Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. What is strategy? -- 2. The external environment -- 3. Aligning human resource strategy within the organization -- 4. Human resource strategy as risk optimization -- 5. Human resource strategy: linkages, anchor points, and outcomes -- 6. Human resource strategy: communication and engagement -- 7. Outcomes of successful business and HR strategies -- 8. Future forces and trends driving HR strategy.

"This Short Introduction to Strategic Human Resource Management provides a concise treatment of the key elements of strategic HRM using an innovative risk-management approach. It emphasizes the importance of the decisions, processes and choices organizations make about managing people and shows how workforce management directly affects strategic organizational outcomes. It provides guidance for managers on how to make better human capital decisions in order to achieve strategic success more effectively. Reflecting an increasing uncertainty in global business, Cascio and Boudreau consider ways of dealing with risk in managing human capital. Numerous examples in every chapter illustrate key points with real business cases from around the world"-- Provided by publisher.