Las organizaciones se ven influidas por un entorno empresarial cada vez más dinámico, lo que las obliga a invertir parte de sus recursos en desarrollar las capacidades y habilidades de sus trabajadores. De esta manera, los empleados pueden hacer frente a cualquier cambio o innovación que se presente en cualquier momento. Por ello, destaca la importancia de las prácticas de recursos humanos como una herramienta al alcance de cualquier empresa y que permite a los trabajadores desarrollar de una manera efectiva sus conocimientos y las conductas apropiadas para el logro de los objetivos organizativos. Este trabajo se centra en analizar los sistemas de prácticas de recursos humanos denominados de alto compromiso y que buscan mejorar la relación entre la empresa y sus empleados, provocando que éstos se sientan más comprometidos, además de permitir a aquella la obtención de una ventaja competitiva. Así se persigue analizar los efectos que producen las prácticas de recursos humanos de alto compromiso en las empresas y de qué manera afecta el entorno empresarial a la hora de su implantación. La revisión de la literatura realizada pone de manifiesto la importancia que tiene un correcto diseño de estas prácticas siguiendo los principios de alineamiento y consistencia para garantizar el éxito de la empresa Palabras clave: recursos humanos, prácticas de alto compromiso, igualdad, competencia, desarrollo, conocimientos, habilidades, entorno.

Benchmarking has become a key tool in the water industry to promote and achieve performance targets for utilities. The use of this tool for performance improvement through systematic search and adaptation of leading practices, has expanded globally during the past decade. Many ongoing projects worldwide aim to address different needs and objectives, in varying contexts, with outstanding results and impact. Benchmarking Water Services provides valuable information to everyone interested in benchmarking in the water industry. The text is aimed at utilities considering joining a benchmarking project, experienced practitioners in charge of organizing a benchmarking exercise, consultants, regulators and researchers. The document is presented with a clear practice oriented approach and can be used as a how-to-benchmark guide presented from different perspectives (participants, organizers, supervising bodies). Readers will gain practical insight on real life benchmarking practices and will benefit from the experiences gained in some of the leading benchmarking projects of the water industry (including the IWA-WSAA benchmarking efforts, the European Benchmarking Co-operation and the several benchmarking projects carried out in Austria and Central Europe). The manual also presents the new IWA Benchmarking Framework, which aims to harmonize the terms used to describe benchmarking and performance indicators practices in the water industry, guaranteeing a more fluent and efficient communication. This Manual of Best Practice is edited by the IWA Specialist Group on Benchmarking and Performance Assessment, and co-published by AWWA and IWA Publishing. Praise for Benchmarking Water Services: "The continual trend of conceptual to specifics throughout the book provides for an educational experience each time the book is either casually perused or carefully studied." "The authors (Cabrera, Haskins and Fritiz) diligently pursue the focus of improvement." "Benchmarking Water Services is an in depth and practical ‘must have’ guide for any utility currently engaged in or planning to develop a benchmarking process" - Gregory M. Baird (2012) Benchmarking: An International Journal 19:2. More information about the book can be found on the Water Wiki in an article written by the author: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/TheNewIWABenchmarkingFramework A Spanish language version of this book is available as a free eBook: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/eBookTitlesfromIWAPublishingFreetoDownload-Volume2#HBenchmarkingParaServiciosdeAgua

Healthcare providers, consumers, researchers and policy makers are inundated with unmanageable amounts of information, including evidence from healthcare research. It has become impossible for all to have the time and resources to find, appraise and interpret this evidence and incorporate it into healthcare decisions. Cochrane Reviews respond to this challenge by identifying, appraising and synthesizing research-based evidence and presenting it in a standardized format, published in The Cochrane Library (www.thecochranelibrary.com). The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions contains methodological guidance for the preparation and maintenance of Cochrane intervention reviews. Written in a clear and accessible format, it is the essential manual for all those preparing, maintaining and reading Cochrane reviews. Many of the principles and methods described here are appropriate for systematic reviews applied to other types of research and to systematic reviews of interventions undertaken by others. It is hoped therefore that this book will be invaluable to all those who want to understand the role of systematic reviews, critically appraise published reviews or perform reviews themselves.

This book provides a set of principles for fostering innovation in people (workers and consumers), in firms and in government, taking an in-depth look at the scope of innovation and how it is changing, as well as where and how it is occurring.

"Valuable report based on the Ecuador Living Standard Measurement Survey (1994). Uses total consumption expenditures. Provides a baseline reference for future work. Contrast with INEC's basic needs survey (item #bi 97002637#)"--Handbook of Latin AmericanStudies, v. 57.