i s cen u y;
his cu ency is knowledge [
3
]. Fo his eason, and because o misgi ings abou a i icial in elligence,
likely o supe sede he human mind in he u u e, he highes ocus mus be on human esou ces. This is
pa icula ly pe inen o logis ics, since all supply chain managemen p ojec s equi e non-s anda d
knowledge and excep ional imagina ion.
The li e a u e e iew has o begin wi h a no ion o logis i ica ion o he wo ld [
1
]. A phenomenon o
logis i ica ion o di e en sphe es o human endea o was, a e all, one o he easons o w i ing his a icle.
In he wo ld ha unde goes a con inuous ans o ma ion o i s economy, poli ics, and socie ies, logis ics,
wi h i s sys emic and complex p ocesses, is omnip esen in manu ac u ing indus ies, he au omo i e
indus y, he mili a y, spo s and heal h sec o s, o e en he cha i able sec o . The e o e, logis i ica ion o
he wo ld, wi h i s in e -o ganiza ional dynamics, has a p o ound impac on companies i espec i e o
hei size, and commi s o be e managemen o logis ic lows, ne wo ks, and sys ems. The abili y o
inno a e in he a ea o logis ics equi es HR managemen excellence, and hea ily elies on he quali y o
logis ics manage s’ knowledge and aining.
The 1995–2020 li e a u e on human esou ce managemen in logis ics ea u es wo majo discou se
hemes:
1.
A g owing in e na ionaliza ion o business o ganiza ions, supply chains in he global economy,
and he lows o he ac o s o p oduc ion: capi al, wo k o ce, and echnologies.
2.
A s ong g ow h in he impo ance o managemen eams’ key compe encies in companies’ logis ics.
One o he i s publica ions in which mode n HR managemen was gi en a special ole in logis ics was
he wo k published by he Global Logis ics Resea ch Team a Michigan S a e Uni e si y [
4
], epo ing on
he esul s o s udies o 3693 Ame ican companies. The indings o hose s udies allowed no only o
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 3 o 14
de ine he scope o wo ld class logis ics, bu also cha ac e ized, in de ail, logis ics compe encies, wi h a
speci ic ocus on designing he s uc u e and echniques o managing human esou ces. In he li e a u e,
he concep o wo ld class logis ics is also e e ed o as in e na ional logis ics [
5
]. In publica ions, such as
In e na ional Logis ics [
6
], o In e na ional Logis ics and Supply Chain Ou sou cing [
7
], special a en ion is
gi en bo h o he globaliza ion o logis ics, and he managemen o wo k o ce lows in supply chains as
pa o s a egic ision o logis ics de elopmen . Wi h he onse o he wen y- i s cen u y, a en ion u ned
o he na u e o he ela ionship be ween global supply chains and he need o mode n human esou ces
managemen in supply chain membe companies. S udying he ela ionship be ween HR managemen and
supply chain ope a ions has become an impo an new a ea o esea ch [
8
]. Fu, Flood, Bosak, Mo is and
O’Reagan [
9
] conside human esou ces managemen a c i ical elemen o logis ics ope a ions in supply
chains, pa icula ly in achie ing clien sa is ac ion h ough se ice excellence. Empi ical e idence sugges s
ha a p ecise iden i ica ion o HR managemen p ac ices ha ing he bigges impac on he e ec i eness o
supply chain managemen is key o company supply pe o mance [
10
]. In u n, G i i h [
11
] a gues ha he
human capi al employed by he i m p o ides he i ms’ capabili ies o achie e and sus ain i s compe i i e
posi ion in he global supply chain. Ha ey, Fishe , McPhail, and Moelle [
12
] emphasize a demand
o manage s capable o managing in e -o ganiza ional ela ions in global supply chains, who a e also
sensi i e o cul u al di e ences. Hence Richey, Tokman, and Wheele [
13
] sugges ha logis ics manage s
mus possess supe io men al ap i ude, ou s anding in e pe sonal skills, and c ea i e imagina ion.
Some commen a o s pos ula e ha in addi ion o co e ope a ional compe ences, manage s should ha e
deep unde s anding o di e en business unc ions, as hey sha e esponsibili y o he company’s inancial
pe o mance. This “o ganiza ional awa eness” [
14
] is necessa y o a company o sus ain compe i i e
ad an age, and o sys ema ically build us wi h cus ome s, which is so impo an o he company’s
pe o mance. The e o e, he managemen educa ion and aining p og ams wi hin o ganiza ions need
o change and include—in addi ion specialis echnical skills—knowledge abou co po a e s a egy and
o ganiza ional es uc u ing [15].
