SPHR Exam Prep: Senior Professional in Human Resources, Third Edition

Chapter 1. Business Management and Strategy (BM & S)

There is a familiar saying that goes something like this: “Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen, and some people wonder what happened.” In our profession, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to choose which of those paths we will follow. Although this choice holds true for every functional area within HR (and for every chapter of this book), it is particularly true of strategic management.

The Evolving Role of HR

HR has been on a long and sometimes challenging journey through which it has redefined itself as a profession and redefined itself with respect to its role in the organization. Before we focus more explicitly on HR’s current role and impact, let’s briefly ...