Chapter 5 - HRM as a strategic business partner: The contributions of strategic agility, knowledge management and management development in multinational enterprises – empirical insights from India

Abstract

Strategic human resource management theories have long argued for a more proactive role for human resource management professionals. From a strategic management perspective, this role is especially critical for multinational enterprises operating in complex and dynamic business environments. From a thorough review of the strategic management and strategic human resource management literatures, the links between strategic human resource management and three key strategic variables, namely strategic agility, knowledge management and management development, were evaluated and developed. These linkages were empirically assessed using a qualitative methodology with 26 well-established Indian and foreign multinational enterprises operating in India that were purposely identified for the study. The findings provide underpinning to the assessed linkages and present theoretical and practical implications of the strategic business partner roles for human resource management.