THE HR BUSINESS PARTNER’S ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OWNER-MANAGED ORGANIZATIONS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the role of the HR Business Partner (HRBP) in managing an owner-led company, using the example of a family-owned enterprise operating in the export sector. The study seeks to demonstrate how the HRBP supports the organization in the processes of professionalization, transformation of the management model, and shaping of organizational culture. A single-company case study was selected in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the HRBP role from different perspectives within the same environment. The study is based on literature concerning the development of the HRBP concept, from Ulrich’s classic model of the four HR roles to contemporary approaches, including those developed within the Human Resource Competency Study (HRCS). It also takes into account the specific characteristics of human resource management in family businesses, where values, relationships, and informal operating mechanisms play a key role. The research was qualitative
in nature. Four in-depth interviews were conducted with the owner, the successor, and two managers, and were supplemented by participant observation. The analysis was carried out using thematic coding, with reference to HRBP competency models, enabling the triangulation of perspectives. A key focus of the analysis was to understand how the HRBP can support organizational processes in an owner-managed company in the context of changes in the management model, the professionalization of HR activities, and the development of organizational culture. The study also sought to answer the following questions: what is the nature of the HRBP function within the organization, what is the significance of this role, what added value does cooperation bring, and what are the expectations for the future development of collaboration between HR and the business.