Human Resources

A nation’s most valuable resource is its people. People, with their demands and abilities, are responsible for converting nature’s bounty into ‘resources.’ As a result, people who are healthy, educated, and motivated generate resources to meet their needs. Human resources, like other resources, are not distributed equally around the world and vary according to educational level, age, and gender. Their numbers and characteristics change all the time. The Ministry of Human Resource Development of the Government of India was established in 1985 with the goal of improving people’s skills. This just goes to show how valuable people are to the country as a resource.

Human resource is the ultimate resource as nature’s reward, and becomes significant only when people find its utility. It is people with their demands and potential that turn them into ‘resources’.

Types of Human Resources

Intangible 

Intangible resources cannot be felt or seen, and they cannot be touched or preserved, but they play an important role in establishing a strong foothold for business.

The intangible possession is a resource that enables a business to continue earning a profit that exceeds the standard basic rate of profit earned by other businesses of a similar type.

In general, this category includes the following items:

• Goodwill is the difference between the value of a company’s tangible assets and its actual value (what someone would be prepared to pay for it). Though it is not always present in the case of new entrepreneurs. However, if he is acquiring or forming a partnership or alliance, he may benefit from the goodwill of his associate, if any

• Brands are names given to products in order for them to be recognised and differentiated from similar products
• Intellectual Property: Key commercial rights protected by patents and trademarks may be an important factor that the entrepreneur must consider

Tangible

Cash, inventory, vehicles, equipment, buildings, and investments are examples of tangible assets. Accounts receivable, pre-paid expenses, patents, and goodwill are examples of intangible assets that do not exist in physical form.

To comprehend the worth of an asset, one must first comprehend its potential long-term benefits. Intangible assets are frequently more valuable in the long run than tangible assets because tangible assets depreciate faster. For example, a patent for a new technology may continue to generate revenue for decades, whereas the products based on that patent may only be valuable in inventory for a short period of time.

Distribution of Population: 

• The pattern of Population Distribution: The way in which people are laid out across the earth’s surface
• More than 90 per cent of the world’s population have their homes in about 30 per cent of the land surface
• Uneven Distribution: Some areas are overcrowded, such as south and Southeast Asia, and some are sparsely populated, such as tropical deserts, high mountains etc. Almost three-quarters of the world’s people inhabit two continents – Asia and Africa

Population Density

• Population density– It is the number of people habituating in a unit area of the Earth’s surface. It is usually manifested as per square km
• The average density of population of an area in the world is 51 persons per sq. km
• South-Central Asia has the most elevated thickness of populace, followed by East and Southeast Asia

Factors affecting the Distribution of Population

• Geographical Factors:

• Topography: Humans like to inhabit plains rather than mountains as these areas are favourable for activities like farming, manufacturing, and service. The plains of River Ganga are the most highly populated area in the world
• Climate: Humans avoid living in extreme climates that are very hot or very cold
• Soil: Fertile soils give reasonable land to yield horticulture. For instance – Rivers like Ganga, Narmada
• Water: Humans rather like to reside in spaces where freshwater is effectively accessible
• Minerals: Areas with mineral deposits are more populated. Diamond mines of South Africa and the discovery of oil in the Middle East are more conducive for their settlements

• Social, Cultural, and Economic Factors:

• Social: Areas that have better housing, education and health facilities are more congested
• Cultural: Places with religion or cultural significance. For example – Varanasi
• Economic: Industrial areas provide employment opportunities. A huge number of people are attracted to these areas

Population growth rate:

Population change means a change or variation in the number of people during a certain time. This is due to changes in the birth rate and death rate. The natural causes of the population growth rate are births and deaths.

• Natural Way:

• • • Birth Rate: It is the birth rate 1,000 people
    • Death Rate: It is the death rate 1,000 people
    • Natural Growth Rate: It is the difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a country

• Migrations: 

• • It is the movement of people from one place to the other
  • People may move within a country or across the country
  • Emigrants are people who leave a country (loss in population), and foreigners are the ones who come into our nation from outside our country

Conclusion

Humans are the most valuable resources if they have adequate utility. It is only humans which turn any natural resource into a useful resource. Humans are unevenly distributed across the world. Distribution of population is affected by geographical, social, cultural, economic, political and geopolitical factors. More than 90% of the world’s population is settled in 30% of land surface. Some regions are overcrowded such as south and South East Asia whereas some are sparsely populated such as a tropical desert, mountains and polar regions. The significant picture of population is that it changes with time. There are natural and  unnatural ways for population change. To turn population into human resource facilities like education, health, infrastructure, adequate employment, skill development must be given by the private and public sector.