Strategic Human Resource Management As A Source Of Competitive Advantage In Uzbekistan’s Banking Sector: A 2024 Case Analysis Of Kapitalbank

Abstract

This paper examines how strategic human resource management (SHRM) can support competitive positioning in Uzbekistan’s banking sector through a case-based analysis of Kapitalbank. It presents a retrospective analysis conducted in 2024 and interprets its findings through an HRM-focused lens. The analysis applied Porter’s Five Forces, the VRIO framework, value-chain analysis, Porter’s generic strategies, and the Ansoff matrix. Its Five Forces assessment rated competitive rivalry as very high (4.6), buyer power as medium (3.3), the threat of new entrants as moderate (3.2), supplier power as low (1.25), and the threat of substitutes as low (1.3). It also identified digital service channels, online queue booking, employee systems and staff-development arrangements as capabilities or areas relevant to competitive positioning. This paper argues that such resources create value only when supported by employees with appropriate digital, service and problem-solving capabilities. It recommends aligning recruitment and employer branding, frontline training, employee retention, workforce planning and digital change management with a differentiation-oriented strategy. The analysis is exploratory: it does not use a new survey or interview dataset and should be understood as a historical case assessment based on information available in 2024, not as a statement about Kapitalbank’s current position.