Contents

• This paper answers the following on the case study –
• The Container Company is described in the case study as having a ‘relatively flat hierarchical structure’. Provide an academically underpinned analysis of the implications of this flat structure in relation to: 1. leadership development and 2. the management of employee performance. How might the Container Company seek to ensure that any potential issues in relation to these two aspects arising from the flat structure are considered and addressed?

Description

“Our people are our most important asset”, quoted by Coulter and Robins (2005) it reflects that many organisation use this statement to delineate the importance of Human resource in organisational success. In this pursuit they also identify managerial human resource management (HRM) activities such as recruitment, training and employees appraisal.
In this context Greer (2001) opines that highly developed employee skills, unique organisational cultures and effective management systems form the basis for achieving competitive advantage to build up distinctive organisational competencies. Extending this view, Lengnick-Hall & Lengnick-Hall (1990) argue that competitive advantage is the essence of competitive strategy encompassing those capabilities, resources, relationships and decisions, which permit an organisation to capitalise on opportunities in the marketplace and to avoid threats to its desired position.
To encompass such aspect related to human resource management as source to competitive advantage, a case study has been done upon The Containers Store. This retail store has been termed out to be the best place to work by Fortune for two years in a row. The containers Store has well followed the paradigm of several scholars that investment in human resources can provide a sustainable source of competitive advantage and increases the likelihood of successful implementation of a firm’s business strategies.
This in-depth case study will encompass what all it has taken for The Container Store to lead the bandwagon of successful HRM across all the competitors and get an extra edge.