Linking Human Resource And Business Strategies

Abstract

In preparing for this talk, I tried to recall the number of speeches I have heard on this subject. I probably missed a few along the way but 1 came up with 13; seven at HRPS conferences and six elsewhere. So I said to myself, “What on earth can I possibly add to what those other 13 already have said without offending the people who gave the previous talks?” After thinking about it for a while I decided to report on some recent research with which I have been involved over the last couple of years under the sponsorship of the Society. It involves a series of case studies at American Hospital Supply, Corning Glass Works, IBM, Merck, and Ontario Hydro. I will use these studies (as well as some supporting consulting experiences) to identify what seem to me to be major issues in the linkage process and to point out where I think the major linkage points are. I will then report briefly on a short survey I have done with personnel and other managers who have been successful in making this linkage work.

Lee Dyer presents his strategy to identify nine linking points where human resource planning can affect business goals. He discusses how to recognize and take advantage of these linkages to promote integration of the HR plan with overall business strategy. Lee Dyer is with Cornell University.