In order to maintain development and competitiveness in the long run, organizations maintain extensive human resources functions.
Jay Alden, director of the Center for the Study of Future Management at the University of Maryland, organizes HR into the areas shown below: (Rosenberg, 1990) 

Human Resources Development is dedicated to improving the performance of individuals.
Organizational Development: is dedicated to improving the performance of groups.
Human Resources Management is dedicated to managing the performance of individuals and groups.
Environmental Engineering is dedicated to providing the tools and facilities that support improved performance.

Human Performance Managers have experienced a change in role and HPTs managers have become the advocate of the Human Performance Technologies Departments in organizations. 

A strong and effective manager is needed to lead the improvement and development across the company."The goal of human resources management is to enhance the productive contribution of employees to the organization" (Stolovitch, Keeps,& Rodrigue, 1999, p.659).

As Human Resources Departments have grown in size and complexity, in order to accomplish their goal, Human Performance Technologies Managers need to focus on social goals, organizational goals, functional goals, and employees'personal goals. Human resources management specialists have no direct decision power or influence on personnel behavior but they advise or counsel line managers. Their responsibilities include supervision and leadership, compensation planning, benefits, employee relations, succession planning and personnel selection. 

Targeting to the improvement of the entire organization, the multiple functions of HPT managers are both generalist and specialist. In their new role, these professionals attend to all organizational aspects of employee management and employee relations, and at the same time they address specific aspects of human resource management.

Maria Kazinou,

Graduate Student
Department of Educational Technology, SDSU