Here is a classic HR way of thinking that dooms companies to the second tier level:  let's use survey data and the HR "best practices" of others to guide our policies and set our vision for the future.   By the time your organization figures out how to implement these best practices, the real HR leaders have already moved on. 

What exactly is Human Resources' role and what impact does it have on the organization? Perspectives often vary depending on whom you ask, the level of interaction with HR, and with whom in HR one has interacted.  It becomes even more inconsistent, as the range of support that HR provides varies greatly depending on the stage at which the organization is.  Is this a perception-based issue or simply the lack of identity or consistency within the HR function?