Why is organizing human resource development so problematic?

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob F. Poell ◽  
Ferd Van Der Krogt
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Important Field ◽  
Training Courses

Purpose Human resource development (HRD) is an important field within management. Developing employees is often regarded as an instrument to improve the internal labor market and support organizational change. Organizing HRD to these ends, however, is frequently a problematic affair, in terms of training effectiveness, participant motivation and added value. This study, which consists of two parts, aims to investigate the question of why this is the case. In this second part, two specific aspects of the learning-network theory are elaborated: multiple experiences in organizations forming the basis of employee learning and development, and different actor strategies for organizing HRD. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a conceptual framework to argue that one of the main reasons why organizing HRD is problematic lies in the limited and one-sided conceptualization of organizing HRD that is often used. Findings Organizing HRD is mostly viewed as designing training courses and instruction sessions for employees; it is also predominantly understood as a tool of management. The paper proposes a network perspective on organizing HRD, which is better able to guide organizational actors than other approaches can, by taking into account a broader set of HRD practices and viewing employees (besides managers) as key stakeholders. Originality/value The study argues that organizing HRD needs to take into account learning experiences that employees can gain from participating in work and career development as well (besides formal training); moreover, that employees’ HRD strategies are at least as important as those used by line managers and HR practitioners.

Why is organizing human resource development so problematic?

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob F. Poell ◽  
Ferd van der Krogt
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Network Theory ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Learning Network ◽  
Strategic Issue ◽  
Important Field

Purpose Human resource development (HRD) is an important field within management. Developing employees is often regarded as an instrument to improve the internal labor market and support organizational change. Organizing HRD to these ends, however, is frequently a problematic affair, in terms of training effectiveness, participant motivation and added value. This study, which consists of two parts, aims to investigate the question of why this is the case. In this first part, the problem is stated and the backgrounds and basic tenets of learning-network theory are addressed. Design/methodology/approach The paper first describes three approaches to organizing HRD, namely, as a training issue: customization by HRD practitioners; as a learning issue: didactic self-direction by employees; and as a strategic issue for employees and managers: micro-politics. The learning-network theory is then introduced as an integration of these three approaches. It presents a number of key organizational actors that organize four HRD processes, each operating strategically in their own way. Findings Organizing HRD is mostly viewed as designing training courses and instruction sessions for employees; it is also predominantly understood as a tool of management. A network perspective on organizing HRD is better able to guide organizational actors than other approaches can. Originality/value The study argues that organizing HRD needs to take into account learning experiences that employees can gain from participating in work and career development as well (besides formal training); moreover, that employees’ HRD strategies are at least as important as those used by line managers and HR practitioners.

Coaching, HRD, and Relational Richness

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby Egan ◽  
Robert G. Hamlin
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Action Learning ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Measurement Tools ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

The Problem Coaching is becoming a ubiquitous form of human resource development (HRD) that experiences regular annual gains in both interest and participation. Yet it lacks theoretical framing and has not been conceptually well developed. There is a need for further framing of coaching as a dyadic, or group-based phenomenon, occurring in a set of diverse, but often commonly utilized contexts. The Solution Contributors to this issue inform this growing HRD area by elaborating upon coaching in terms of conceptualization, theoretical foundations, and measurement tools. They provide perspectives on coaching in its many forms, including executive, managerial, and action learning coaching. These perspectives on coaching most often share a dyadic/one-on-one context, and elaborate on coaching practices in terms of interactional richness, learning, and development. The Stakeholders Researchers and scholarly practitioners in the HRD field, internal and external coaches, and line managers who are committed to improving the practice of and expanding empirical research on coaching will benefit from this special issue on coaching.

Learning and development practices in international context: conceptual introspection towards bringing the best work place strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 180-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabindra Kumar Pradhan ◽  
Lalatendu Kesari Jena ◽  
Nrusingh Prasad Panigrahy
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
International Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Customers ◽  
Cross Cultural Training

Purpose In today’s competitive environment, long-term viability and sustainability of a firm requires a combination of both specialized and knowledge-based resources. Earlier research findings have surfaced the fact that by leveraging knowledge, successful multinational companies in the Western world are able to create a position for capitalizing on market imperfections in the field of human resource development and correspondingly achieving higher returns on their investments. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to examine the approaches of successful multinational enterprises (MNEs) from newer industrialized and developing economies, especially in the perspective of learning and development initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The focus of this study is to introspect on the causal that influences toward fostering a better human resource development climate in the international context. Findings The proposition explores a road map to strategize organizational policies and practices as to how best to serve its expatriate internal customers. Originality/value The findings of this study has confirmed the link between cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment and performance, but still the scope lies in future research to carry out the specific context or conditions influencing the effectiveness of cross-cultural training programs by using quantitative statistical findings of country-wide successful MNE analysis in the learning and development domain and subsequently proposing the benchmarking practices for impersonation by the developing nations.

