Making short, sharp interventions

All of the projects in these case studies illustrate the importance of good project management disciplines. Without clear planning and a real sense of energy and momentum, the cultural differences between the BP and Apache organizations might have delayed the integration of the Forties operation and eroded the expected benefits - a common failure when it comes to mergers and acquisitions more generally. Similarly, the MoD's resettlement programme was just the kind of initiative to get bogged down in red tape, but was up and running within a very short space of time. Moreover, it was not enough for the department to offer counselling: the service men and women needed a network of offices and resources, backed up by slick administration, if they were to be able to compete effectively in the job market. As Apache's and the MoD's experience demonstrates, HR work is shifting from the continuous maintenance of an organization's ‘steady state' to project-based work. Getting things done - to use Apache's words - and getting them done fast is one of the most important ways in which the HR function has been reinventing itself.