THE Construction OF Human Resource English - A DISCOURSE ANALYTIC APPROACH

·            Gnanaseelan, J., & jeyaseelan, s. (2009, October 14). The Construction of Human Resource English - A Discourse Analytic Approach. Proceedings of the Abstracts, the Vavuniya Campus Annual Research Sessions on managing resources strategically for sustainable development, the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, p. 38

THE Construction OF Human Resource English

- A DISCOURSE ANALYTIC APPROACH*

Jeyaseelan. G** and Subajana. J***

ABSTRACT

            Despite the economical importance and large share of employment of the human resources in the public and private sector, the researches in the past on the human resources have primarily concentrated on the activities rather than the linguistic and discourse construction of human resources. Therefore, in this paper an analysis of the linguistic and discourse construction of human resources is provided with the possibility to reveal about their construction, management and development. The discourse-based theory will be used as a theoretical framework and the attributes of the strategic resources –valuability, rarity, imitability and substitutability – will form the basis for the identification of the construction of human resources of action, interaction and counteraction. The discourse analysis will be used as a means to analyse the views which affect (positively or negatively) the construction of the strategically most important resource in all the resources– the human.

             The institutions in Sri Lanka holistically adopt the linguistic and discourse practices of the west without being conscious of the dominant and discrete practices in employer and employee relationship disrupting the efficient communication within and without the organization. Thus, it is important to find out how their discourse in English either prevents or fosters the construction and development of human resources.

            This paper analyzes the discourse of human resource English to trace whether some of the discourses may be crucial for the establishment and development of the human resource to maintain hierarchy and domination within the organization – power relations: e.g. gendered, elitist, and westernized and class conscious discourses in both internationally and locally created texts – An inevitable outcome of the capitalist mode of production. It tries to find out how far certain popular human resource English expressions construct positions; describe to what extent they play a constructive role in the human resource development and management strategies; evaluate how far the human resource English as the discourses of resource relevant to the Sri Lankan situation and list out the implications for giving training in human resource English in Sri Lanka

KEYWORDS: discourse and linguistic construction, human resource English, human resources

*Paper to be presented to the 2nd Vavuniya Campus Annual Research Session on Managing Resources Strategically for Sustainable Development, organised by Vavuniya Campus, Vavuniya on 07^th October, 2009.

**Gnanaseelan Jeyaseelan is a Lecturer of the ELTU of Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, currently a  PhD Research Scholar  at the Department of English, University of Madras, Chepauk, Chennai-05.

*** Subajana Jeyaseelan is a Lecturer of the ELTU of Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka

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Extended Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Language and discourse comprises a major part of organizational life (Alvesson, 1994) and, thus it has practical consequences for the members of the organisation (Eriksson and Lehtimäki, 1998;  Barry and Elmes 1997). However, language is easily taken for granted if we do not see it as a medium for action but merely just as a code for communication (Potter and Wettherel 1987:9-10). For example, gender, ´age,´ class, culture are taken for granted as factors well laden with human resource English (HRE) which affects the work and the working environment. There can be consequences the kind of language will bring in the organization and especially for the employee himself or herself. Thus, it is important to find out how the HRE either prevents or fosters the construction and development of human resources.

In this study the discourse-based theories (van Dijk, 1995a; 1995b; 1997; Habermas, 1971; Gramsci, 1974; Foucault, 1972;1977;1995; Fairclough, 1989; 1992;1993;1995)  will form, at first, the base for the understanding of the human resource English. Secondly, it will provide appropriate means to define the concepts of age reference, Hire and Fire - the language of recruitment, pay, salary, Jobs- related verbs, Jobs-related adjectives, Careers, Contracts, Management, Applying for a job, Working hours, Changes – verbs, Time off, Common phrasal verbs etc,. 

