Aligning the Stars: How to Succeed When Professionals Drive Results. Jay W Lorsch and Thomas J. Tierney. Harvard Business School Press, 60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163. 234 pp. 2002. ISBN 1-57851-513-0. $29.95.

Every company relies on talent to succeed, but none so much as professional service firms. Within this rapidly expanding, trillion-dollar sector, people are more than valuable assets; they are the source of competitive advantage. In this book, academic Jay W. Lorsch and practitioner Thomas J. Tierney draw from research and long experience to provide a perspective on how to win in professional services. They argue that strategic success is achieved by building an organization of executive-level stars whose day-to-day performance achieves the goals of the business. Through real-world examples, the authors show how strong firms create and sustain success via strategy, people systems, structure and governance, culture, and leadership.