This book gives senior managers and HR practitioners the insight and tools they need to transform the human resources function from a transaction-based commodity service to consultant and strategic partner: presents the views of senior executives on how external pressures are causing internal changes to the business and what the implications are for HR; explains how and why the role of HR is changing; shows how HR can play a central role in helping organizations to manage change effectively; outlines HR processes and systems to create and support a high-performance organization; features contributions from leading HR practitioners; and includes case studies of companies that are successfully re-inventing their HR function, and their business. (text from the publisher)