Andrew Thomson OBE is a professor at the Open University Business School, where he was the first Dean. He was chairman of Council of University Management Schools from 1985 to 1987, of the Joint SERC-ESRC Committee from 1985 to 1988, and of the British Academy of Management from 1990 to 1993.

Christopher Mabey is Head of the Centre for Human Resource and Change Management at the Open University Business School, where he lectures and leads action research projects examining how companies successfully orchestrate change, especially HR strategies.

John Storey is Professor of Human Resource Management at the Open University Business School. He is editor of the Human Resource Management Journal.

Colin W. J. A. Gray is a senior lecturer and, until recently, the Director of External Affairs at the Open University Business School. He is also Deputy Director-General of the Small Business Research Trust and a board member of the Institute for Small Business Affairs.

Paul Iles is Professor of Human Resource Development and Head of the Liverpool Centre for Human Resource Development at John Moores University. He is a chartered psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and Fellow of the Institute for Personnel and Development.