Edward E. Lawler III is Distinguished Professor of Business and Director of the Center for Effective Organizations in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. His most recent books include Creating a Strategic Human Resources Organization (Stanford University Press, 2003), and Human Resources Business Process Outsourcing (2004). John W. Boudreau is Professor of Management and Organization and Research Director of the Center for Effective Organizations, at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. Susan Albers Mohrman is Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.

"Achieving Strategic Excellence offers a unique and practical perspective based on solid research on how HR impacts business success. The inclusion of data from senior line managers adds a dose of reality to how the HR function has actually changed. This important work is a must-read for HR professionals as well as business leaders seeking to maximize human capital." - Daryl D. David, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Washington Mutual, Inc. "This latest update of CEO's longitudinal HR study provides almost a decade of perspective on the challenges and changes in the HR function. HR leaders in all industries and stages of career experience will find Lawler, Mohrman, and Boudreau's conclusions insightful and provocative with some interesting twists. The strategic HR journey continues . . ." - Mary Eckenrod, Chair Elect, The Human Resource Planning Society; Vice President, Global Talent Management, Kraft Foods