Libyan Journal for Engineering Research (LyJER) Volume (1) № (1) March 2017

ISSN 2522-6967

Analysis of Human Resource Management System Using

Data Flow Diagram
Elham .F. Bograin
Higher Institute of Engineering Professions, Benghazi - Libya
Tel.: +218-92-578-6821; e-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]

ABSTRACT
ً
‫ وهى أيضا‬،‫إن مخطط ثدفم البياهات هى زسم بياوي لحدفم البياهات بين مخحلف العمليات في ألاعمال الحجازية‬. (DFDS) ‫( باسحخدام مخططات ثدفم البياهات‬HRM) ‫تكترح هرهالىزكة مىهجية لثحليل لىظام إدازة املىازد البشسية‬
‫ثلىية زسم بياوي ّو‬
‫ر وورصف مخطط ثدفم البياهات بأهه السسم الرو يىضح حسكة البياهات بين الكياهات الخازحية والعمليات ومخاشن البياهات داخل‬.‫ثتىزر ثدفم املعلىماثالتي ثطبم في هلل البياهات مً املدخالت إلى املخسحات‬
.‫الىظام‬
‫)ر‬HRM ( ‫ الخطىة الثاهية متادز الىظام الاساس ي‬، ‫ والكياهات الخازحية‬،‫ والعمليات‬،‫ حيث ثحضمً الخطىة ألاولى ثحديد حدود الىظام‬،‫لححليم مخطط لحدفم البياهات لىظام إدازة املىازد البشسية هححاج للعديد مً الخطىات‬
‫ ور‬0 ‫ ثم ثلديم وصالت البياهات والعمليات الفسعية على مخططات ثدفم البياهات مً املسحىي‬، )Context Level( ‫)روهى ما يسمى ب‬High Level( ‫)روهرا الرو يمثل املستوي الاعلى للىظام‬Entities( ‫والكياهات أو الاهظمة الخازحية‬
‫ مع التركيز بشكل أساس ي على مساكبة وثيسيم‬،‫)إدازة عمليات ألاعمال الىاجحة جعحمد على هماذج فعالة لحدفم العمل‬DFD(‫( باسحخدام‬HRM) ‫ ثىثيق همىذج مىطلي كامل يمثل ثحليل هظام‬, ‫ على الحىالي‬2 ‫ واملسحىي‬1 ‫املسحىي‬
.‫)كمخطط يمثل الحدفم مً خالل هظام املعلىماثية لحمثيل العمليات في إدازة التياهة مً وحهة هظس البياهات‬DFD( ‫ يسحخدم‬، ‫املهام مثل ثلىية مخطط ثدفم البياهات‬

This paper search a system analysis methodology for Human Resource Management System (HRMS) using Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs). Several steps
will be required to accomplish this work. The first step includes the determination of system boundaries, processes, and data entities. In the second steps,
system sources and destinations will be presented on context diagram (level 0). Then data links, processes, and sub-processes will also be presented on data
flow diagrams of level 1 and level 2 respectively. Finally, a complete logical model representing a system analysis of HRMS will be documented using
DFDs. The use of DFDs lead directly into physical design, with processes suggesting programs and procedures, data flows suggesting composites, and data
stores suggesting data entities; files; and database.
Keywords: Data Flow Diagrams, Human Resource Management

1. Introduction implement improvement in the functioning of business that can

In global knowledge economy, information is power for be accomplished thru the use of computerized information
efficient management of Human Assets, HR Professionals system. The SystemAnalysis isthe scientific study of the
requires accurate and timely data on recruitment, selection, systems process, including investigation of inputs and outputs,
training, development, career planning, compensation, in order to find better, more economical and more efficient
productivity, skills inventory, attrition rate etc. [8]. Performance means of processing. To improve the productivity of the system.
Management consists of three steps – planning, coaching and Tools of Structured Analysis Modeling System Functions – ex.
feedback which is ongoing and not an isolated event, and Data Flow Diagram, Modeling Stored Data – ex. Entity Relation
evaluation. The diagram shows,Figure 1, how the components Diagram, Modeling Program Structure – ex. Program
and steps integrate to form a cohesive process[11]. Flowchart, Modeling Time – ex. Gantt chart [1].
Data Flow Diagram (DFD): a modeling tools use to describe
the transformation of inputs into outputs. DFD is a graphic
illustration that shows the flow of data and logic within the
system [7].

