Research and Insights Archive

This article by John W. Boudreau (CEO) and Edward E. Lawler III (CEO) examines two questions using cross-sectional analysis of our most recent survey of HR leaders. First we find that slow progress matters, because progress on HR functional features is related to important outcomes, including HR’s role in strategy, effectiveness as a function, and organizational performance. Second, we explore one explanation for HR’s stubborn traditionalism, in the organization’s management approach.

John W. Boudreau (CEO) and Edward E. Lawler III (CEO) explain that it appears that one reason for the differences in the strategic role of HR between the two countries is the extent to which organizations adopt management approaches that are positively associated with the opportunity for HR to engage in strategic activities.

Edward E. Lawler III (CEO), Jay Jamrog (i4cp, Inc.), and John Boudreau (CEO) ask the question “What has been the effect of the recession on HR?” There is a lot of speculation about how it has affected the function, but little data exist on what has happened. Let’s look at two scenarios about might have happened and then look at some data that show which one seems to have occurred most frequently.