Research Questions

This study aims to answer the following questions:

1. Are the discourses of HR systematic, fair and flexible or ideological and oppressive in the expressions in HRE?
2. Do they play a constructive role in the human resource development and management strategies?
3. Are the HRE as the discourses of HR relevant and appropriate to the Sri Lankan situation?
4. What are the implications for giving training in HRE in Sri Lanka?

Key Assumption

The Human Resource English contains the ideological positions.

General Objective

To identify the ideological implications of the linguistic and discourse construction of human resource English currently in use.  

Specific Objectives

1. To find out how far certain popular HRE expressions construct positions.
2. To describe to what extent they play a constructive role in the human resource development and management strategies
3. To evaluate how far the HRE as the discourses of HR relevant and appropriate to the Sri Lankan situation
4. To list out the implications for giving training in HRE in Sri Lanka

Conceptual Background

This article analyses texts on diversity produced in human resource (HR) and HRM from a critical discourse analysis and rhetorical perspective. Following critical discourse analysis, it analyses how HR managers define diversity, how their diversity discourses reflect existing managerial practices and underlying power relations, and how they reaffirm or challenge those managerial practices and power relations. Specifically, it examines how power enters HR managers’ local discourses of diversity through the very micro-dynamics of language by analysing the rhetorical schemes they use and the grand Discourses they draw from. This critical, text-focused approach to diversity discourses contributes to the development of a non-essentialist reconceptualization of diversity that acknowledges power.

Methodology

Primary data will be collected from the established text books, online articles, newspapers and magazines on human resource, human resource development and management, human resource English. A qualitative analysis will be undertaken on the selected texts using discourse analysis and critical linguistic methodologies.

Discourse Analysis (DA) is useful in analyzing the ways of social construction in any discourse using the methods of Social Constructionist Approach (SCA) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). In CDA, Canagarajah (1999) notes that “critical linguists interpret how speech genres and texts may serve the ideological interests of the powerful” (p.30). This approach focuses on the text and the discourse themes, and not on the individuals. It studies the discursive practices behind the positions and the constructions. The meaning is dynamic and socially constructed; it is inter-textually linked with meanings of other socio-political and cultural objects in a historically constituted system;   there is a multiplicity of meaning or schematic systems available for a single social actor for constructing and negotiating it in a particular situation; the chains of meanings are as multiple and overlapping resources, from which social actors can select, combine and juxtapose (Askegaard, Jensen, & Holt, 1999, pp.33-39).

Context of situation refers the activities and goals, organization, and behaviour of the community. This paper traces the field (what is happening, to the nature of the social action), the tenor (who is taking part, to the nature of the participants), the mode (what part the language is playing, as expected by the participants). In addition, it pays attention to the Context of Culture, that means the immediate sights and the whole cultural history, that is, knowing where, when the text is set; context-dependent (Alvesson & Skoldberg, 2000, p. 202). The communicativeness of language is approached through three aspects: Textual, Interpersonal and Ideational. (Halliday, 1994)

Findings and Conclusion

The findings will be presented comparatively and contrastively with critical evaluation.

An attempt is made to reread HR and HRM discourse in English. The paper reveals how managing labour is in conflict with a postmodern sensibility, of many issues such as gendered, elitist, and westernized and class conscious discourses in both internationally and locally created texts – An inevitable outcome of the capitalist mode of production.  

This discourse analysis identifies the agitation of labour in organizations. Thus, these constructed English discourse domains of organization have evolved as so called Personnel Management with a view to imposing control and now as a commitment-oriented strategy as HRM. However, human resource English still retains the control. HR and HRM discourses have persistently been troubled by modernist definitional/ontological problems. Human Resource English signifies various meanings. In this context, ‘reality’ in HR and HRM is a language construct.

Contribution

1. The study contributes in identifying the HRE discourse in disrupting or developing the human resource management in general.
2. The study provides a basis for evaluating and exposing the appropriateness of HRE discourse to the Sri Lankan context.
3. The findings may help the course and lesson designs of English for Business Communication proper to the region under the study.

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