This text adopts a diagnostic approach to human resources management, setting up a diagnostic model consisting of four phases: assess conditions, set objectives, choose activities and evaluate results. The book examines how to make effective decisions about human resources by analyzing the prevailing pressures and issues facing managers. The new features of this edition includes discussion on external recruitment reflecting the latest developments using the World Wide Web to hunt for jobs and the latest data on growth of contingent workers, internal staffing and careers, and a new chapter providing the history of HRM.