'Outstanding Book of the Year' Profiles DuPont and Baxter

03/03/2005

The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) recently named Leveraging the New Human Capital: Adaptive Strategies, Results Achieved, and Stories of Transformation, written by Sandra Burud and Marie Tumolo, 2005 Outstanding Book of the Year.

The Academy is a global organization of the Human Resource Development academic and scholarly community. The award is given to the book that most advances the theory and/or practice of the profession.

In the book, the authors examine four case studies. A DuPont press release quotes from the book: "The company's [DuPont] relationship with its employees has always been one of shared interests and reciprocal obligations, but the increasing diversity of the workforce, the family responsibilities of both men and women employees, and the company's need for employees to perform at higher levels than ever before has made alignment of interests more difficult. Using research data about its employees, DuPont is undergoing a transformation, creating a work environment that leverages all the enormous talent of its very diverse workforce."

The DuPont case study focuses on relying on skilled, diverse employees and accommodating their varied needs. The authors highlighted the progress made in Work/Life programs and initiatives. They quoted Willie Martin, vice president of Diversity and WorkLife and president of the North American region, as saying, "It is about creating a work environment where each person is valued and respected in the work they do. When people feel that all of who they are is valued, they produce more."

Amazon.com provides additional information about the book:

From the Inside Flap

The ideal worker in today's economy is a technically skilled individual willing to devote heart and mind--as well as hands--to drive results. At the same time, he or she must collaborate with peers and navigate the competing demands of the workplace and personal life. Gone is the singularly focused individual achiever of the Industrial Age.

To succeed in this new environment, companies must adopt five strategies to mobilize their key talent: choosing to invest in people, adopting new beliefs, redesigning organizational culture, transforming management practices, and coordinating beliefs, culture, and practice. In this book, Sandra Burud and Marie Tumolo present both a new, research-based theory of human capital management and the practical steps organizations must take to put the theory to work.

The experience of DuPont, Baxter International, SAS, and First Tennessee National Corporation demonstrate how these strategies are used in real-world situations and their effects on employee and organizational performance. Burud and Tumolo's ideas are introduced and reinforced by brief essays from guest authors Peter Senge, Robert Reich, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

Based on a research project funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and sponsored by the Drucker Graduate School of Management, LEVERAGING THE NEW HUMAN CAPITAL is a powerful call to action for executives, managers, and human resource directors in all types of organizations.

About the Authors

Sandra Burud, Ph.D., is visiting research faculty at the Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. Previously she was a consultant with clients such as Microsoft, Warner Bros., PG&E, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Burud coauthored "Employer-Supported Child Care: Investing in Human Resources," the first "how-to" book for employers about child care benefits. She is past president of the Alliance for Work-Life Progress and directed the organization's efforts to develop a professional certification for practitioners.

Marie Tumolo, Ph.D., has more than twenty years of experience working with organizations to improve performance and drive business results. She has been a management consultant with Gemini Consulting and KMPG LLP, and a vice president with Merrill Lynch & Co. Her client list includes Fortune 50, middle-market, and closely held companies. Tumolo has taught strategic management at California State University, Fullerton, and conducts research in the areas of human capital management and organizational effectiveness.