RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUSINESS SCHOOL READINESS FOR SMART HRM 4.0

Abstract

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is also called the Age of Cyber-Physical or the Smart Industry era. It has profound effects on all fields of life, especially organizational management processes and practices. Human Resource Management's traditional functions are going through a tremendous shift.  The Smart Industry era demands new skill sets from HRM professionals to work in harmony with other functional areas of Business and Management in the IR 4.0 landscape. Higher Education Business Schools have a significant role in developing market-ready professionals. This study focuses on the changes to be made in Business Schools' ecology to contribute to students’ preparedness for Smart HRM 4.0. This study explored recommendations for universities to drive viable implementation strategies to prepare students for Smart HRM 4.0 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The Findings suggest making changes in the Business Curriculum by integrating smart technology embedded HRM courses.  The recommendations also propose skills development for the faculty. The study endorses teacher development in two categories: basic course knowledge and skills with instructional delivery. This research study further advocates for university infrastructural adjustments to create a supportive ecosystem for teaching and learning these modern technology-based courses. The study proposed practices to Different bodies in Business Education Governance and Management, according to their role, to make the university and all other bodies aligned for greater collaboration. HEC, as a major stakeholder in the Curriculum, is proposed to make changes in the Higher Education policies to respond to abrupt changes brought by Industrial Revolution 4.0.  This study employed a qualitative approach situated within an interpretivist paradigm to explore recommendations for university readiness for Smart HRM teaching and learning in a specific context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Utilizing a phenomenological methodology to understand the lived experiences of Business Schools' HRM teachers to recommend Readiness strategies to the university.  Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data analysis followed the principles of Reflexive Thematic Analysis, focusing on a latent level of coding to uncover underlying ideas and assumptions. This study contributes to the existing literature by sharing in-depth contextual recommendations for Business Schools' readiness in students’ preparedness for Smart HRM 4.0. These proposed recommendations for Business Schools’, Curriculum, Teaching Competence, and Infrastructure will serve as a guide for policymakers and implementation bodies in Higher Education Governance and Management.