Do We Need HR? (PDF)

Paul Sparrow is Director of the Centre for Performance-Led HR and Professor of International Human Resource Management at Lancaster University Management School. He has previously worked at Aston University, Warwick University, Sheffield University, and Manchester Business School. He has consulted with major multinationals, public sector organizations, and intergovernmental agencies and was an Expert Advisory Panel Member to the UK Government's Sector Skills Development Agency. He is on the Editorial Board of a number of leading HR journals and has published over 100 journal articles and chapters and several books. He is regularly voted amongst the Most Influential HR Thinkers by Human Resources Magazine, listed in the Top 10 Most Influential for 2014-15.

Martin Hird is a Fellow at the Centre for Performance-Led HR at Lancaster University Management School. He has worked in both higher education as a Business School Dean and in industry as a HR Director for companies that have included Bae Systems, Royal Mail and Tag-McLaren.

Sir Cary L. Cooper is Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University. He is the author of over 125 books, 400 scholarly articles, and a frequent contributor to national newspapers, TV, and radio. He is a Fellow of the (US) Academy of Management (having also won the 1998 Distinguished Service award) and of the British Academy of Management. In 2001 he was awarded a CBE for his contribution to organizational health. He is Chair of the Academy of Social Sciences (comprised of 46 learned societies and over 88,000 social scientists), President of the Institute of Welfare, and Immediate Past President of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. In 2014-15 he was ranked number 1 in the Most Influential HR Thinkers by Human Resources Magazine.

"This book starts asks a challenging question at a critical time for the HR function and profession - a time where the 'people agenda' has never been more important. Good people management is also good business management, and HR has the opportunity to step up and really establish its value and long term role. The authors take a long hard look at the structures and models of HR, challenge some of the ordained thinking, and propose ways in which HR needs to reposition itself to add value and really impact business performance. Something all HR practitioners, and indeed business leaders, should read."

-Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD

'In this important and provocative book, the authors - with precision and wisdom - show how current business issues (like innovation and customer centricity) can be addressed. They challenge outdated thinking and frameworks and describe what it would take for HR to be a worthy and credible partner to the CEO and CFO. A 'must read' for anyone determined to make a difference, build their competence, and hone their judgement.'

-Lynda Gratton, Professor of Management Practice, London Business School

"HR practitioners have struggled for decades to understand what their priorities should be. Do We Need HR? provides a new and clear answer that can rebuild the importance of that function."

-Peter Cappelli, George W. Taylor Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Human Resources, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

'Do we need HR? Not unless it adds value. This is not easy to demonstrate, for there are many ways to define 'value'. To assess any of them, there must be a tight linkage between HR processes and business strategy. Fortunately, the authors provide lots of thought-provoking questions, practical examples, and sound advice to address that fundamental issue.'

-Wayne F. Cascio, Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado; Robert H. Reynolds Chair in