Title: How Recruitment and Selection strategy can Improve Corporate

Sustainability and Social Responsibility of Pharmaceutical Companies in

Bangladesh

Abstract

Pharmaceutical industry is now a rising economic sector and the second largest revenue
generating industry in Bangladesh. A well-functioning pharmaceutical industry can contribute
directly to social well being. Now a day’s human resource management is uniquely positioned to
assist in both developing and implementing those sustainability strategies. In this study a
comparative analysis is done to find out the strategies to improve corporate sustainability.

Keywords

Recruitment, selection, corporate sustainability, CSR, pharmaceutical companies

Background of the Study

Organizations are increasingly concerned with sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
The HR function is uniquely positioned to assist in both developing and implementing
sustainability strategy. Corporate sustainability and qualitative human resource are the important
factors for further development, growth and success of the company. As companies have become
more aware of creating and promoting CSR initiatives, candidates also become more socially
selective and have heavy emphasis on an organization’s reputation and want to ensure their
future career.

Rationale of the Study

How pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh can improve their corporate sustainability and
social responsibility with recruitment and selection strategy.

Problem Statement

Pharmaceuticals sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Bangladesh. There are about 250
companies in this sector and the approximate total size of the market is about 30,000 million taka
a year, of which about 97% of the total medicines are created by local companies and the
remaining 3% is imported. According to the data of 2013-14 IMS Health 1,15,00 people are now
working in this sector. So many people are now showing more interest on working this sector.
But the main problem is that recruiting and retaining the talented and qualified employee who
can help in corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Companies that focus on
sustainability are more favorable by the public, because they are focusing on public relation. If
employees are not engaged, Corporate Social Responsibility becomes an exercise only in public
relations. The credibility of an organization will become damaged, which can affect the way that
employees feel about working for that company and it becomes evident that a company is not
‘walking the talk’. This competition for top talent is nothing new. Companies can only succeed
in the long-term if they recruit and motivate people who are able to respond to and shape the
challenges of the future. Still companies are facing turnover losses which affecting their
corporate sustainability. Company can use Green Recruitment and Selection strategy which help
the companies to improve CSR. So, job seeker will be familiar with the terms and conditions
from the starting. Company can be successful for retaining their talented employees which can
automatically improve corporate sustainability.

Literature Review

The CSR literature has grown over the past three decades. The need for companies to undertake
socially responsible activities has been discussed in the literature and has been a topic for
academic study for decades. However, CSR is still a subjective concept that relies on
interpretations of how business activities are perceived in terms of social value generation
(Deegan, 2002; Gray, 2001; Gray, 2002; Mathews, 1993).

In organizations adopting a sustainability strategy— whether for business, legal or values-based

reasons— HR has an important role to play. The HR function should help formulate and achieve
environmental and social goals while also balancing these objectives with
traditional financial performance metrics. The HR function can serve as a partner in determining
what is needed or what is possible in formulating corporate values and sustainability strategy
(SHRM foundation executive briefing by E. Cohen, S. Taylor)

Green Human Resource Management may play an essential role in environmental management
as it is an element of sustainable human resource management (SHRM)]. This is a new approach
to the realization of the HR function, the nature of which is to include ecological objectives in all
HRM sub-areas, from employment planning, through recruitment, selection, employee
motivation and development, to their evaluation and influence on working conditions. Green
HRM reflects the level of the greening of human resource management practices, whereas its
implementation requires individual stages of human resource management to be modified and
adapted, to become green—i.e., environmentally-friendly. The main focus of activities
undertaken as part of Green HRM is the development of an ecological working environment
(B.Edyta, K. Marciniuk, May 2018)

Past Attempts

The Influence of corporate social responsibility on human resource policy and study on
transnational corporations.

Corporate Social Responsibility Practices and Programs as a Key Strategic Element in

Organizational Performance.

Research Gap

They fail to solve the actual problem which is what strategy HRM need to follow to minimize
turnover rate and involvement of employees in improving corporate sustainability.

Research Question(s)

Pharmaceutical companies are still lacking in building employee-customer relationship.

To improve CSR they are focusing only on public relation but forgetting about employee
reaction

Need to focus both on employee and public and apply such type of recruitment and selection
strategy which will make aware the job seeker about the company’s policy.

Research Objectives

Types of recruitment and selection strategies which can improve the corporate sustainability and
social responsibility of pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh.
Research Hypothesis (if any)

Here we are talking about Green HRM which is new concept. It will be acceptable by all
companies or not. So it’s a little doubtful.

Methodology

Study Area and Target Population

Here I am focusing on the entry level employees in the pharmaceutical company

Data

I am using the secondary data from the company’s websites, intern reports and some research
paper

Research Design

I will compare their recruitment and selection strategies on basis of some factors and
stakeholders data from their annual reports. I will focus on mainly the qualitative analysis.

Conceptual Framework

Research Method(s)

Factors Com-1 Com-2 Com-3

Recruitment
Selection
Work Plan

Sl. Activity Duration

1. Preparation for the study including literature review and 1 week

identification of terminologies

2. Selection of Research topic, data, sampling, Questionnaire 1 months

4. Preparation of sample frame, data collection and analysis 1 months

5. Data coding, editing, entry, processing and tabulation 1 months

6. Report finalization and submission 1 months

Total 4 months

Conclusion

The emerging concept of sustainable HRM has important implications both for organizational
performance, CSR and for the HR function. HRM needs to provide recruiting and selecting
strategies for a sustainable organization as well as manage the HR function in a sustainable
way. HR will demonstrate how its sustainability performance aligns with leading global
frameworks and supports the overall business sustainability strategy.

References

1. L. Thea, S. Jennifer, Integrated Sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry, Vol-11, Issue-

5, May 2004.
2. A Hand Book of Human Resource management Practice [Engagement Proposal
Form]-Michael Armstrong. Retrieved from (Ninth Edition) Page-361-386, 395-
453, 477-524, 549-568.
3. The rise of the pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh”
(http://www.pharmadu.net/bps/pharmaindustries.htm).