In the United States today organizational leaders are concerned with skills gaps, or the limited availability of qualified workers to fill open positions. The reason for their concern is the impact of skills gaps on organizational performance in a number of areas including productivity, customer satisfaction, profitability, and the ability to expand. To address skills gaps, many leaders choose to employ workforce training and development. Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD) is a growing field of research and practice that aims to integrate and align training and development approaches with organizational strategy to improve organizational performance. However, there is inconsistent empirical support for the claim that SHRD positively affects organizational performance. The current study investigates this claim using structural equation modeling with scores from National Baldrige Award applicants. Organizations that apply to the National Baldrige Award utilize the Baldrige Framework for Performance Excellence (Baldrige Framework). The Baldrige Framework includes SHRD as part of a systematic approach to improving organizational performance. As such, organizations applying for the National Baldrige Award receive scores for the use of SHRD as well as organizational performance. The current study uses these scores to create a structural equation model that statistically illustrates organizational performance and SHRD's impact upon it. The results of the current study clearly illustrate that organizational performance is a construct comprised of multiple types of organizational results and that SHRD positively affects the construct of organizational performance. The results provide a causal inference between an increase in the use of SHRD and improved organizational performance. Therefore, if organizational performance is important, SHRD matters. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]