This chapter has traced the evolution of SHRM from its origins in the welfare tradition through to its more recent preoccupation with performance. While the lack of empirical evidence on the extent of investment in HRM in an Irish context was once lamented (Gun- nigle, 1998: 12), it is clear much has been done to address this defi ciency. This is refl ected in the emergence and status of SHRM as a specialist academic fi eld and its prominence in the teaching and research activities of business schools in Ireland today (Carbery et al., 2013). The professionalisation of SHRM is evidenced in CIPD membership numbers, which have grown from 672 in 1981 to over 5,500 in 2012. Yet academic and professional progress should not be read simplistically as implying success without challenge or tension. There is still much scope for continued discussion around such areas as the extent of diffusion of sophisticated SHRM prac- tices and their costs and benefi ts to organisations. Recent emphasis on employees is to be welcomed, although frequently lacking is an appreciation of how many of the decisions that are benefi cial for business strategy or the HR function may not necessarily be benefi - cial for employees. There is also still potential to explore the vital role of SHRM in the management of change, the interface between technology and SHRM, and also the continually evolving role of the HR function. Much of this research would benefi t from longitu- dinal insights that are rarely present in studies.
From a practice perspective there is the constant need to under- stand and develop the skill set required by the HR profession to manage such challenges. This also draws attention to the signifi - cant, but oft neglected, role of factors shaping the implementation of HR systems (Huselid and Becker, 2011), including acknowl- edging and dealing with legacy systems and path dependency (Monks and Loughnane, 2006). SHRM from this viewpoint would benefi t from a broader and more inclusive defi nition, including the understanding that the signifi cant contribution of the HR function stems from its ability not to offer universal blanket solutions, but to proactively anticipate and manage challenges. Overall, SHRM
clearly offers value in contributing to organisational success. Its role in sustaining that success and thereby sustaining its value will come not only from exploring linkages with innovation and change, but also through practising continuous innovation in the way SHRM is researched, understood and disseminated.
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