The Ulrich model wasn’t just a product of its time—it was a strategic failure from the start. CEOs didn’t just inherit it. They endorsed it. Scaled it. Protected it. And in doing so, they built HR systems optimized for compliance, not leadership.

Now, in a world defined by volatility, complexity, and cultural pressure, those same systems are collapsing under weight they were never designed to carry.
This isn’t an HR problem. It’s an executive decision that needs to be undone.

Moderna’s decision to merge its HR and tech departments is being hailed as innovative—but it reveals a deeper problem. Without redesigning HR’s structural role, AI integration risks scaling dysfunction, not solving it. This article challenges the illusion of transformation and makes the case for redefining HR as a center of power, not just process.