ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an examination of research on the strategic contribution of the HR function itself. It discusses the capabilities and competencies of those who provide HR services and looks at how the HR function is organized. A complicating factor is that while larger employing organizations tend to have specialized and dedicated HR departments, many smaller and medium sized enterprises operate without them. The chapter summarizes the back-story of how HR function emerged and outlines the main areas of research and debate. It examines developments in the organization of the HR function and this includes a review of Ulrich’s recent work in this area. There have been a number of attempts to delineate HR competencies: the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of HR professionals. The emergence of human resource management appeared to offer the opportunity, the logic, and the tools to enable a more strategic role for the function.
