The mental models of HR professionals as “strategic partners”
Chester S Labedz
Academy of Management; System Dynamics Society; Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut, United States of America
Jegoo Lee
Academy of Management; University of South Florida, Florida, United States of America
Abstract
In this paper, we elicited and examined mental models of human resource professionals, regarding the interrelationships of important elements in shaping competitive strategy, for consensus or systematic variation, testing for HR's distinctive contribution at the strategy table. In order to examine their mental models, we collected empirical data from a stratified non-probability respondent sample of HR professionals in three stages: semi-structured informant interviews; free list and rank ordering tasks; and drawing exercises. Performing consensus analysis of respondents' mental models, we found that: First, as a group, HR professionals lack a robust, integrated HR strategic perspective; Second, consensus views of labor relations practitioners and business unit generalists emerge as most distinctive and most people-focused. As one of few scholarly empirical examinations of HR practitioners' mental models on their view as strategic partners, this study challenges the normative calls among scholars and professional organizations for HR's participation in strategy formulation.
Keywords
Human resource practitioners; strategic management; occupational culture; managerial cognition; mental models; cause mapping; consensus analysis
Article Text
What mental models have human resource ('HR') professionals formed about strategic forces affecting their organizations? Answers to this question may affect their influence and effectiveness where they work, the strategies and practices of their firms, the workplace experiences of their workforces, and the professionalism of human resources as a strategic partner. Although HR scholars and professional organizations state normative views, the content of HR managers' strategic models has been empirically unexplored, until this research.
Accounts and discussions in both the popular press (McDonald, 2001) and academic literature (Beatty and Schneier, 1997; Becker and Gerhart, 1996; Becker, Huselid, Pickus, and Spratt, 1997; Becker, Huselid, and Ulrich, 2001; Burrows, 1996; Galpin and Murray, 1997) report a growing sense of urgency on the part of HR leaders in firms to become strategic partners with colleagues who lead other units, and to "have a seat at the table" when firm strategy is determined. Some scholars (e.g., Jackson and Schuler, 1999; Lengnick-Hall and Lengnick-Hall, 1999) have stipulated elements and relationships that are most important in developing firm-level and human resources strategies. On behalf of HR leaders, the authors ask: 'How can we ensure that HR is at the table - and not on the table?' (Becker et al., 2001: 1; emphasis original).
The scholarly human resource management (or HRM) literature makes clear that HR is always involved in execution of the people portions of an overall strategic plan, but infrequently involved in the initial development of that plan. When Becker and his colleagues seek to ensure that HR is at the table, they must mean HR's active participation in the formulation of the firm-wide strategic plan, not its execution. The claim seems an unconditional one: HR, simply because it is HR, deserves to participate. Yet recent scholarship suggests a continuing, substantial gap between the views of academics and practitioners (Rynes, 2007). Thus, our research undertakes not to promote the manifesto, but to examine empirically whether HR professionals have developed any consensus strategic perspective consistent with a broad claim to seats at strategy formulation tables.
Academic interest in strategic HRM is not limited to the United States; for example, Boxall and Purcell (2000, 2003) examine and contrast European and American perspectives. While Kulik and Perry (2008) explore perceived changes in the reputations of American HR functions that practice a 'devolution' strategy, pushing people management responsibilities long absorbed by HR back onto line management, Kulik and Bainbridge (2006) contrast the views of Australian HR (hopeful) and line managers (skeptical) toward this trend. Lansbury and Baird (2004) examine the U.S. experience in broadening the horizons of HRM, for possible lessons to be learned among Australian practitioners. Previously, Betcherman, McMullen, Leckie, and Caron (1994), Lundy (1994), Truss and Grattan (1994), Schuler (2001), and Schuler and Jackson (2001) studied strategic HR management issues in non-US contexts.
In addition, leading HR professional development organizations across the globe have focused substantial training effort on this strategic contribution question. The Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest association devoted to HR concerns, certifies practitioners in strategic HR, using a 'combination of proven practices, comprehensive case studies and all-inclusive toolkits,' and familiarizes them 'with the strategic link between human resource management practices and systems and organizational performance and competitive advantage' (SHRM, 2009: 9, 11). Another major professional organization, WorldatWork, likewise offers such professional education globally.
Scholars in organizational studies have argued that administrators seek to manage their environments '...to obtain resources needed for their survival [and] to strike favorable bargains for themselves' (Scott, 1998: 116). Rynes (2004: 205) suggests that HR has followed this course in pursuing its strategic voice, and asks whether it '...would have maintained more power and influence ... if it had declined to follow the strategic [alignment] approach.' She cites Jacoby (2003: 166) favorably, that 'insisting on the virtues of employee-centered HR policies, emphasizing the long term, and persisting in being employee advocates' would have been career suicide for most HR practitioners ... raised by such a low-status function as HR.' This analysis provides one answer, albeit perhaps an 'unprincipled' one, to the question asked at the outset: 'how can we ensure that HR is ... not on the table?'
In a similar vein, Kochan (2004) recently warned international scholars and practitioners about 'a crisis of trust and a loss of legitimacy' arising from how American HR professionals have learned about and sought to occupy strategic roles. Rynes (2004) and Kochan suggest that HR has changed its own mental model, to accommodate the views of its business partners. The issue of HR as strategic partner - too much or too little alignment and influence - seems increasingly to extend beyond U.S. borders. Pfeffer (2005) suggests that diagnosing and changing of mental models held within organizations may be the most important task that faces HR functions, in part because of resulting effects on organizational strategy. But this begs a prior question: what mental models have HR professionals themselves learned, in framing and conducting their own roles as strategists-in-waiting within their workplaces? Will HR's perspective be distinctive or, as Rynes and Kochan fear, largely redundant of others' views? Because managerial time and attention are limited and in great demand (Dutton and Ashford, 1993), a firm may rightly expect each additional participant to add distinct value at the strategy formulation table, as considerations of appropriate group size and dynamics must also be weighed (Fogg, 1994).
These issues lead to our research questions. In the wake of nearly twenty years of promotion of a strategic role for HR, what elements do its practitioners believe are strategically important, and why may they hold those beliefs? Do they share common, distinctive perspectives about what is strategically important? If they have varied views, why may those differences exist?
In this research, we use occupational cultures theory to suggest why HR professionals may develop views distinctive to their field, or to one or more subspecialties thereof, and legitimacy theory to suggest why they may not. We employ a managerial cognition perspective, and specifically methods for the elicitation of mental models, in capturing the views of HR professionals. Our study will advise whether distinctive strategic mental models are held within or across the HR profession, with implications for whether the function or any subgroups within it may be expected - after all that has been written and taught about strategic HRM - to make a distinctive contribution in firm strategizing, and what that may be.
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