The li e a u e p o ides some speci ic, in e es ing e e ences o supply chains in Eu ope. Ona ,
Ak as, Topcu, and Do an [
16
] aced he e olu ion o supply chain manage s aining by unde aking
a compa a i e analysis o academic educa ion p og ams in 2004 and 2011. They no e ha he p og ess
in logis ics educa ion in ha pe iod was due o he changing needs o he indus y. I has o be said,
howe e , ha in Poland, a i mly Eu opean coun y, logis ics educa ion began al eady in 1994, wi h he
i s academic handbook on supply chain managemen published in ha yea [
17
]. In hose ea ly nine ies,
wi h he in lux o di ec o eign in es men s came echnical knowledge, and compe encies b ough along
by logis ics specialis s aking up posi ions in i ms, mainly la ge co po a ions wi h o eign capi al.
A ques ion, he e o e, a ises: why ha e we decided o choose Polish i ms o analyze he a ionaliza ion
o logis ics p ocesses? The answe lies in he indings o long- e m empi ical s udies, conduc ed in
390 companies in he pe iod 2004–2020 [
18
], which epo ed no only nume ous ins ances o he
implemen a ion o he la es supply chain managemen me hods, om jus -in- ime (JIT) in en o y
managemen , h ough MRP, CRM o i h-pa y logis ics, bu also a sys ema ic low o capi al o he
indus y, anging om 19.5% o 30% annually. In his espec , Poland anks among op Eas e n Eu opean
coun ies. The pa adigms o Polish logis ics, such as he impac o logis ics on in o ma ion asymme y, o
he new s a egy o logis ics in se ices, ha e been explo ed in Polish publica ions [18].
As i u ns ou , he la es ends in global supply chains de elopmen call o new a eas o esea ch.
A “bes o bo h wo lds” app oach is o s udy simul aneously he speci ici y o he human esou ce
managemen and logis ics [
19
]. The bes esea ch me hods in his espec a e case s udies, seconda y da a
analyses [20], and, abo e all, su ey esea ch, which has become a p edominan me hod in ecen yea s.
A e y signi ican and aluable con ibu ion o he de elopmen o his ield o knowledge is he
combina ion o he pe sonnel unc ion esea ch wi h he s udies o company logis ics, as unde aken by
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 4 o 14
Polish scien is s. As has been disco e ed, he na u e o his ela ionship consis s o eedback be ween he
basic a ea o his unc ion and a ional selec ion o logis ics managemen pe sonnel in he Polish i m.
Some au ho s [
6
] d aw a en ion o new o ms o he ac o s o p oduc ion lows, speci ically hose
connec ed wi h supply chain ope a ions, o example:
•
Capi al lows, including di ec o eign in es men s in o in o ma ion echnologies and
logis ics in as uc u e;
•
Technical knowledge ans e , including a eloca ion o highly quali ied supply chain manage s
endowed wi h key logis ics compe encies;
•
Reduc ion in he so-called “pu e” lows o people, capi al o echnology in a o o a combined low
o all ac o s o p oduc ion, bo h echnical and cul u al.
The la e is illus a ed by a p oduc li e cycle model, known as he lying geese model (Figu e 1).
Logis ics 2020, 4, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 o 13
Some au ho s [6] d aw a en ion o new o ms o he ac o s o p oduc ion lows, speci ically
hose connec ed wi h supply chain ope a ions, o example:
• Capi al lows, including di ec o eign in es men s in o in o ma ion echnologies
and logis ics in as uc u e;
• Technical knowledge ans e , including a eloca ion o highly quali ied supply chain
manage s endowed wi h key logis ics compe encies;
• Reduc ion in he so-called “pu e” lows o people, capi al o echnology in a o o a
combined low o all ac o s o p oduc ion, bo h echnical and cul u al.
The la e is illus a ed by a p oduc li e cycle model, known as he lying geese model (Figu e
1).
Figu e 1. The lying geese o ma ion model o a p oduc cycle. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k, based
on Misala (2005). In e na ional Exchange and he Global Economy, PWN Wa saw.
