Structuration theory helps to explain the role of human agency in the reciprocal relationship between social systems and structures, which Giddens called the "duality of structure." The theory explicates how power struggles emerge and are negotiated and, depending on the restructuration, can help to resolve conflict or lead to deteriorations and…

This book explores the perspectives of experienced practitioners, sharing ideas about building and sustaining organizational strength through workforce development practices and systems. As the saying goes, a company's greatest resource is its people. When managers really believe that and work to develop organizational capabilities, productivity,…

Dramatic changes have occurred in the composition of the schools' workforce in England over recent years to incorporate a much higher proportion of support staff. Consequently, policy-makers and school leaders are now placing increasing emphasis on addressing the training and development needs of the whole workforce, rather than solely focusing on…

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the concept of reflection. The author argues in favour of the necessity of conceiving the concept of reflection in a broad sense, and not using the concept in the meaning of introspection. To grasp reflection in its complexity and as a core process in organisational learning it is necessary to…

This chapter addresses the contradictions inherent to working at the confluence of human resource development and adult education, as well as the opportunity for transformation in the workplace.

Presents a case study of how action research can be used to design a career development program based on the principles of change used in organization development. Steps in the model are data collection, analysis, feedback, program draft, recommendations, and evaluation. (CH)

E-learning has become a significant aspect of training and education in the worldwide information economy as an attempt to create and facilitate a competent global work force. "Cases on Successful E-Learning Practices in the Developed and Developing World: Methods for the Global Information Economy" provides eclectic accounts of case…

New information about interorganizational collaboratives for job training and economic development was obtained through case studies analyzing six organizations with innovative job creation practices including (1) assistance to small businesses; and (2) benefits to low-income, hard-to-place workers. (SLD)

This paper analyses the nature of, and relationship between, a quality service initiative and the concept of strategic human resource development. Hilton International is the case study used for this analysis. The principal finding is that the quality initiative is acting as a catalyst for a strategic approach to human resource development to…

Researchers examined the way selected Australian organizations understand and enact the notion of a learning culture. The diverse approaches that have been used to foster the learning cultures revealed through the case studies confirmed that the concept of a culture of learning was not a homogenous one. The study revealed that embedding a culture…

This document contains four papers from a symposium on informal workplace learning. The first paper, "The Impact of Actor Strategies and Work Type on Learning Projects: A Multiple Case Study" (Rob F. Poell), reports on a multiple case study of four learning projects in two organizations that demonstrated that individuals' strategies and the type…

The interrelationship between people management practices and product market/competition was examined in a series of case comparisons of pairs of firms/organizations of the following types: professional sports teams, military services, retailing firms, information service firms, business schools, financial services, shipping services, and food and…

The book is concerned with optimum manpower utilization in the private and public sectors and examines a variety of types of organizations. In this guide to structured manpower planning, contents include management and manpower in an era of change; a model of the overall manpower planning and implementation process; case material on technological…

This collection of papers, which is intended as a contribution to the body of knowledge known as labor studies, examines the ways in which labor unions have and are continuing to respond to technological change in the workplace. The introduction by Donald Kennedy, Charles Craypo, and Mary Lehman traces the impact of technological change on the…

This packet contains three papers from a symposium on cross-cultural issues in human resource development (HRD). The first paper, "The Perceptions of Physical Therapy Students Regarding the Provision of Transcultural Care" (Theresa J. Kraemer), examines the perceptions of 12 entry-level master's degree program physical therapy (PT)…