William Rothwell honored with the ASTD Distinguished Contribution Award in Workplace Learning and Performance. The definitive guide to a timely and timeless topic-- now fully revised and updated. As baby boomers continue to retire en masse from executive suites, managerial offices, and specialized or technical jobs, the question is—who will take their places? This loss of valuable institutional memory has made it apparent that no organization can afford to be without a strong succession program. Now in its fourth edition, Effective Succession Planning provides the tools organizations need to establish, revitalize, or revise their own succession planning and management (SP&M) programs. The book has been fully updated to address challenges brought on by sea changes such as globalization, recession, technology, and the aftereffects of the terror attacks. It features new sections on identifying and assessing competencies and future needs; management vs. technical succession planning; and ethics and conduct; and new chapters on integrating recruitment and retention strategies with succession planning programs. This edition incorporates the results of two extensive new surveys, and includes a Quick Start guide to help begin immediate implementation as well as a CD-ROM packed with assessments, checklists, customizable guides, and other practical tools.