SHRM 54th Annual Conference & Exposition Highlights - Philadelphia - Society for Human Resource Management - Brief Article

HR Magazine, June, 2002

Philadelphia has a rich historic tradition as a city where people come to meet, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) also has a tradition of presenting the biggest and the best HR conference. If you meld these two traditions together, you have a recipe for one of the most exciting learning and networking events available to HR professionals.

The opportunity to meet and learn from the best and the brightest in the HR profession during the world's largest HR conference comes around only once a year. So don't miss your chance to be a part of the SHRM 54th Annual Conference and Exposition, June 23-26 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

Literally thousands of HR professionals will attend the SHRM 54th Annual Conference, which crams more than 200 hours of educational programming and networking events into a three-and-a-half-day period. In addition, more than 700 exhibitors will demonstrate the latest HR products and services at the HRM Marketplace Exposition.

During the conference, attendees will have the chance to bolster their knowledge and understanding of HR management as well as to build and reinforce professional networks that will help them and their organizations to grow and succeed.

What Is SHRM?

SHRM is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 165,000 individual members, the Society serves HR professionals by providing the most essential and comprehensive set of resources available. As an influential voice, SHRM is committed to advancing the human resource profession to ensure that HR is an essential and effective partner in developing and executing organizational strategy. Founded in 1948, SHRM currently has more than 500 affiliated chapters within the United States and members in more than 120 countries.

The Society also is a founding member of the North American Human Resource Management Association as well as the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations. For more information on how to become a member of SHRM, call the Member/Customer Service Department at (800)283-SHRM, (703) 548-3440, TDD: (703) 548-6999 or send an e-mail to: custsvc@shrm.org.

Masters Series Returns

This marks the eighth year that the Masters Series will be presented during the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition. The Masters Series features internationally known experts in the field of organizational management. Starting Monday, June 24, the thought-provoking and informative sessions will be held each day of the conference. (Participants may choose to attend one Masters Series session in lieu of two concurrent sessions.) The Masters Series is sponsored by the SHRM Foundation.

On Monday, June 24, David Ulrich, Ph.D., professor of HR management at the University of Michigan, will kick off this year's Masters Series with a presentation titled "What's Next for HR?" During his session, Ulrich, who has been called one of the top 10 educators in business management will explore how the HR profession might change over the new few years. This will be Ulrich's final speaking engagement at an SHRM conference before taking a three-year sabbatical from teaching.

Albert H Segrs, Ph.D., a professor of management with the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will be the featured speaker Tuesday, June 25. Segars' presentation is titled "Help Wanted: Creating a New Role for HR through Technology and Business Process." In this session, Segars will discuss how the strategic value of human resource Management lies in the recruitment, development and retention of people. He will demonstrate and explore how new forms of technology and innovative process design now offer HR departments an innovative process design true strategic partner within their organizations.

The conference's concluding Masters Series session Wednesday, June 26, will feature Deborah M. Kolb, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Gender in Organizations, Simmons Graduate School of Management in Boston. Kolb's presentation is titled "The Shadow Negotiation: Using Strategic Moves to Even the Odds." Drawing on her extensive research, Kolb will demonstrate how skilled negotiators use strategic moves in "shadow" or side negotiations to tip the odds of success in their favor--and do so in ways that promote effective problem solving.

New at This Year's Conference

The SHRM Business Academy is a brand-new educational program being offered at this year's conference and is designed to enhance the business skills and knowledge of HR professionals. Program participants will strive to become better business partners, enhance their organizations' effectiveness and advance their own careers. The Business Academy is a 1-1/2 day program scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 22, and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 23.

During the conference, SHRM and the Wharton School also are offering a new certificate program on strategic decision making and human resources. This interactive four-day program will be held Saturday, June 22, through Tuesday, June 25, and will focus on the connections between strategic decision making and HR management practices. The program is designed to provide participants with a variety of ideas and techniques to strategically improve information management and problem solving in their organizations.