The findings from Ulrich et al (1995) in the US showed three kinds of HRM knowledge: knowledge of the business and the way strategies are acted out within organisations; knowledge of how to apply the 'professional' social science and technical knowledge of HRM; and knowledge of how to implement change. They found that:
Regardless of industry the pattern of HR competencies is similar (except for automotive). Management of change is most important and is followed by the delivery of HR practices which is, in turn, followed by knowledge of business.
The major difference in the automobile industry was that delivery of HR practices was least important, compared to change management and knowledge of the business. This corresponds with the views expressed on the new areas of HR knowledge which should be developed to meet the organisational and societal changes we now experience (Sparrow and Marchington, 1998). These were summarised as knowledge of strategic management, business process, organisation structure and organisation design linkages, the interdependencies of HR systems, transition management, psychological contracting, motivational processes, marketing principles, and trust and partnership building. One is struck by the strong emphasis on process in these descriptions of HR knowledge content, and by the references to applied social science knowledge.