Author: Michael Armstrong
Price: £35
Publisher: Kogan Page
Pages: 982
ISBN: 0749446315
If any book is a contender for one of the standard references of the HR profession, this is it. The 10th edition is the latest for a book that first made its appearance in 1977.
It covers just about everything that might be considered broadly relevant to practising HR. The downside is that the breadth of the book means not every aspect can be covered in depth.
In dealing with a wide range of topics in this way, it seeks to map the relief of the HR field so that busy people can gain a rapid and clear feel for a particular area. The text operates more as a start rather than an end point in an information search.
What’s more, it has a tendency to take a mainstream, managerial stance. This is reasonable, given its ‘Handbook’ and ‘Practice’ labels. It does mean, however, that it doesn’t always address the ever-increasing volume of literature available on HRM. There isn’t an extensive further reference summary within the book, so readers have to follow up on leads or suggested authors themselves.
It would be safe to say, however, that every HR practitioner would benefit from having this on their shelves.
Useful? Five out of five stars
Well-written? Four out of five stars
Practical? Four out of five stars
Inspirational? Two out of five stars
Value for money? Five out of five stars
Overall Four out of five stars
Reviewed by Peter Stokes, principal lecturer/division leader, Lancashire Business School, University of Central Lancashire
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