Assignment $9$:Sustained Competitive Advantage through inimitable human resource practices $1.$How can conflicting HR systems sometimes have a negative effect on a firm? Concern about the conflict is valid when it focuses on promoting a particular behavior, such as the performance of tasks or cooperation with others. The HR system will be weak in supporting the objectives of the organization. a$)$What integrated practices would you recommend for improving absenteeism$?$ An integrated practice to improve employee absenteeism could be that "managers should recognize complementarities, or synergies among a firm's HRM practices". Managers should ensure that the staffing, reward, and development practices comprising HR system are not in conflict. b$)$Improving performance? "Managers must ensure that reward and development practices do not conflict." This will help the target employee to improve their performance should receive effective training and a reward system to recognize the best performance of employees. $2.$Analyze your recommendations with respect to whether these practices are at the individual, group, or organizational level. Are they congruent and what synergies would you expect? This would fall under the individual level depending on the type of organization or industry. In my opinion, to improve the performance of employees would be better at the individual or group level since they are the categories closest to the employee.

$3.$Explain how the three key principles of congruence can provide a firm with a distinct competitive advantage. Sustain with examples. Human resources systems are accountable for hiring, training and developing employees in alignment with each company's goals. HR systems develop a competitive environment by means of congruence or internal consistency and synergy for promoting key employee behavior. When HR systems are conflicting they may have a negative effect on the firm. $1.$ Managers must focus many powerful forces on target behaviors$-$ All available human resources practices are dedicated to influence the motivation, capability and opportunity of employees. Bonus in exchange for achieving objectives and behaviors established by the organization. $2.$ Managers must make sure that staffing, reward and development practices do not conflict$-$managers must ensure that the human resource systems do not conflict or work against each other. If a task is performed by a team, an individual reward to an employee will conflict with the teamwork. $3.$Managers must ensure that interrelated HRM practices are sufficiently supportive of each other $-$some human resource management practices may require the support of additional human resource management practices in order to influence targeted employee behaviors. If a new behavior is to be taught through a specific training, the selection of an employee that will properly use this new skillset.