Martin McCracken

Human resource business partnering is an established mechanism for the advancement of strategic HR. While much research has reported on relationships between partners (HRBPs) and line managers, relationships between partners and other aspects of the HR function are less well understood, as is the interplay between HRBP‐LMP and HRBP‐HR relationships. Through the use of paradox theory and case study methodology centred on a large public sector health care authority, we found these two sets of relationships to be operating paradoxically within an operational frame of reference, thereby constraining the establishment of strategic partnering.

The human resources business partner (HRBP) role is advocated as a way for human resource (HR) professionals and the HR profession to become more strategic and less transactional, necessitating the development of different competencies. Few researchers have examined how the HRBP Model plays out in practice, over time, from the perspective of HR professionals and their line manager partners (LMPs). We collected data through interviews and focus groups with both these stakeholders at three UK organisations to understand the dynamics of the individual HRBP–LMP relationship. After analysing the data, we propose an HRBP Lifecycle Model. The model suggests the relationship between the parties is dynamic, complex and dependent upon the organisational culture as well as the skills and competencies of the main stakeholders in the partnership.

The Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) role is advocated as a way for Human Resource (HR) professionals and the HR profession to become more strategic and less transactional, necessitating the development of different competencies. Little research has examined how the HRBP Model plays out in practice, over time, from the perspective of these HR professionals and their line manager partners (LMPs). We collected data through interviews and a focus group with HR professionals and LMPs from three UK organizations at different stages of their HRBP evolution. After analyzing this data we propose a HRBP-LMP Life Cycle Model. The Model suggests the relationship between the parties is dynamic, complex and is dependent upon the organizational culture as well as the competencies of the main stakeholders in the partnership. Ultimately, depending on these factors, our research indicated that the partnership may take three different paths.

Graduates are deemed to be a key source of talent within many organisations and thus recruiting, developing and retaining them is viewed as a logical talent management (TM) strategy. However, there has been little attention paid to university graduates as part of an organisation’s TM strategy. Such a specific focus addresses the need for further research into the segmentation of talent pools and the specific challenges different talent pools are likely to create. This research, which utilised a qualitative data collection strategy, examined the experiences and practices of six large UK organisations in relation to graduate TM. Drawing from Gallardo-Gallardo, Dries and González-Cruz’s (2013. What is the meaning of ‘talent’ in the world of work? Human Resource Management Review, 23, 290–300.) framework for the conceptualisation of talent, the findings from this research indicate and explain why graduate employers are frequently compelled to use the object approach (talent as characteristics of people) due to the unique characteristics that recent graduates possess, even though other studies have found that a subject approach (talent as people and what they do) is preferred by most employers. Ultimately, employers conceptualise graduate talent by what they describe as ‘the edge’ which needs to be ‘sharpened’ to fully realise the potential that graduates offer.

Shared services arrangements have been increasing in prominence in the human resource (HR) field. Whilst much of the existing HR literature has focused on internally managed shared services arrangements, this paper reports on the experiences of a public sector organisation that established an outsourced HR shared services arrangement. Using the theoretical underpinnings of the resource-based view of the firm, transaction cost economics as well as organisational change the paper provides insights into how a public sector organisation implemented an outsourced HR shared services arrangement. The key findings from the study illustrated that whilst organisations may benefit from using external vendors to provide HR shared services arrangements, to truly facilitate the achievement of a HR function, which is able to make a strategic contribution to the organisation, they need to ensure that key internal stakeholders are fully engaged with throughout the process.

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the personal and organisational factors that affected public sector managers' participation in leadership training programmes and their ability to transfer learning to their workplace.Design/methodology/approach: In‐depth interviews were conducted with five Canadian and five Northern Irish managers who participated in one‐day leadership training programmes.Findings: The uncertain environment throughout the public sector was the greatest inhibitor to training participation and transfer. However, other training characteristics and training design features were also noted (e.g. motivation, trainer influence).Practical implications: Public sector organisations must take concrete steps to address current environmental challenges to fully benefit from leadership training programmes. The paper highlights pre‐, during, and post‐training strategies that can be implemented.Originality/value: The findings illustrate that leaders in both public sector jurisdictions face similar issues and these have been exacerbated by the current turbulent climate. The authors suggest that to maximise return on training investment the public sector must create an environment supportive of training participation and transfer and suggest recommendations to help organisations in the future. These findings were facilitated by the use of qualitative training evaluation methods, not traditionally used in training transfer research.

Reflective learning journals (RLJs), containing qualitative data from 75 union and non-union participants in a leadership development programme, were examined in order to assess their utility as a mechanism for facilitating transfer, assessing transfer and evaluating training. The findings suggest that (1) organizational training can benefit from using reflective tools, such as RLJs, to both evaluate training effectiveness and enhance transfer and (2) qualitative techniques provide an alternative and engaging methodology for researchers to use for training evaluation and transfer research.