An Innovative Approach to Human Resource Management in Small and Medium Enterprises: The SHARPEN Project

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to bring a new perspective to how Human Resource Management (HRM) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is performed and supported. SMEs in Europe are facing several challenges in the field of HRM and the SHARPEN project aims to deliver solutions to these challenges based on specific needs of regional SMEs. The SHARPEN project will develop a university taught learning module focusing on HRM in SMEs and a Handbook of HRM that will provide SMEs with compact HRM knowledge and tools. Both of these outputs will be supported by cross-regional research performed in 5 project regions of the EU. The overall result of the project should be a better state of HRM in SMEs due to new, easily accessible knowledge and tools as well as more attention given to the challenges facing SMEs in the area of HRM.