Sustaining Competitive Advantage in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises: Empirical Review of the Strategic Roles of Human Resource Management

Abstract

this study focused on the Role of Human Resource Management in Sustaining Competitive Advantage in SMEs. The study took a descriptive survey approach and data was sourced from the 29 completed and returned five point likert scale questionnaire administered on the senior staff of three selected GMCORD Aluminium plant and sales outlet in Imo state. The data gathered was analyzed with chi-square test using the 20.0 version of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The paper concluded that HRM can be used as an effective tool fast-track and sustain competitive advantage; especially in the area of cost leadership and product based advantage. It was recommended that manufacturing SMEs should update their HRM system through the adoption and implementation of e-HRM in order to enjoy cost leadership and that Manufacturing SMEs as a matter of policy and strategy should evolve a system of determining and including customers taste and preferences in product design in order to sustain their loyalty and maintain market leadership