Human resource planning as a strategic issue of HRM is considered very crucial for repositioning organizations in the context of changing business environment. Further, in response to the ongoing economic restructuring, human resource planning requires integrating a firm's strategic challenges with human resource strategies and practices. This study intends to explore the status of human resource planning in a large database of public and private sector undertakings. HR functionaries from 57 companies responded to the structured questionnaire which includes scales to measure the extent to which HRP practices are carried out in their concerns. On comparing the controlling for the levels of functions across the public and private organizations, certain startling findings were revealed. The HR functionaries of the public sector were found to be more active in their HRP activities than their private sector counterparts. However, the mean variations in their HRP activities have not reached the statistical levels of significance, indicating that HRP orientation and HRP activity profile are global in nature, rather than specific to the type of organization. Implications are drawn for future considerations in the practice of HRP activities.

The role of human resource as an integrating factor in the production process has been much recognized in transforming organizations these days than ever before. Further, owing to the changes in the business environment and the advances in technology, communication and consumerism, planning of human resources has become an incessant activity on the part of HR functionaries working in services and manufacturing organizations. Broadly, human resources planning (HRP) is required not only to maintain the people as resources, but also to enhance the capability of the organization, through its competent people. Thus, HRP should be used efficiently and effectively in order to realize the main objective of organizational effectiveness.