What is a Human Capital Management Degree?

Human capital management (HCM) degrees are similar to human resources management (HRM) degrees. Learn about the similarities and differences between these degree programs.

Human Capital Management Description

The term human capital management is beginning to replace the term 'human resources' (HR), the same way HR replaced the term 'personnel management'. The concepts and ideas of human capital management come from things learned in the field of human resources. This is due to the increasing responsibility and inclusion of human resources in aiding management decisions and practices.

Human capital management focuses on analyzing, evaluating and measuring the value of a company's workforce. More than simply saying a worker is 'good' or 'bad', human capital management makes human capital investment an important focus in the company. The following topics differentiate human capital from human resources:

  • Analysis of business strategies
  • Human capital measurement
  • Return on investment (ROI) analysis
  • Design of organizations
  • Change implementation through various methods
  • Talent management and leadership development