Ethics, corporate social responsibility and the role of human resource development: the academic experts’ view

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Alizadeh ◽  
Deepu Kurian ◽  
Shaoping Qiu ◽  
Khalil M. Dirani
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this study is to get the perspectives of human resource development (HRD) scholars about connections among HRD, corporate social responsibility sand ethics. The authors also sought to discover if HRD academic programs need to have ethics-related courses for their graduate students. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors reviewed the literature and interviewed ten HRD scholars who substantially contributed to the field of HRD and have influential publications related to ethics or corporate social responsibility to find out the relationship between HRD, ethics and corporate social responsibility. A semi-structured interview method was adopted to collect data and purposeful sampling technique was used for analyzing data into identified themes. Findings The results from the interviews were categorized into seven different themes. While some scholars argued that ethics-related discussion needs to be integrated within every course, most scholars stated that ethics can be a required standalone course for HRD graduate programs. Originality/value Despite ongoing consideration of the ethical nature of HRD, little research has been conducted on how ethics and corporate social responsibility are represented in the field of study and practice. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical paper in HRD that collected and analyzed experts’ perspectives in this topic.

National human resource development in China: government–industry–university relations and roles

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Fang ◽  
Panpan Zhang ◽  
Sehoon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Triple Helix ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Triple Helix Model ◽  
National Human ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore recent national human resource development (NHRD) practices in China through a literature review focusing on programs and activities that represent the roles and interactions among the government, industry and universities. Design/methodology/approach To effectively consolidate previous work and conceptualize the recent development of the NHRD practices in China, a semi-narrative literature review was used to explore and analyze NHRD-related functions and activities. Findings Findings from the literature review showed that although the central government still plays a predominant role in China, universities and corporations are increasingly playing a critical role in developing an innovative and skilled workforce. At the regional level, NHRD initiatives in China have been increasingly undertaken by universities, industry and government–industry–university collaborations. The authors also found a disparity between developed and underdeveloped regions in terms of NHRD in China. Research limitations/implications This study used the triple helix model as a framework that provides an insightful lens for researchers to examine how various social entities interact with each other and jointly contribute to NHRD. Further case studies are needed to generate evidence-based knowledge to the NHRD literature. Practical implications A more systematic NHRD leadership structure at both the national and local level is desired to unleash the potential of bottom-up development and active government–industry–university collaboration. To counter regional divergence in NHRD in China, intra- and cross-regional collaborations are helpful in improving resources distribution and workforce development. Originality/value Based on open system theory, this study focused on programs and activities that represent the roles and interactions among the government, industry and university in Chinese NHRD through the lens of the triple helix model. In addition, this study offers a conceptual model of Chinese NHRD to help scholars and practitioners understand the transitional efforts in NHRD.

scholarly journals The contribution of human resource development managers to organisational branding in the hotel industry in India and South East Asia (ISEA): a dynamic capabilities perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-153
Author(s):  
Adebayo Serge Francois Koukpaki ◽  
Kweku Adams ◽  
Adegboyega Oyedijo
Keyword(s):  
East Asia ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Quality Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities Perspective

PurposeThis research explores the significant contribution of human resource development (HRD) managers in building organisational brands in the hotel industry through the lenses of dynamic capabilities for sustaining competitiveness.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative case study design, this study deployed a semi-structured interview research method. It used a purposive sample of 20 HRD managers across twenty different hotels in India and South East Asia (ISEA) to explore their contribution to organisational brands. The data was analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsThe findings show the significance of HRD in building organisational brands. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, it was found that HRD has an impact on fostering brand awareness culture; HRD functional branding enhances the creation and sustaining of quality service culture; functional branding of HRD helps differentiate the brand and quality service, for product development and innovation by linking talent development and growth of key competencies and capabilities; brand training and behavioural training directly influence the right behaviour knowledge and effective communication that is translated into the enhancement of guest experience; and finally, organisational branding through branding culture and employer branding creates organisational wealth.Originality/valueThe authors propose a new conceptual framework for the branding of the Heroes to reclaim the HRD's splendour in the realm of other functions in the hotel industry in ISEA contexts. While the authors do not claim an external generalisability, we believe that an analytical application of this framework could be relevant in similar environments. The study also claims that HRD practitioners could use parallel literature repertoires from brand management discourse to value their strategic contributions in building and maintaining their reputational position at the board level. Practical implications and further research are discussed.

