Critical approaches to HRD do not focus solely on improving organizational performance; instead, they address previously undiscussable issues such as power, politics, class, sexism, racism, and heterosexism. Since critical HRD often seeks to raise problems instead of solve them immediately, it is sometimes criticized for being elitist and detached…

Learning is indeed an integral component of adapting successfully to an everchanging world, one full of intriguing possibilities and insidious barriers. Democratic societies establish educative systems where learning and development is promoted to advance a citizenry of skillful problem solvers, knowledgeable decision makers, incisive risk takers,…

Presents three views of adult development: (1) person-centered, focused on self-realization and based on humanistic psychology and liberalism; (2) production-centered, focused on organizational goals and based on behaviorism and libertarianism; and (3) principled problem solving, based on cognitive psychology, progressivism, and pragmatism.…

These five papers are from a symposium that was facilitated by Susan Dougherty at the 1995 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (HRD). "The Relationship between Productivity and Work Team Autonomy and Team Process Effectiveness" (Candice L. Phelan) reports that correlation analysis of results of a study of 21 work teams revealed…

The authors present ideas and techniques to stimulate divergent thinking on ways to cope with fulfilling the training department's mission, purpose, and objectives within a federal agency during times of fewer resources. (Author/CH)

This document contains 21 papers: "Benchmarking Training--The Road to Continuous Improvement" (Bolin); "Systematic Mentoring: A Crucial Addition to Leadership Development" [abstract only] (Brennan, Pevoto); "Monkey Wrenches in the Team Clockwork" (Daman); "Multiculturalism: Curriculum and Practice" (Dean et al.); "Personal Computer Training…

This monograph proposes and describes a systems-based field of study for the training and development (T&D) profession: human performance technology. The first section describes what is meant by a field of study and professional practice and then provides a rationale for the proposal. Section 2 explores training and development in the context…

This curriculum provides materials for a training program designed to enable front-line supervisors and union stewards to minimize production disruptions stemming from ongoing, unresolved conflicts among production workers. The program accomplishes this goal by giving participants the tools and confidence to design, implement, and run a process…

This document consists of three papers presented at a symposium on expertise in organizations moderated by Ross Azevedo at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD). "How Individual Expertise May Be Socially Constructed: A Literature Review" (Abney V. Gleespen) looks at the research to determine the…

Three alternative views of adult development can serve to distinguish competing schools of thought regarding the research, theory, and practice of human resource development (HRD). These views are as follows: (1) the person-centered view, which aims at self-realization of the individual and is grounded in humanistic psychology and liberalism; (2)…

This compilation of the knowledge and experience of 49 training and development professionals is a guide to the most important aspects of training and development (T&D), ranging from the environment in which it operates to detailed suggestions as to how it can be done. Contributors' notes appear first. Part 1 on the world of T&D contains seven…

Recent developments and problems in the eradication of illiteracy in Asia and Oceania are reviewed in this conference report. Literacy is a critical issue because more than half of the region's population is illiterate, and social and economic development cannot progress when the literacy rate is so low. In an effort to improve the situation, most…

Descriptive data were collected on 45 workplace literacy partnerships during a national evaluation of the effectiveness of workplace literacy programs (WPL) funded by the National Workplace Literacy Program. Findings indicated the following: on average, partnerships consisted of 8 partners; about 60 percent were business or industry; 20 percent…

Seven job-related basic skills identified as skills employers want are as follows: (1) learning to learn; (2) reading, writing, and computation; (3) oral communication and listening; (4) creative thinking and problem solving; (5) personal management, including self-esteem, goal setting, motivation, and personal and career development; (6) group…

This symposium on human resource development (HRD) and small manufacturers consists of three presentations. "Toward a Model of Technical Assistance for Small Manufacturers: The Role of Performance Technology" (Dale C. Brandenburg) reviews literature documenting the need for technical assistance to small manufacturers, especially as it…