Adding value through integration and involvement: a qualitative study about management s perception of the added value of the HR function.

This article explores the added value of HRM in general and more specifically in decision-making processes. While in the literature a great deal of attention is devoted to the diverse roles and activities of HRM, very little information is provided about the involvement of HRM in the organization's decision-making processes. An integrated model for the managers' perceptions of the added value of HRM has been developed based on interviews with 97 HR-directors, 30 top managers and 178 line managers of companies located in Belgium. This model permits to profile the HR-function using two variables: On the one hand HR-roles referring to the domains in which HRM may have an added value and on the other hand HR-positions referring to the degree of involvement of HRM in decision-making processes.