Theoretical Traditions and Coaching Genres

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Cox ◽  
Tatiana Bachkirova ◽  
David Clutterbuck
Keyword(s):  
Structural Analysis ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Theoretical Base ◽  
Line Managers ◽  
Interdisciplinary Nature ◽  
Hrd Professionals ◽  
Coaching Approach ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

The Problem The interdisciplinary nature of the theoretical base of coaching creates practical approaches that are strongly influenced by organization-friendly theories, and fields such as counseling, psychotherapy, and philosophy. This eclectic use of theory creates uncertainty and sometimes leads to criticisms of coaching as being atheoretical and underdeveloped empirically. So, it is a difficult task for human resource development (HRD) professionals and particularly buyers of coaching to judge the relevance of numerous traditions of coaching and evaluate them for their HRD agenda. The Solution We highlight the theoretical foundations of coaching and develop a structural analysis of coaching engagement to indicate the potential interplay between organizational and individual agendas and to help HRD professionals become better informed about the value of coaching in the context of wider HRD paradigms. The Stakeholders HRD professionals, external coaches, internal coaches, and line managers who use a coaching approach, peer coaches, and leaders will benefit from the content of this article.

scholarly journals What HRD Is Doing—What HRD Should be Doing: The Case for Transforming HRD

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Torraco ◽  
Henriette Lundgren
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
The Future ◽  
New Perspective

Human resource development (HRD) is no longer expected to be the primary agency for promoting learning and development among employees. Today, HRD is diffused and integrated into a broad range of leadership and supervisory roles. As more responsibility for learning and development is assumed by others, what is the role of HRD? Although HRD has largely adapted to sharing more of its traditional responsibility for learning and development, the field has also encountered challenges and criticisms. We juxtapose recent adaptations and advances in HRD with perspectives on the dilemmas, challenges, and criticisms of HRD as seen by those outside the field of HRD. Grounded in a comprehensive review of recent literature, the authors seek to provide a balanced perspective on HRD’s strengths and weaknesses and to conceptualize a new perspective on HRD and its transformation for the future.

Tempered radicalism as an approach to revisiting indigenous forms of critical human resource development

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Osafo ◽  
Robert Mayfield Yawson
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Ecological Knowledge ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Growth And Development ◽  
Indigenous Ecological Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present a conceptual framework to guide the design, development, implementation and evaluation of education and human resource development (HRD) efforts in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This paper draws on the concept of a tempered radical approach to provide a framework for a critical HRD (CHRD) and explore ways by which this view can contribute to developing HR who possess the requisite tools and character to function efficiently in the 21st century and beyond. This paper followed a multidisciplinary integrated literature review approach. This paper also reviewed relevant models and theories that align with the goals of this research to provide a broader view of the problems with HRD in Ghana and to help develop a framework that seeks to provide a sustainable guide for those involved in HRD activities in Ghana. Findings A positive outcome from the synergistic alignment between modern science and indigenous ecological knowledge moderated by the principles of CHRD will result in economic growth and development. HRD’s contribution to economic growth and development and its consequential benefit to the actors will depend on how best CHRD goals are accomplished. Practical implications The mediating role of the tempered radicalism will help modify the swiftness with which education and HRD programs are executed in Ghana. Originality/value This paper presented the tempered radicalism approach as the quintessential model for education and HRD initiatives in Ghana. The application of tempered radicalism in HRD literature is novel.

Contending claims to causality: a critical review of mediation research in HRD

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 595-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajashi Ghosh ◽  
Seth Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Causal Process ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediation Models

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of the mediation studies published in the field of Human Resource Development (HRD) to discern if the study designs, the nature of data collection and the choice of statistical methods justify the causal claims made in those studies. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts a critical review of published refereed articles that examined mediation in Human Resource Development Quarterly, Human Resource Development International, Advances in Developing Human Resources and European Journal of Training and Development. Mediation studies published in these journals from 2000 to 2015 were identified and coded. The four journals sampled were chosen to provide breadth of coverage of the different types of empirical studies published in the field of HRD. Findings The review findings imply that HRD scholars are not employing experimental or longitudinal designs in their studies when randomized experiments and longitudinal studies with at least three waves of data collection are regarded as the golden standards of causal research. Further, the findings indicate that sophisticated statistical modeling approaches like structural equation modeling are widely used to examine mediation in cross-sectional studies and most importantly, a large number of such studies do not acknowledge that cross-sectional data does not allow definite causal claims. Research limitations/implications Although the findings urge us to rethink the inferences of mediation effects reported over the past 15 years in the field of HRD, this study also serves as a guide in thinking about framing and testing causal mediation models in future HRD research and even argues for a paradigm shift from a positivist orientation to critical and postmodern perspectives that can accommodate mixed methods designs for mediation research in HRD. Originality/value This paper presents a critical review of the trends in examining mediation models in the HRD discipline, suggests best practices for researchers examining the causal process of mediation and directs readers to recent methodological articles that have discussed causal issues in mediation studies.

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