What's Inside . . . A Framework for Human Resource Management, Third Edition, provides students and practicing managers with a brief and lucid 10-chapter review of the central HR management concepts and techniques in a highly readable and understandable form. New "strategy openers" illustrate how each chapter's material relates to a company's strategic plan, and a new "HR framework" in each chapter summarizes the role of that chapter's material in the human resource management process. New and additional end-of-chapter cases provide additional opportunities for classroom analysis and discussions of HR management concepts and techniques. A new global HR management appendix provides an intense review of managing HR in a global enterprise.

A Framework for Human Resource Managementprovides students and practicing managers with a concise but thorough review of essential HR management concepts and techniques in a highly readable and understandable form. Adopters are using this book in many ways--as the textbook in introductory HR courses (as in intensive study abroad programs), in conjunction with exercises in applied HR courses, with complementary textbooks in courses blending several topics (such as HR and organization behavior), in specialized courses (such as "HR for high-tech companies"), and by practicing HR and line managers to update their HR-related skills. I am grateful to the professors, students, managers, and Prentice Hall sales associates who have helped make this a top-selling book, not only in English but also in several languages including Chinese. Given this gratifying acceptance, you will find this new edition similar in most respects to edition 2. All managers have personnel-related responsibilities, so I've again aimed this book at all students of management, not just those who are or will be HR managers. The basic theme--to provide a concise but thorough review of core HR concepts and techniques--is unchanged. The table of contents and topic coverage is about the same. However, in the interests of continuous improvement I have made several changes. The research and topics throughout all the chapters have, of course, been updated to reflect the latest findings and thinking in the HR field. In addition: Newstrategy openersillustrate how that chapter's material relates to the company's strategic plan, and a newHR frameworkin each chapter summarizes the role of that chapter's material in the human resource management process. A newly revised Chapter 9,Ethics and Fair Treatment in Human Resource Management,provides a comprehensive and practical explanation of how ethics and fair treatment underlie line and HR managers' HR-related decisions. A revised Chapter 6,Performance Management and Appraisal,emphasizes the role of performance appraisal within the company'sperformance managementefforts. New and additionalend-of-chapter casesprovide additional opportunities for classroom analysis and discussions of HR management concepts and techniques. A newManaging HR Globally Moduleprovides an intense review of managing HR in a global enterprise. No book like this ever reaches the light of day without the dedicated efforts of many people, andFrameworkis, of course, no exception. First, I want to acknowledge and thank the reviewers who took the time to make many very useful suggestions. The reviewers included Benjamin Bekhor, Pasadena City College; Rich Cober, Cleveland State University; Susan Gardner, California State University, Chico; Caren Goldberg, George Washington University; Kelly Anne Grace, Georgia Institute of Technology; MaryAnne Hyland, Adelphi University; Thomas Kanick, Broome Community College; Kathryn Lewis, California State University, Chico; Daniel O. Lybrook, Purdue University; Gwen Torkelson, Madison Area Technical College; Pamela R. Johnson, Ph.D., California State University, Chico; and Patrick McHugh, George Washington University. I am very grateful to them all. At Prentice Hall, I appreciate the efforts of all the professionals on the third edition team, including acquisitions editor Jennifer Simon, marketing manager Anka Braun, production editors Kelly Warsak and Brittney Corrigan-McElroy, and assistant editor Christine Genneken, and my debt continues to Natalie Anderson, who suggested I write what has become this very successful book. At home, I appreciate all my wife Claudia's support, and my son Derek's support, assistance, and practical suggestions.