2. Research Objectives
Workflow technology has become a standard solution to
managing increasingly complex business processes [1].
Successful business process management depends on effective
workflow modeling techniques. Recently, researchers have
developed a variety of workflow models, focusing mainly on the
control and coordination of tasks such as DFD, i.e. the control
flow perspective. However, most of these workflow models
found it have paid little attention to the data flow perspective. In
this paper work, we investigate the data flow issues and propose
a data flow modeling approach for HRM in the context of
business process management.
Fig. 1: The diagram of the components and steps integrate to
A data flow diagram help managers to understand and
form a cohesive process [11].
facilitate the process of decision-making activities. DFD is
graphically represent the flow of data through a system without
Analyze data input or data flow systematically, processing or any indication of time. Use DFD in business process model as a
transforming data, data storage and information output within graphical representation of the flow of data through an
the context of a particular business. Analyze, design and information system, it enables the represent the processes in

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 Libyan Journal for Engineering Research (LyJER) Volume (1) № (1) March 2017
ISSN 2522-6967

Human ResourceManagement information system from the economic interest. Human resource is often referred to as
viewpoint of data. The DFD can be visualize how the system personnel, staff or workers [2].
operates, what the system accomplishes and how it will be
implemented, when it is refined with further specification. Data
flow diagrams are used by systems analysts to design
information-processing systems but also as a way to model
whole organizations. The building of DFD at the very beginning
of the business process modeling enables the functions of the
system to be entered, carry out the interaction between those
functions together, and will focuses on data exchanged between
processes. It associates data with conceptual, logical, and
physical data models and object-oriented models.

3. Human Resource Management

3.1. Introduction of Human Resource Management Fig. 2: Main Process of HR [2].
The policies and practices involved in carrying out the
“people” or human resource aspects of a management position, 3 . 1 . 1 . Wh a t i s HR M a n d H RD?
including recruiting, screening, training, rewarding, and HRM is best understood as the “process of managing human
appraising[4]. The term „human resource management‟ (HRM) talents to achieve organization‟s objective”. The process of
“That part of the management process that specializes in the managing human talents is said to include the process of
management of people in work organizations. HRM emphasizes recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, labor and
that employees are critical to achieving sustainable competitive industrial relations and the management of employees‟ safety
advantage, that human resources practices need to be integrated and health in organizations. On the other end, researchers and
with the corporate strategy, and that human resource specialists writers have proposed numerous definitions for HRD. These
help organizational controllers to meet both efficiency and definitions varied from the perspectives of an individual
equity objectives.” Naturally, the definition of human resource researcher or theorists to definitions of HRD by country. In
management would be incomplete without further explaining addition, theorists have even tried to define HRD from a global
what the terms „human resources‟ and „management‟ are.First, and international perspective. Indeed, many definitions have
people in work organizations, endowed with a range of abilities, been suggested; even before the emergence of HRD in 1970s
talents and attitudes, influence productivity, quality and through today. A definition by Nadler and Nadler in 1970s
profitability. People set overall strategies, goals, design work described HRD as “a series of organized activities conducted
systems, produce goods, and services, monitor quality, allocate within a specified time and designed to produce behavioral
financial resources, and market the products and services. change” through training activities. The latest definition by
Individuals, therefore, become „human resources‟ by virtue of DeSimone, Werner & Harris (2002) for HRD was defined as “a
the roles they assume in the work organization. Employment set of systematic and planned activities designed by an
roles are defined and described in a manner designed to organization to provide its members with the opportunities to
maximize particular employees‟ contributions to achieving learn necessary skills to meet current and future job demands”.
organizational objectives.In theory, the management of people is These systematic and planned activities are said to include
no different from the management of other resources of training and development, career planning and development,
organizations. In practice, what makes it different is the nature performance appraisals and management and change
of the resource, people. One set of perspective views the human management for organizational development. In the context of
being as potentially a creative and complex resource whole professionals, this activity is termed as continuing professional
behavior is influenced by many diverse factors originating from education and development. To all intents and purposes, the
either the individual or the surrounding environment. continuing professional education and development activities
Organizational behavior theorists, for example, suggest that the are the same as in training and development but it is labeled
behavior and performance of the „human resource‟ is a function differently directed to professionals‟ education and development
of at least four variables: ability, motivation role perception and [6].
situational contingencies. Another set of perspectives 3 . 1 . 2 . T h e r el a t i o n s h i p o f HR M a n d HR D
emphasizes the problematic nature of employment relations:
Traditionally, some writers suggested that HRD is a
The human resources differ from other resources the employer
component of HRM in which HRD supports the HRM function
uses, partly because individuals are endowed with varying levels
in employees‟ training and development and the notion of
of ability (including aptitudes, skills and knowledge), with
training and development fitting in or integrated with HRM as
personality traits, gender, role perception and differences in
in the „HRM‟s wheel‟ . All the four components of HRD,
experience, and partly as a result of differences in motivation
namely; training and development, performance appraisals and
and commitment. The main process of HR as shown in Figure
management, career planning and development as well as
(2). In other words, employees differ from other resources
change management [5]. At Table (1) comparison of HRM and
because of their ability to evaluate and to question
HRD
management‟s actions and their commitment and co-operation
always has to be won. In addition, employees have the capacity Components was advocated as positioned under the
to form groups and trade unions to defend or further their „umbrella‟ or function of HRM along with other components