The in en ion o using he lying geese model is o illus a e he signi icance o he impo s o no
only p oduc s, bu also echnical knowledge, a o ce ha d i es domes ic p oduc ion. Wi h e e ence
o in e na ional logis ics, he low o logis ics specialis s be ween mode n global en e p ises
con ibu e o he logis i ica ion o he wo ld economy. In a b oade con ex o wo k o ce managemen
in logis ics, i can be said ha human esou ce managemen is a new logis ics pa adigm.
The e y ecen publica ions o 2019–2020 p esen new de elopmen s in mode n HR
managemen in logis ics. These include:
1. A new, o iginal app oach o HR managemen in logis ics p ocesses;
2. A no el app oach o in e na ional human esou ce managemen ;
3. New c i e ia o RIO alue c ea ion in in e na ional supply chains h ough
knowledge ans e .
Re. 1) Acco ding o a new, o iginal de ini ion [21], he pe sonnel unc ion is a se o expe and
consul a i e people- ela ed ac i i ies, aimed o deli e me hods and ools o human esou ce
managemen , wi h a iew o achie ing goals and a long- e m alue g ow h o an o ganiza ion.
In his con ex , he essence o he ela ionship be ween he pe sonnel unc ion and a ionali y o
logis ics managemen lies in de ining common s a egies and alue ne wo ks, in o de o achie e
expec ed ou comes, e.g., inc eased p o i s and ma e ial asse s, o imp o ed human esou ces.
The ollowing diag am (Figu e 2), illus a ing he links be ween a business model and he
pe sonnel unc ion, exempli ies such a ela ionship.
Figu e 1.
The lying geese o ma ion model o a p oduc cycle. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k, based on
Misala (2005). In e na ional Exchange and he Global Economy, PWN Wa saw.
The in en ion o using he lying geese model is o illus a e he signi icance o he impo s o no
only p oduc s, bu also echnical knowledge, a o ce ha d i es domes ic p oduc ion. Wi h e e ence o
in e na ional logis ics, he low o logis ics specialis s be ween mode n global en e p ises con ibu e o he
logis i ica ion o he wo ld economy. In a b oade con ex o wo k o ce managemen in logis ics, i can be
said ha human esou ce managemen is a new logis ics pa adigm.
The e y ecen publica ions o 2019–2020 p esen new de elopmen s in mode n HR managemen in
logis ics. These include:
1. A new, o iginal app oach o HR managemen in logis ics p ocesses;
2. A no el app oach o in e na ional human esou ce managemen ;
3. New c i e ia o RIO alue c ea ion in in e na ional supply chains h ough knowledge ans e .
Re. (1) Acco ding o a new, o iginal de ini ion [
21
], he pe sonnel unc ion is a se o expe and
consul a i e people- ela ed ac i i ies, aimed o deli e me hods and ools o human esou ce managemen ,
wi h a iew o achie ing goals and a long- e m alue g ow h o an o ganiza ion.
In his con ex , he essence o he ela ionship be ween he pe sonnel unc ion and a ionali y o
logis ics managemen lies in de ining common s a egies and alue ne wo ks, in o de o achie e expec ed
ou comes, e.g., inc eased p o i s and ma e ial asse s, o imp o ed human esou ces.

Logis ics 2020,4, 15 5 o 14
The ollowing diag am (Figu e 2), illus a ing he links be ween a business model and he pe sonnel
unc ion, exempli ies such a ela ionship. whe e:
•R1—s a egic choices;
•R2— alue e en ion;
•R3 and R4— alue c ea ion.
Logis ics 2020, 4, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 o 13
Figu e 2. Rela ionship be ween business model and he pe sonnel unc ion. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal
wo k.
whe e:
• R1—s a egic choices;
• R2— alue e en ion;
• R3 and R4— alue c ea ion.
I is ha d o imagine a close ela ionship be ween he pe sonnel unc ion and he equi emen s
o logis ics managemen in co po a ions.
Re. 2) G i in and Pus ay [22], au ho s o he no ion o in e na ional human esou ces
managemen , claim ha managemen in e na ionaliza ion is a consequence o ac o s such as he
di e en economic le els o coun ies, and di e ences in na ional legal amewo ks and cul u es.
The scope o in e na ional human esou ces managemen in logis ics equi es ha manage s
ha e e sa ile skills ha a e necessa y o comple e logis ics ope a ion bo h in hei home coun y and
in companies based in o he coun ies. The way companies a e managed depends on he le el o hei
in e na ionaliza ion, and on he in ensi y o di ec o eign in es men s.
