Ulrich D
Harvard Business Review, (USA), Jan-Feb 98 (76/1)
Start page: 124 No of pages: 11

Refers to the debate surrounding the role and maintenance of the human resource (HR) function; argues that HR has never been more necessary in achieving organizational excellence, and lists ways in which this excellence should be delivered. Sees a new agenda by which HR enables the organization to serve customers better and to increase shareholder value; states that the prime responsibility for transforming HR lies with the chief executive, and points to competitive challenges with which HR needs to play a leadership role – globalization, profitability through growth, technology, intellectual capital and change. Defines a new role for HR in terms of its partnering in strategy execution, administrative expertise, championing the employee and becoming a change agent; presents a change model that has been used by HR staff at General Electric (US conglomerate) in guiding the company’s transformation process. Outlines ways in which senior management can make HR focus on outcomes rather than on activities, e.g. investment in innovative HR practices.

Subject(s): HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, ROLES, STRATEGY, SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Database: TMA: Top Management Abstracts PTA: Personnel & Training Abstracts RMI: Rapid Management Intelligence
Style: Comparative/evaluation
Indicators: Research Implication- *, Practice Implication- ***, Originality- ***, Readability- **, Total Number- *********
Reference: 27AD677

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