What is the difference between research funded by the SHRM Foundation and research produced by the SHRM Research Department?
Both groups create and disseminate cutting edge HR research but there are differences in the target audience, time frame, and the nature of the research. The Research Department’s work is primarily practitioner focused while the Foundation funds research aimed primarily at an academic audience (with applicability for HR practice). The Research Department’s research is dynamic, responsive to current issues and produced within a short time period. The Foundation funds research as a long term investment, on topic areas that will have a lasting impact in on the field. The Foundation’s research typically (but not solely) tests theoretically derived hypotheses whereas the Research Department it is less likely to engage in hypothesis testing or controlled experiments in which one or more variable is manipulated.