As we know, in o de o accomplish s a egic goals in he a ea o p oduc ion and inances, o in
he implemen a ion o logis ics compu e sys ems and so wa e, in e na ional co po a ions p ima ily
need HR manage s. In e es ingly, he ci ed au ho s iden i y h ee ypes o managemen eams:
• Home coun y o ien ed—e hnocen ic;
• Hos coun y o ien ed—polycen ic;
• Wo ld o ien ed—geocen ic.
As i u ns ou , unlike Japan o he USA, Eu opean coun ies p e e he geocen ic model, a ac
con i med by empi ical s udies in Polish i ms [18].
Re. 3) Acco ding o Peng and Meye [23] a he hea o he mode n global supply chains c ea ion
is knowledge ans e . Acco ding o hese au ho s, in e na ional supply chains mus be cha ac e ized
by:
• Agili y and lexibili y, mainly because o he b oad spec um o global ope a ions,
o en in e up ed by un o eseen e en s such as ac s o e o ism, epidemics, o
na u al disas e s;
Figu e 2.
Rela ionship be ween business model and he pe sonnel unc ion. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k.
I is ha d o imagine a close ela ionship be ween he pe sonnel unc ion and he equi emen s o
logis ics managemen in co po a ions.
Re. (2) G i in and Pus ay [
22
], au ho s o he no ion o in e na ional human esou ces managemen ,
claim ha managemen in e na ionaliza ion is a consequence o ac o s such as he di e en economic
le els o coun ies, and di e ences in na ional legal amewo ks and cul u es.
The scope o in e na ional human esou ces managemen in logis ics equi es ha manage s ha e
e sa ile skills ha a e necessa y o comple e logis ics ope a ion bo h in hei home coun y and in
companies based in o he coun ies. The way companies a e managed depends on he le el o hei
in e na ionaliza ion, and on he in ensi y o di ec o eign in es men s.
As we know, in o de o accomplish s a egic goals in he a ea o p oduc ion and inances, o in he
implemen a ion o logis ics compu e sys ems and so wa e, in e na ional co po a ions p ima ily need HR
manage s. In e es ingly, he ci ed au ho s iden i y h ee ypes o managemen eams:
•Home coun y o ien ed—e hnocen ic;
•Hos coun y o ien ed—polycen ic;
•Wo ld o ien ed—geocen ic.
As i u ns ou , unlike Japan o he USA, Eu opean coun ies p e e he geocen ic model, a ac
con i med by empi ical s udies in Polish i ms [18].
Re. (3) Acco ding o Peng and Meye [
23
] a he hea o he mode n global supply chains c ea ion is
knowledge ans e . Acco ding o hese au ho s, in e na ional supply chains mus be cha ac e ized by:
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 6 o 14
•
Agili y and lexibili y, mainly because o he b oad spec um o global ope a ions, o en in e up ed
by un o eseen e en s such as ac s o e o ism, epidemics, o na u al disas e s;
•
Adap abili y, pa icula ly wi h espec o new echnologies and echniques, and because o possible
sudden changes in supply chain con igu a ions in di e en pa s o he wo ld;
•
A le el playing ield o all supply chain membe s; especially p e e ed a e s a egic alliances o ien ed
owa ds he maximiza ion o he pa icipan s’ p o i s.
The ole and signi icance o added alue in supply chains is also no able, and is buil on he ollowing
a ibu es:
•R—Ra i y o p oduc s o se ices;
•I—impe ec Imi abili y o esou ces and capabili ies;
•O—O ganiza ion o agile s uc u es o supply chains.
A necessa y condi ion o he added alue c ea ion in supply chains is, o cou se, knowledge ans e .
This is o en looked a as he sum o sys ems, s uc u es, and p ocesses enabling he de elopmen and low
o knowledge [
24
]. T anspo co po a ions, o example, un he schemes o mul idi ec ional mo emen o
specialis manage s, hus acili a ing he building o logis ics ne wo ks o di e se con igu a ions.
To summa ize he discussion and he heses pu o wa d in his pa o he a icle, we may say ha
he ole o HR managemen in logis ics consis s o :
•
A signi ican impac o HRM on he p ocesses o in e na ionaliza ion and globaliza ion o he economy
and he lows o capi al, wo k o ce and knowledge, especially echnical.
