《111-2 GHRM608》 The relationship between human resources and the company's goals alignment

On week 13, Human Resources Competency Development class (GHRM MBA) instructed by Professor Shyh-Jer Chen and Professor Heidi Chang welcomed Rodney Huang and Marilyn Hsu from Swire Coca-Cola Taiwan. Swire Coca Cola Taiwan manufactures and distributes The Coca Cola Company's goods, offering over 30 distinct beverage options across 14 different brands, including sparkling drinks, water, tea, juice, and sports drinks. Mr. Huang is currently the Human Resource Director at Swire Coca-Cola Taiwan. Before joining his current organization, he has gained extensive HR experience at Nike, L’Oreal, Diageo and Unilever. He received his Master's degree in Human Resource Management from National Sun Yat-sen University and Master of Science form University of Exeter.

Mr. Huang started their lecture with a short introduction to his academic and career background. Then he gave an overview of the company, and explained that as a HR Director, it is important that the aspiration has to align with the company’s goals. It would help with retaining top talents, enhancing employee engagement, which would facilitate the growth and success of both individuals and the company as a whole. Mr. Huang also highlighted the talent war in Taiwan. For the first time since records began, Taiwan reported negative population growth in 2020. Taiwan is projected to become a super-aged society by 2025, with 20% of the population aged 65 or older. As a result, the Taiwan job market has been facing a shortage of candidates since 2020, resulting in a record high number of vacancies. This trend has continued to persist, making it difficult for employers to find suitable candidates for their open positions.

In addition, he also presented the six competencies that serve as the cornerstone for success at Swire Coca-Cola Taiwan. Business Acumen emphasizes understanding market dynamics, financial acumen, and strategic thinking. Leading & Managing Changes focuses on effectively leading and navigating through organizational transformations. Driving for Excellence emphasizes setting high standards, continuous improvement, and delivering exceptional results. Customer Focus highlights understanding and meeting customer needs for superior experiences. Collaborating with Others emphasizes teamwork, communication, and building strong relationships. Leading & Developing Self/Others focuses on personal growth, leadership development, and nurturing the growth of others within the organization.

Besides, Mr. Huang brought the real-life case studies to class for the critical thinking practices. Each group was asked to serve roles as HRBP and made a decision between two candidates with different academic background and work experience to offer a certain position. Another case study related to hiring a Marketing Director, which is identified as a critical position to the company. They were given two options to fill the vacancy from hiring externally or internally. Both case studies aim to emphasize that there is no definitive right or wrong answer for each decision. However, the key point is: "How will you address the risk?" when making a decision. Generating unique solutions before finalizing the outcome can be beneficial for the company as it enables them to make informed choices and reduce costs, ultimately improving long-term performance.

In conclusion, the guest lecture by Rodney Huang provided valuable insights into the importance of aligning aspirations with company goals and the six core competencies for success in their organization. The lecture shed light on the challenges posed by the talent war in Taiwan due to negative population growth and an aging society. The real-life case studies given throughout the presentation prompted critical thinking and emphasized the need of considering risks while making decisions. The class found the lecture beneficial and loved how interactive the course was. The class deeply appreciated Mr. Huang and Ms. Hsu’s effort came all the way to Kaohsiung and participants overall gave positive feedback after the course.