Furthermore, implied in the notion of strategic human resource management, is the focus on building a competitive advantage through external alignment. That is, not only should the independent human resourcepractices be internally aligned, but these practices should individually and collectively support the broader purpose of the business. Huselid, Jackson, and Schüler ( 1 997) suggest that strategic human resource management is focused on designing and implementing a coordinated set of human resource practices that are all focused toward accomplishing the firm's strategie goals and objectives