First published in 1977, this Routledge Revival is a reissue of the first comprehensive sociological study of the role of the personnel manager, which considers both the individual experience of the person working in this field and the role the occupation plays in the management of employing organizations.

In the process of studying the individual experience and the organisational and social contributions of personnel managers, the book represents a step towards a sociology of work which draws on and contributes to the mainstream of sociological theory.