"This practical book explores the position of HR, asking pivotal questions such as: does making HR a separate business function still make sense? Should HR return to a narrower personnel role? Should key areas like talent management be relocated to leadership and management units outside of HR? The authors present a picture of what new lean HR structures might look like, arguing that in the tough current environment, HR could be facing diffusion or even disintegration as a result of new types of organizational design, business knowledge, and cross functional networks. Drawing upon exclusive research and interviews with HR directors, this expert author team examines the challenges facing HR departments and provides actionable advice for managers contemplating the nature of HR in their own organizations. "--