To be effective, career development programs in organizations must be linked to other human resource activities that are already in place. Includes a six-stage cycle for the career development process. (Author/JOW)

The balance of power in the United States has begun to shift from youth to older age and will not soon return to a more familiar proportion. Human resource development professionals need to help their companies respond to the needs of older workers and older customers. (JOW)

Discusses the design of a performance management system that not only enables managers to solve performance problems, but also enables human resource development specialists and staff to provide a useful tool and a successful program. (CT)

Definitions of the terms accreditation, certification, and licensure are provided. Also discusses the purposes of professional certification, ways that competencies help the practitioner and the profession, and questions that need to be addressed by human resource development professionals. (CT)

Discusses the Chinese commitment to training and human resource development. Describes a department store, the Chinese Enterprise Management Association, a tool factory, and management development centers. (JOW)

Malcolm Knowles' career in human resource development has spanned more than 50 years. This article describes some of his achievements in adult education and presents tributes from colleagues. (JOW)

Human resources development and training are not suited to everyone. A practical, time-saving process for people wanting to become trainers includes (1) assessing relevant skills and interests; (2) researching organizations; (3) learning basic business operations; (4) learning the training process; (5) developing a chronological resume; (6)…

Twelve trends in the emerging "metaindustrial work culture" are strategic planning, systems orientation, futuristic management, transformational management, decentralized management, executive involvement, research orientation, human capital emphasis, creative work patterns, organizational culture, synergy and networking, and…

Discusses the role of human resource development professionals in managing learning resources. The author examines learning resources that exist in a corporation, resources that optimize human growth and development within the system (such as line supervisors, printed materials, work groups), and the use of learning contracts to make learning…

The author states that to meet the needs of--and to retain--the people in whom organizations have made hefty investments, companies must reexamine and most likely redesign human resource development programs. She presents ways to acknowledge the differences between managerial men and women and establish effective career development practices. (CT)

The author analyzes human resource planning, in which he gives the various aspects of career development a report card that, the author states, shows the field is far from achieving its self-stated goals. He states that succession planning and systems approaches would help this situation. (CT)

The author discusses his belief that the emphasis on competency-based, outcome-oriented curricula serves two purposes: (1) it recruits students who also believe in this educational theory; and (2) it provides a framework within which "unlearning" and more significant personal learning can take place. (CT)

Looks at the following concerns: What is the role of the human resource professional? Why do human resource professionals often feel they do not receive the proper recognition for their efforts? Why do they sense that an invisible curtain hangs between them and the organizations they serve? (CT)

Four directors of corporate training answer the question "Should human resource development directors have a training background?" and then each presents a list of recommendations for trainers, involving such areas as internal consulting skills, business experience, sense of timing, the difference between training and teaching, and taking a…

Discusses the advising and counseling process in terms of its growing importance to training in organizations, its successes and failures, the state of the art, and finally how one can develop the skill. (CSS)