Book excerpt: With a huge proportion of organizations' expenditure related to their human resources and recent economic pressures making companies more lean that ever, it has never been more important for HR professionals to think and act strategically, and turn their people planning into profit. Focused on HR as a key tool for competitive advantage and sustainable success, "HR Strategy" demonstrates how to develop a winning human resource strategy working backwards from the results you want to see towards a workable, measurable plan for managing human capital. Tap into the needs of individual employees to unleash their maximum value with this concise, easy-to-read book that takes a practical, how-to approach, covering the wide-angle theory and the day-to-day practice. This new edition includes: updated case studies to demonstrate strategies work in different organizational contexts; thorough revision throughout to incorporate the latest theories, developments, tools and measures; increased focus on the questions you need to ask yourself about your organization's drivers and values in order to make real changes from the ground level up. Paul Kearns is a respected HR strategy consultant and recognised authority in measuring the financial impact of human capital strategies. He has taught HR-business strategy at MBA level for over 10 years and has a growing reputation in the UK and worldwide, as seen by his appearance in "HR Magazine's" Most Influential list of 2008. This new edition features updated case studies and thorough revision throughout to incorporate the latest theories, developments, tools and measures. It comes now with increased focus on the questions you need to ask yourself about your organization's drivers and values in order to make real changes from the ground level up. It is written by recognised leading consultant featured in "HR Magazine's" Most Influential list of 2008