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.
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).
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School |
| Depositing User: | Katrina Pritchard |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Oct 2012 15:04 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2023 16:59 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/5394 |
Available Versions of this Item
- Becoming an HR strategic partner: tales of transition. (deposited 25 Oct 2012 15:04) [Currently Displayed]
Statistics
Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.
Archive Staff Only (login required)
 |
Edit/View Item |