[Excerpt] The idea that an organization's people represent a key strategic resource is widely accepted. The business press is filled with examples of top executives proclaiming how important it is to engage people's minds and spirits in the quest for competitive advantage (Boudreau & Ramstad, 1997; Boudreau, 1996). There is also mounting scientific evidence that certain "bundles" of "high-performance" work practices (e.g., performance-contingent pay, team-based work structures, selective recruitment and hiring, extensive training, etc.) are associated with higher organizational financial performance (Becker & Huselid, forthcoming; Ichniowski, Arthur, MacDuffie, Welbourne & Andrews).