•
C ea ing he in e na ional managemen o human esou ces h ough he mode n knowledge ans e
in supply chains and in o de o gain key logis ics compe ences, whose acquisi ion elies on such
managemen p ac ices as alen managemen , pe sonnel isk handling, o employe b anding.
The empi ical s udies epo ed on in he subsequen pa o his a icle we e pe o med by he
diagnos ic su ey me hod based on a ques ionnai e, which has been he p e e ed me hod o HR s udies
in logis ics in ecen decades [25].
3. Selec ed T ends and Challenges o HR Managemen in Logis ics
The pe sonnel unc ion in o ganiza ions is con ex - ela ed and is sensi i e o a a ie y o changeable
ac o s. This implies ha om ime o ime he HR managemen p o ession aces speci ic challenges,
which ha e o be add essed by edesigning he way he pe sonnel unc ion is deli e ed. In o de o iden i y
hese new challenges and he ele an managemen p ac ices, he au ho s analyzed 41 epo s published
by leading consul ing i ms, con aining he indings o s udies on key challenges acing he pe sonnel
managemen p o ession in he immedia e u u e. The ime scope o he analysis is he pe iod 2010–2018.
The elease da es o he epo s we e aken as landma ks o ime-lining o he ends and challenges [
21
].
A s a is ical analysis made i possible o iden i y he ollowing se o HRM challenges:
1. Talen managemen ;
2. Employe b anding;
3. Pe sonnel isk managemen ;
4. Pa ame iza ion o he pe sonnel unc ion;
5. Vi ualiza ion o he pe sonnel unc ion.
The li e a u e and a ious esea ch indings [
25
,
26
] sugges ha , o he pu pose o con empo a y
(and ce ainly u u e) logis ics managemen , he ollowing challenges a e pa icula ly ele an :
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 7 o 14
•
Talen managemen wi h espec o la ge g oups o specialis s engaged in he design o in e na ional
supply chains;
•
Employe b anding, ega ding logis ics manage s who c ea e he company image, b and and employee
alue p oposi ion (EVP);
•Managemen o human esou ce isk, due o inadequa e logis ics compe encies.
The au ho s belie e ha he i s s ep in add essing he challenges is o implemen a model o he HR
unc ion, such as he ollowing (Figu e 3):
Logis ics 2020, 4, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 o 13
• Employe b anding, ega ding logis ics manage s who c ea e he company image,
b and and employee alue p oposi ion (EVP);
• Managemen o human esou ce isk, due o inadequa e logis ics compe encies.
The au ho s belie e ha he i s s ep in add essing he challenges is o implemen a model o
he HR unc ion, such as he ollowing (Figu e 3):
Figu e 3. Schema ic diag am o he HR unc ion o ganiza ion. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k.
This model may also p o ide a basis o a wo king amewo k o all logis ic managemen
unc ions. Such a amewo k necessa ily includes he logis ics asks, and me hods o hei e ec i e
deli e y (Figu e 4).
Figu e 4. Schema ic diag am o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen . Sou ce: au ho s’
o iginal wo k.
I is essen ial ha he company p ac ices should be skill ully implemen ed: i s ly, he p ocess o
alen managemen . Acco ding o Becke [27], alen s a e employees wi h high alue added who a e
Figu e 3. Schema ic diag am o he HR unc ion o ganiza ion. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k.
This model may also p o ide a basis o a wo king amewo k o all logis ic managemen unc ions.
Such a amewo k necessa ily includes he logis ics asks, and me hods o hei e ec i e deli e y (Figu e 4).
I is essen ial ha he company p ac ices should be skill ully implemen ed: i s ly, he p ocess o alen
managemen . Acco ding o Becke [
27
], alen s a e employees wi h high alue added who a e di icul
o eplace. The e o e, alen managemen p ima ily consis s o he sea ch o and acqui ing o alen ed
indi iduals. In logis ics, his is especially impo an , gi en ha a alen ed logis ician should possess a b oad,
in e disciplina y knowledge in he a eas o economics, commodi y science, and anspo enginee ing.
