Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition

Pritchard, Katrina (2010) Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition. Human Resource Management Journal 20 (2), pp. 175-188. ISSN 0954-5395.

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Abstract

This paper aims to bridge the gap between previous examinations of HR strategic partnership from a role perspective (Truss et al. 2002; Caldwell 2003) and an emerging interest in the social construction of identity (Alvesson et al. 2008). I consider ‘strategic partner’ as a local, flexible social construction framed by the broader occupational context. Based on a year-long ethnographic study, I examine the experiences of HR practitioners ‘becoming’ strategic partners, considering the themes of becoming strategic, becoming a partner and remaining a generalist. Practitioners depict becoming strategic as a ‘release’ from previous constraints, with becoming a partner positioned as filling a gap created by clients’ deficiencies in people management. Meanwhile, tensions develop as strategic partners attempt to retain a say in transactional issues. I reflect on the resulting practical issues while also considering the role of HR practitioners in “the dynamic and socially complex nature of HRM” (Francis 2003: 323).

Item Type:	Article
School or Research Centre:	Birkbeck Schools and Research Centres > School of Business, Economics & Informatics > Organizational Psychology
Depositing User:	Dr Katrina Pritchard
Date Deposited:	25 Oct 2012 15:04
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2013 12:25
URI:	http://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/5394

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• Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition. (deposited 25 Oct 2012 15:04) [Currently Displayed]
  • Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition. (deposited 30 Apr 2013 10:00)

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