Steve Flynn has worked in Human Resources for the past 29 years, the last 11 as a Director of his function. He has worked in a wide variety of sectors including transport, heavy engineering, electronics, consultancy, food, soft drinks, chemicals and office supplies. He is a graduate of York and Durham Universities and lives with his wife and son in Bedfordshire. Strategy and operational practice seem to live in different worlds. It's not hard to find texts on HR strategy and others on HR practice. The former tend to be conceptual, lacking pragmatic application; whilst the latter are separate, disparate 'how to' books with limited insight on integrating the whole. This book bridges the gap and lands both on the same planet. By creating a framework of the different dimensions of HR strategy, along with organisational maturity levels, the author provides a roadmap to guide the professional traveller through both the strategic and operational territories. The day-to-day tools and techniques familiar to the HR practitioner and the line manager are presented in a coherent strategic framework. The book offers a structure that: • Integrates HR operational practices with strategy • Is relevant to all organisations at all stages of organisational development • Is a diagnostic tool • Provides a template for HR action This volume may be used in a number of ways. First, it may be taken as a descriptive text. Second, it may be utilised as a means of diagnosing the state of play of any one organisation. Third, it may be applied to any given HR department to see if it is 'in phase' or out of step with its client organisation. Fourth, given all of this, the volume may be used to craft relevant and congruent HR strategies and plans.