External Environment
Much of the evolution of the human resource function. in both the public and private sectors. has been brought about. more by the external environment than by practitioners. Major external forces that. affect the human resource function have been grouped arbitrarily into five clusters (as outlined in Figure 1.8}in order to establish a framework for analyzing the complex interaction between environmental factors and the human resource of a school system. Environmental—organizational interaction suggests that there are constraints. forces, and options to which a system must respond in order to achieve stability and viability. The human resource function plays a vital role in helping the system to live within economic strictures. meet legal mandates, honor contractual obligations, deal with pressures of specialinterest groups. adapt to emerging technologies. and uphold ethical standards while mmaintaining centrality of purpose. Striking this balance requires considerable organizational effort. For this reason. the aims of the discussion that follows are to (a) note the political. economic. technological, and environmental forces referred to earlier about the human resource function: (b) indicate the importance of under-standing their potential for strategic and operational planning for human resotlroe (to be discussed in Chapter 2); and (c) point out the organizational significance of forging proactive personnel policies in response to evolving social phenomena such as changing environmental patterns. educational retrenchments, an environment with fewer resources. and evolving ethics of the work force.