FACTORS AFFECTING STRATEGIC PARTNER ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS IN SRI LANKA.

Abstract

As companies embrace globalization, technology and competitiveness, it has increased the pressure of organisations. As the modem business faces the pressures of globalization, the roles and responsibilities of Human Resource Department are transforming as the expectation of the Human Resource function is rapidly increasing. Even though the business requirement is to become a strong strategic partner, it evidence contradicting results in the business context. Most organisations view their Human Resource function as an administrative function and ignore the importance of Human Resource been a strategic partner. This ongoing argument on the HR managers' value addition to the business, in a strategic sense, encouraged the researcher to focus on this study. Several studies have been conducted across the world with increasing importance of the Human Resource function, value addition of Human Resource managers and the competitiveness to the organization. Very limited similar studies have been conducted in Sri Lanka context to examine the contributory factors of Human Resource professionals' becoming strategic partners. This study has been dedicated in order to full fill the gap in existing knowledge in Sri Lankan context and also to bridge the gap between the Human Resource managers in becoming a strategic partners. III This study examines the factors affecting strategic partner role of Human Resource managers in Sri Lanka. The objectives were to identify the personal factors, contextual factors and the external factors that affect the strategic partner role of Human resources Managers. The scope of the research was limited to ten (10) Heads of Human Resource in organizations listed in several listings in Sri Lanka. The Study adopted the general qualitative research methodology using the constructivism paradigm. A semi structured interview was conducted in order to collect data, and all the interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded. Open coding, selective coding was done in order to get the final framework. The study revealed that Human Resource Professional Apt, Well Integrated Human Resource Processes and Vibrant HR Practices are the direct factors, whilst External Environment Dynamics, High Dependency of People, Structure, Culture, Processes and Top Management Recognition of Strategic Human Resource Management was resulted as moderating factors. Human Resource professional Apt consist of Human Resource Business competencies, including knowledge skills and attitudes of the Human Resource Managers, Executive Personality, Professional Business Experience / Exposure. The High Dependency factors are People, Structure, Culture and Processes. External Environment Dynamics are economical landscape, environment change, political dynamics, national and local cultures, technological changes, social context and the IV country. Top Management Recognition of Strategic Human Resource Management includes management support and their awareness of the HR function. Most of the Human resource Managers of Sri Lanka are getting involved in the organization strategy and are in the process of building the strategic partner role, where as they will have to be more alert in terms of business as well as on HR and should develop upgrading the function as a whole to win that strategic credibility.