HRs Strategic Role in a VUCA Environment: Navigating Barriers to Enable Future Contribution
(2025) MGTN59 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- This study investigates the evolving strategic role of Human Resources (HR) in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. By comparing perspectives of HR-leaders and CEOs, HR’s strategic contribution is explored, as well as the barriers limiting its influence and the priorities needed for driving increased organisational success. A qualitative, comparative approach was applied using semi-structured interviews with 10 HR-leaders and 6 CEOs across varying industries in the private sector. The research follows an abductive approach, integrating insights from empirical data with elements from established theoretical frameworks.
The findings highlight HR-leaders’ growing recognition as strategic partners,... (More) - This study investigates the evolving strategic role of Human Resources (HR) in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. By comparing perspectives of HR-leaders and CEOs, HR’s strategic contribution is explored, as well as the barriers limiting its influence and the priorities needed for driving increased organisational success. A qualitative, comparative approach was applied using semi-structured interviews with 10 HR-leaders and 6 CEOs across varying industries in the private sector. The research follows an abductive approach, integrating insights from empirical data with elements from established theoretical frameworks.
The findings highlight HR-leaders’ growing recognition as strategic partners, particularly when demonstrating business understanding and building relationships based on trust. However, differing expectations between HR-leaders and CEOs, along with barriers, such as narrow and outdated perceptions, structural limitations, skill gaps and cultural resistance still hinder influence at its full potential. HR can contribute meaningfully through prioritising a culture of trust and adaptability and ensure long-term business success. To enable this, the alignment between organisational goals and HR practices must be strong. HR-leaders and CEOs agree that HR needs to develop its strategic role, however, they differ in perspectives on how this can be achieved. While HR-leaders often view their contribution as proactive, CEOs tend to focus on HRs value through specific competencies or outcomes. Aligning these views and clarifying expectations is crucial for enabling HR’s contribution to long-term business success. Through offering a dual-perspective on HR’s strategic influence, the study adds to existing literature and offers practical guidance of how HR-leaders and professionals can better support adaptability and long-term business success in a VUCA environment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9206999
- author
- Lundquist, Mikaela LU and Hammar, Astrid LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MGTN59 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- VUCA Environment, Strategic Human Resource Management, HR Leadership, HR Competencies, Organisational Alignment
- language
- English
- id
- 9206999
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-30 14:41:45
- date last changed
- 2025-07-08 15:34:06
@misc{9206999,
abstract = {{This study investigates the evolving strategic role of Human Resources (HR) in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. By comparing perspectives of HR-leaders and CEOs, HR’s strategic contribution is explored, as well as the barriers limiting its influence and the priorities needed for driving increased organisational success. A qualitative, comparative approach was applied using semi-structured interviews with 10 HR-leaders and 6 CEOs across varying industries in the private sector. The research follows an abductive approach, integrating insights from empirical data with elements from established theoretical frameworks.
The findings highlight HR-leaders’ growing recognition as strategic partners, particularly when demonstrating business understanding and building relationships based on trust. However, differing expectations between HR-leaders and CEOs, along with barriers, such as narrow and outdated perceptions, structural limitations, skill gaps and cultural resistance still hinder influence at its full potential. HR can contribute meaningfully through prioritising a culture of trust and adaptability and ensure long-term business success. To enable this, the alignment between organisational goals and HR practices must be strong. HR-leaders and CEOs agree that HR needs to develop its strategic role, however, they differ in perspectives on how this can be achieved. While HR-leaders often view their contribution as proactive, CEOs tend to focus on HRs value through specific competencies or outcomes. Aligning these views and clarifying expectations is crucial for enabling HR’s contribution to long-term business success. Through offering a dual-perspective on HR’s strategic influence, the study adds to existing literature and offers practical guidance of how HR-leaders and professionals can better support adaptability and long-term business success in a VUCA environment.}},
author = {{Lundquist, Mikaela and Hammar, Astrid}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{HRs Strategic Role in a VUCA Environment: Navigating Barriers to Enable Future Contribution}},
year = {{2025}},
}