The Modern Human Resources Department - 1361 Words

This article discusses the foundations of the modern human resources department and covers the three historical periods of development to where modern human resources has evolved. There are three main historical periods that are discussed including - pre-industrial, bureaucratic, and high performance. All three of these periods have played a vital role in the field of Human Resources. The pre-industrial period ended with the revolutionary war. This time period saw a lack of human resource management due to â€Å"inequality, inflexibility and misalignment that would be unimaginable today.† Slavery and indentured servitude were common throughout the American colonies and the only means to learn a trade were through apprenticeships which†¦show more content†¦During this period there was growth in support for free market ideology and a balance begin in managerial structuring. This article is an interview with a single-person Human Resource Manager and the purpose is to highlight the relationship between a person’s professional brand and what affect the position can have on a person’s whole life and the Human Resources has played in it. The article utilizes the â€Å"seven images of self-identity† theory from Alvesson (2010) and hopes to show how a person deals with the stresses of career/life balance and how constant changes effect both. The author used this structure to look at the interpretation of the subject’s life through each of these seven images. The author utilizes in depth interviews with the subject Betty, a 30-year old married human resources professional with no children that works in the technology industry, to map the self-identity of the subject and how they struggle to find themselves both personally and professionally. The article discusses the feelings that Betty experiences and the difficulties she has to es tablish her personal and professional self and the challenges that exist as she continues to deal with the stresses and self-doubt associated with her professional life. The author also theorizes that Betty, as a part of the working middle-class, has certain ideals and looks to find a balance