| The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which an HR consultant could influence small business leaders in formulating a human resource based strategy to establish a sustained competitive advantage for the business. A survey instrument was administered, through QuestionPro, to 92 small business leaders who worked in companies with less than 500 employees and had at least one employee report to himor her. A multiple regression was conducted to analyze the data collected from the survey. There was a statistically, positive relationship found for all four research questions including (1) what is the relationship between the degree of an HR consultant's acceptance as a trusted advisor and sustainable competitive advantage (2) what is the relationship between an HR consultant's knowledge of strategic management and sustainable competitive advantage, (3) what is the relationship between HR Architecture and sustainable competitive advantage, and (4) what is the relationship between the degree of an HR consultant's acceptance as a trusted advisor, an HR consultant's knowledge of strategic management, HR Architecture, and sustainable competitive advantage? The study provides a value proposition to both HR consultants and small business leaders and has narrowed the gap in the literature on the role an HR consultant can play with helping small business leaders to align the HR architecture of a company with a differentiation competitive strategy used to establish and sustain competitive advantage. |
