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Human resource management as key pillar of company strategy: Analysis of the line managers’ perception

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2018

Julio Navío-Marco ,
Marta Solórzano-García  and
Francisco J. Palencia-González
Julio Navío-Marco*
Affiliation:
Department of Business Organization, UNED, Madrid, Spain
Marta Solórzano-García
Affiliation:
Department of Business Organization, UNED, Madrid, Spain
Francisco J. Palencia-González
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Economics, UNED, Madrid, Spain
*
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The increasingly frequent involvement of companies’ line managers in human resource (HR) activities leads us to investigate the strategic value that these managers grant HR. This research focusses on the line managers’ perception of the strategic importance of HR, versus the perception of HR managers themselves, as a relevant factor in line managers’ own involvement within the execution of HR-related tasks. If line managers do not perceive the relevance and strategic importance of HR and its key role in the company’s strategy and performance, it is difficult to guarantee the managers’ commitment and effectiveness in HR management implementation. Based on interviews with HR development and line managers in 100 Spanish firms, we verified discrepancies in HR versus line managers’ perceptions, confirming that the assessment given by the line managers is slightly lower and, in turn, providing us with references to draw useful conclusions for a successful implementation of HR practices.

Keywords

HR managementline managersstrategyHR practicesemployee perceptions
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , March 2019 , pp. 175 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2018 

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