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 Libyan Journal for Engineering Research (LyJER) Volume (1) № (1) March 2017
ISSN 2522-6967

such as recruitment and selection, compensation and benefits, 4. Data Flow Diagrams
employee and industrial relations as well as safety & health [2].
4.1. Introduction of Data Flow Diagrams
A picture of the movement of data between external entities,
Table 1: Comparison of HRM and HRD the processes, and data stores within a system. DFDs depict
HRM HRD logical data flow independent of technology. May be used as a
Definition: Definition: discovery technique for processes and data, or as a technique for
HRM is process of HRD is a series of verification of a Functional Decomposition and Entity
managing human talents to organized activities Relationship Diagram that have already been completed. Most
achieve organization‟s conducted within a specified users find these diagrams quite easy to understand generally
objective time and designed to considered a useful analysis deliverable to developers in a
produce behavioral change structured programming environment [9].
Process: Activities:
1. Recruitment and selection 1. Training and 4.2. Data flow diagram symbols
2. Compensation and development There are four primary symbols used to create a data flow
benefits 2. Performance and diagram shown in figure (3).
3. Labor and industrial appraisals
relations 3. Career planning and  A source or destination (sink) is represented by a (shaded)
4. Safety and health development square. Sources and destinations define the system‟s
management 4. Change management boundaries; each one represents a person, organization, or
other system that supplies data to the system, gets data
3 . 1 . 3 . HRM a n d p r o d u ct i vi t y from the system, or both.
HRM effects on productivity as:  A process, or transform (a round-cornered rectangle)
identifies an activity that changes, moves, or otherwise
 Increase in productivity from individual and group pay transforms data.
schemes  A data store (an open-ended, horizontal rectangle)
 True across many sectors/firms represents data at rest and implies that the data are held
 Large selection effect but also incentive effect (for some logical reason) between processes.
 More effective when introduced as a package of  A data flow (an arrow) represents data in motion.
 complementary” practices – Teams Additionally, Gane and Sarson use thick arrows to show
 Human Capital – ICT physical or material flows.
 Non-pay HRM practices have (i) had less high quality
studies, (ii) positive correlations tend to disappear when
fixed effects included [5].

