Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the foundational theories in human resource development (HRD) by reviewing the literature from an HRD perspective. The following research questions guide the study: What are the core theories related to adult and professional education, organizational development and strategic HRD? What are the…

The Skills for Jobs White Paper and funding and accountability consultation set out the Government's plans to introduce a greater focus on the outcomes of learning, including a new Skills Measure that looks at the employment and other outcomes that learners achieve. Will this give colleges and providers greater freedom to deliver for learners, or…

Workforce development is a set of processes that govern the identification, recruitment, assessment and training of job seekers into employment as well as the maintenance and advancement of these persons in their careers. Given the complexity of what workforce development entails, a systems approach is illustrated to ensure that the broader goal…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on the discipline of human resource development (HRD). "The Discipline of HRD" (Richard A. Swanson) frames the discipline of HRD by identifying its context and component theories--general systems, chaos, and futures. "Systems Theory as a Foundation for HRD" (Wendy E.A. Ruona) defines this…

Human resource development (HRD) is an evolving system, a confluence of disciplines with its own professional identity. Understanding HRD as an evolving system enables professional practice and theory development to emerge within the context of existing taxonomies. (SK)

The human resource development (HRD) profession needs to continue to develop its core theories and to understand that theory building is a scholarly process. Theoretical constraints affecting HRD are that HRD is a relatively young academic field of study and that most academic fields are applied and draw upon multiple theories in articulating…

Major issues for the next decade are the aging of the population, emergence of a high tech society, and higher skill demands of the workplace. A systems approach to strategic planning, involving scenario development of alternative futures and resulting action plans, is needed to ensure that education keeps pace with the emphasis on workplace…

Changing the name of human resource development (HRD) is not the wisest course of action given HRD's current state. A renamed HRD would still be the current, ambiguous, ill-defined field struggling to establish its identity and stalled in issues about what is central to the profession, how the profession adds value to the world, and what HRD…

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 Collier Country (Florida) Sheriff's Office has initiated a voluntary career development program for law enforcement and corrections officers holding ranks of lieutenant and below. The career development program is implemented through a systems approach that integrates career planning and individual assessment with performance evaluation,…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on self-directed workplace learning. "Self-Directed Work Teams: Implementation and Performance" (Marcel van der Klink, Hilde ter Horst) discusses the results of a study examining the implementation and effects of self-directed work teams in a land register office and the role of the…

This document contains three papers presented at a symposium on evaluation systems in human resource development (HRD) moderated by Jerry Gilley at the 1996 conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development. "PLS [Performance-Learning-Satisfaction] Evaluation System: Sales Communication Case Study" (Richard A. Swanson, Timothy R.…

This paper proposes a conceptual framework based on different levels of analysis using the metaphor of the layers of an onion to help organize and structure thinking on research issues concerning training. It discusses the core of the "analytic onion," the biological level, and seven levels of analysis that surround that core: the individual, the…

Training and development professionals play a unique role in helping people improve their performance by using all aspects of the work environment to make those improvements occur. These professions are currently debating the existence of an integrated theoretical framework and how it might support practice in their field. Human performance…

A four-phase systematic approach to evaluating human resource development (HRD) programs and/or courses was developed. The approach consists of four distinct, yet interrelated phases: select evaluation targets; develop the evaluation plan; collect and analyze information/data; and prepare an evaluation report. First, 23 potential evaluation…