Highlighting Human Resource Management in Kuwait

Establishing a presence in the global market place is challenging, especially with the rise of different expertise, means and technologies that facilitate competition. The Human Resources Department plays a crucial role in setting a company's strategies and facilitating a company's growth and achievements. Therefore, it is important to ensure that Human Resources textbooks reflect case studies that are relevant to all regions. Dr. Dmytro Roman Kulchitsky, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), attempts to do just that.

In his latest contribution to the Human Resource Management textbook published by Pearson Education, 2012, Dr. Kulchitsky uses KAMCO and KIPCO as a case study representative of the GCC region.

Dr. Kulchitsky began as a peer reviewer of the Human Resource Management textbook by Gary Dessler and Akram Al Ariss, where he provided numerous ideas and feedback. He also pointed out some of the strengths and weaknesses to be noted as part of his peer review. In an attempt to readapt the textbook to fit the learning needs of students in the Arab World, Dr. Kulchitsky was asked to contribute to the textbook with case studies, examples and stories, which are unique and relevant to the region, and here is where his model, KAMCO, was introduced.

KAMCO, an asset management company, is a local Kuwaiti company, whose success along with their relevance in the region makes them an ideal candidate as a case study. As a representative of the region, KAMCO's inclusion in the Human Resource Management textbook will make it more comprehensive and more relatable to students from the Arab world, thereby enhancing the learning experience.

His contribution focused more on using KAMCO as a running case, providing different case studies, which are relevant to the different chapters in the textbook. KAMCO was mainly used as an example of a company that implements high performance human resource management practices here in Kuwait. As a result, the cases show how KAMCO's HR department is using current concepts and techniques to create a human resource management system that helps the company achieve its strategic objectives

Dr. Kulchitsky's contribution is an important addition to the field of Business and Economics, as it puts more emphasis on the techniques and methodologies adapted to achieve a high performance approach.

In order for other companies to succeed, Dr. Kulchitsky emphasizes the importance of looking at other's experience and to learn from them. However, he adds that looking at how the company operate is "not a recipe for success, but a compass that can be used to navigate" in the market and be successful. Quoting one of his favorite economists, Ludwig Lachmann, who said, "The future is unknowable, but not unimaginable," Dr. Kulchitsky added, the future can be imagined and predicted but not with 100 percent certainty.

Dr. Kulchitsky was happy to be given the opportunity to make this contribution, emphasizing the importance of the use of real life experiences in textbooks. "That real life event is supposed to trigger a thought in the student that helps them better understand the concept they are learning," continued Dr. Kulchitsky. From Pearson's point of view, it is not just about selling textbooks, but selling textbooks that enable learning.

This contribution was made possible by KAMCO's willingness to participate and share information, said Kulchitsky. More specifically, he emphasized that the participation of KIPCO's Group HR & Admin Officer, Mr. Khaled Al Sharrad, and Senior Vice President at KAMCO's HRMD & Admin Department, Mr. Farouq Al Oumi, led to the success of the study. Equally important, he added, the support of Ms. Amal Bin Ali, Vice President for Admissions and Public Affairs at AUK, throughout the entire project made the initiative possible.

Commenting on the selection of KIPCO and KAMCO as case studies, KIPCO Group Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Samer Khanachet said, "KIPCO's experience in managing its human resources has helped the Group continue to grow even during economic difficulties. We are delighted to be sharing this experience with tomorrow's business leaders and to be contributing to their learning process."

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 10th April 2013