I espec i e o his b oad knowledge, a logis ician mus ha e a c ea i e imagina ion and he abili y o
ecognize and espond o h ea s in business; in a wo d: he igh pe son should possess an ou s anding
in ui ion, a alen no acqui able h ough aining. The di icul y in ec ui ing a alen ed logis ician lies in
he ecogni ion o he said ea u es in a candida e o he job. The e o e, alen managemen is a leading
skill o managemen p o essionals.
Talen managemen connec s wi h employe b anding, i.e., he c ea ion o he company b and and
image. Employe b anding is a p ocess, a sequence o planned ac ions, he pu pose o which is o ensu e
ha he company is pe cei ed as an employe o choice [
28
]. To a ac and e ain alen ed people,
he company may ex end o he po en ial and exis ing employees a so-called employee alue p oposi ion
(EVP) [
29
]. The EVP [
30
] can be seen as a speci ic ype o “con ac ” be ween he employe and he
employee, de ining a unique se o bene i s an employee ecei es, in e u n o he wo k pe o med o
he employe .
Logis ics 2020,4, 15 8 o 14
Finally, he abili y o manage he pe sonnel- ela ed isk. Such a isk can be conside ed om wo
pe spec i es: he po en ial loss o human capi al, and b eakdowns in wo kplace communica ion.
Logis ics 2020, 4, x FOR PEER REVIEW 7 o 13
• Employe b anding, ega ding logis ics manage s who c ea e he company image,
b and and employee alue p oposi ion (EVP);
• Managemen o human esou ce isk, due o inadequa e logis ics compe encies.
The au ho s belie e ha he i s s ep in add essing he challenges is o implemen a model o
he HR unc ion, such as he ollowing (Figu e 3):
Figu e 3. Schema ic diag am o he HR unc ion o ganiza ion. Sou ce: au ho s’ o iginal wo k.
This model may also p o ide a basis o a wo king amewo k o all logis ic managemen
unc ions. Such a amewo k necessa ily includes he logis ics asks, and me hods o hei e ec i e
deli e y (Figu e 4).
Figu e 4. Schema ic diag am o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen . Sou ce: au ho s’
o iginal wo k.
I is essen ial ha he company p ac ices should be skill ully implemen ed: i s ly, he p ocess o
alen managemen . Acco ding o Becke [27], alen s a e employees wi h high alue added who a e
Figu e 4.
Schema ic diag am o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen . Sou ce: au ho s’
o iginal wo k.
Since he combina ion o logis ics managemen wi h he company pe sonnel unc ion has an
ambidex ous cha ac e , i bodes well o u u e changes. This can be e e enced o he ecen wo k
by Binci, Belisa i, and Appolloni [
30
], in which he au ho s show he mu ual ela ionship o TQM and BRP,
and s a e ha “ he con ex ual ac o s such as leade ship and people iden i y should be conside ed and
managed as impo an a iables ela ed o change”.
Summa izing he discussion abou he ole and impo ance o HR p ac ices in logis ics managemen ,
we should also men ion he geog aphic, poli ical, and inancial en i onmen in which a i m ope a es,
ha is, he ex e nal condi ions ha ha e an impac on a ional economic ac i i y and e ec i e managemen
o companies. A aluable indica o o an e ec i e deli e y o HR managemen in logis ics a e he indings
o empi ical s udies.
4. E alua ion o he E ec i eness o he New Model o HR Managemen in Logis ics. The Resea ch
S udies Findings.
The empi ical s udies conce n bo h hose aspec s o he pe sonnel unc ion ha ha e he g ea es
impac on he i m’s logis ics and he e ec s o his ela ionship on logis ics asks. This ype o esea ch
wi h such a b oad scope o in es iga ed p oblems, was he i s in Poland. The unique esul s o logis ics
s udies pe o med in Polish i ms in he yea s 2004–2019 [
31
] ha e led o a de ini ion o a concep ual
model o he pe sonnel unc ion in logis ics managemen , allowing he iden i ica ion o majo mega- ac o s,
ha ing a decisi e impac on he e icacy and e ec i eness o company logis ics asks [32].
The bes esea ch me hod, e lec ing he cu en ends, is he su ey o a andomly selec ed popula ion,
as i enables an in-dep h ac o ial and s uc u al analysis. The aim o he empi ical esea ch was, equally,
o app aise he cu en s a e o he HRM design in logis ics managemen , and o iden i y cu en ends in
his a ea. The diagnos ic su ey was pe o med on a sample o 236 i ms ope a ing in Poland (Table 1),
di ided in o he ollowing g oups: