Introduction

That many HR functions have been striving to position themselves as strategic contributors to the business. To achieve this some of the larger organisations have consolidated dispersed administrative activities and standardised processes and automated where possible. But problems with managing the fragmentation inherent in the ‘three-legged’ model and with self-service technology have combined to limit success. Failure to devolve activities to the line or to deploy sufficiently skilled individuals in business partner roles presents further challenges.