3.2. Strategic Human Resource Management

Today, HRM has become more important to strategic
management, mainly because of its role in providing competitive
advantage and the rush to competitiveness. [14]. Human resources
management in the context of finding, attracting and selecting
employees has a significant effect on improving the effectiveness
of staff, it effective in the evaluation of their performance,
effectiveness of employees` performance in designing and
implementing training programs of development [12.]
The nature of management skills are culturally specific, a
management technique or philosophy that is appropriate in one
country is not necessarily appropriate in another, In addition,
cultural dimensions namely, Individualism/Collectivism; Power Fig. 3: Symbols of data flow diagram [4].
Distance; Masculinity/ Femininity; there are impact of national
culture on human resource management practices [13]. theory in
strategic human resource management must continue to increase 4.3. Logical and physical data flow diagrams
if the field of strategic is to move forward. Strategic in reality is
A logical data flow diagram‟s symbols are used to describe
not usually a formal, well –articulated and linear process which
logical not physical entities. A process might eventually be
floes logically from the business strategy. However, there is a
implemented as a computer program, a subroutine, or a manual
growing literature on the impact of HRM practice on
procedure. A data store might represent a database, a file, and a
organizational performance [14].
book, a folder in a filing cabinet, or even notes on a sheet of
paper. Data flows show how the data move between the system‟s
components, but they do not show the flow of control. The idea is
to create a logical model that focuses on what the system does
while disregarding the physical details of how it works.
A physical data flow diagram uses data flow diagram symbols
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 Libyan Journal for Engineering Research (LyJER) Volume (1) № (1) March 2017
ISSN 2522-6967

to represent the system‟s physical processes (programs, manual  Logical representations that represents WHAT a system
procedures) and physical data stores (files, databases, reports, does, rather than physical models showing HOW it does it;
screens, etc.) and shows how the system works. Some analysts  Hierarchical representation illustrating systems at any level
like to start the analysis process by preparing a physical data flow of detail and
diagram of the present system. Following the analysis stage,  Jargon less representation that allow user to clearly
physical data flow diagrams can be used to document alternative understand and review the system.
solutions [10].
The advantages of data flow diagram include:
1. It helps technical and non-technical users to easily
4.4. Why use DFD for analysis of HRMS understand systems design.
The data for the HR system project could be termed in the a. It helps in validating the correctness of the system. It is
operational, technical and economic feasibility. A project needs therefore easy to determine whether requirements are
two types of information to compute the feasibility that are correct. The probability of a better system is increased.
primary and secondary data [1]. The data is transmitted after 2. It allows the analyst to abstract to whatever level of detail
analyzing and checking the effectiveness and the usefulness of is required so that it is possible to examine a system in
the information for the project. It is also essential for that the overview and at a more detailed level.
information, which is gathered, should be dependable and 3. It specifies the system at a logical level rather than a
suitable. The information or data collecting procedure should be physical level i.e. it shows what the system will do rather
efficient to examine the system. For it, a new and efficient data than how it will be done.
move policy should be adopted. To investigate the effectual 4. It helps to understand the inter-relatedness of systems and
data transfer. The data flow diagram could be used to determine subsystems of the system.
the validity of the fact of data [2]. 5. It provides a means of analysis of a proposed system to
determine if the necessary data and processes have been
defined [1].
5. Discussion and Results
The overall methodology of the proposed research work can
6. Conclusion
be summarized into phases
The general objective of this research work is to develop a
 Understanding the business requirements of the HRMS.
Data Flow Diagram for Human Resource Management System.
 Identifying the business processes of the HRMS. In order to achieve this objective the following specific
 Preparing a high-level business design. Present and review objectives have to be accomplished:
the completed high level business process design.
 Determining the processes, external entities, data stores  Investigation some of the existing HRMS to understand
how the systems boundaries, processes and data entities
and data flows of every identified process [4].
are logically related.
 Drawing the data flow diagrams corresponding to these
 Developing the context diagram (level o) which
identified elements.
documents the systems boundaries by highlighting its
 Presenting numerous a DFD by decomposition, Child
sources and destinations.
diagrams and Balancing.
 Developing the level 1 data flow diagram, which shows
Decomposition: is the process of representing the system in the system reviewing, processes, data stores, sources and
a hierarchy of DFD diagrams. Child diagrams: show a portion destinations linked by data flows.
of the parent diagram in detail. Balancing: involves insuring  Developing level 2 data flow diagrams which consists of
that information presented at one level of a DFD is accurately several sub process that are listed on the process
represented in the next level DFD. description.
The steps involved in Building DFDs are summarized as  Reporting a final logical model, which consists of a
follows: complete set of data flow diagrams for HRMS.
 Build the context diagram
 Create DFD fragments for each use case References
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Fig. 3: Relationship among levels of DFDs [1].

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