Synopsis

Human Resource Development

1. Introduction to Human Resource Development

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 define the key concepts associated with HRD in work organisations;
 describe a model of the core process of HRD;
 identify and analyse five major practices associated with HRD in modern work and
organisations;
 evaluate the connections between the HRD process and the contemporary performance
management concerns of organisations.

Sections
1.1 Introduction: Definitions and Concepts
1.2 HRD and the HRD Process
1.3 Cognitive Capacities
1.4 Capabilities
1.5 The Third Dimension
1.6 Performance Management
1.7 Human Resource Management
1.8 HRD in Context
1.9 Practical Matters
1.10 Conclusion

2. Observing and Assessing HRD Needs

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe how the HRD process relates to the broader performance management process
and concerns of individuals and organisations;
 differentiate between performance gaps related to HRD needs and other kinds of
performance gap and support system;
 analyse three kinds of HRD need: organisational, work or occupational, and personal;
 use a variety of skills and techniques to identify HRD needs.
Sections
2.1 Introduction: The Performance Management Process and Context
2.2 A Theoretical Context
2.3 Back to Practice: Objective and Subjective Needs Analysis
2.4 Organisational Needs
2.5 Work and Occupation Analysis
2.6 Job Analysis
2.7 Personal-Level HRD Needs
2.8 Observing HRD: Skills and Issues
2.9 Further Reflections in Theory
2.10 Conclusion

3. Planning: Designing HRD Activities

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 define and develop aims, goals and objectives for HRD activities;
 describe the themes and issues involved in planning HRD activities;
 incorporate methods for developing cognitive capacities, capability and behavioural
change;
 critically evaluate the overall design of typical HRD activities;
 design engaging and stimulating HRD activities.

Sections
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Crafting Aims, Goals and Objectives
3.3 Cognition, Capabilities and Behaviour
3.4 A Constructivist Critique
3.5 Conclusion

4. Action: Bringing Learning To Life

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe the theory and practice of instruction and facilitation in delivering HRD;
 describe and analyse other forms of performance support systems relevant to HRD;
 critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of instruction and facilitation as methods
of managing HRD;
 design HRD events using instruction and facilitation methods.
Sections
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Instruction
4.3 Facilitation
4.4 The Theory of Experiential Learning
4.5 Deliverables
4.6 Other Options: Designing and Developing Performance Support
4.7 Conclusion

5. Quality: Reviewing and Evaluating HRD

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe the methodologies commonly in use to support quality management in HRD;
 analyse the main themes and challenges of evaluation in HRD;
 critically evaluate the use of cost–benefit analysis in the HRD evaluation context;
 design and construct valid and reliable ways of evaluating HRD activities.

Sections
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Evaluation in the HRD Context
5.3 Evaluation in General
5.4 Evaluating the Evaluation of HRD
5.5 Conclusion

6. Process Section: Integrative Case

Sections
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Driver Training in a Train Company
6.3 Case Study Points

7. Organisational HRD Strategies

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 define what an HRD strategy means and involves;
 describe three different HRD strategies – systematic training, business orientation, and
continuous development;
  analyse variations of HRD strategy with reference to beliefs, systems and levers;
 critically evaluate the strengths and weakness of these different HRD strategies;
 create an HRD strategy for an organisation.

Sections
7.1 Introduction
7.2 HRD Strategies
7.3 Systematic Training
7.4 Business Orientation
7.5 Continuous Development
7.6 Human Resource Development (HRD)
7.7 Competence 1: Behaviours
7.8 Competence 2: Functional Analysis and Vocational Qualifications
7.9 Self-Development
7.10 Conclusions

8. HRD Providers and Partners

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 identify a range of HRD providers and partners;
 describe the opportunities and threats of using different kinds of provider and partner in
HRD;
 analyse trends and changes in the use of providers and partners in HRD;
 critically evaluate the issues involved in using external providers and partner consultants
for HRD.

Sections
8.1 Introduction
8.2 The Market for HRD: Why Providers Exist
8.3 What Do They Provide?
8.4 Partners in Training
8.5 In The HRD Market
8.6 Conclusion

9. E-Learning

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe the evolution of e-learning technologies in use in HRD;
 discuss the strengths and weaknesses of various uses of e-learning in HRD;
  analyse the cost, quality, and other features of e-learning in HRD;
 critically evaluate the changes and challenges involved in integrating
e-learning within HRD.

Sections
9.1 Introduction
9.2 A Brief History of HRD Technologies
9.3 Defining E-Learning
9.4 Performance Support Uses of E-learning
9.5 A Conceptual Framework
9.6 The Organisational Context
9.7 Evolving Delivery Technologies
9.8 Conclusion

10. Mentoring

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 explore the use of mentoring as an integrative HRD practice;
 describe how mentoring practice reflects the social and economic context in which it is
enacted;
 apply this analysis of practice to the design and development of a formal mentoring
scheme.

Sections
10.1 Mentoring: An Introductory Overview
10.2 Mentoring in Practice: Historical Contexts
10.3 Mentoring and Classical Mythology
10.4 Mentoring and Guilds
10.5 Mentoring and the Humanistic Mentor
10.6 Conclusion

11. HRD and Theory

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 understand the relevance of theory to the learning process;
 describe and evaluate the relevance of wisdom, psychological, sociological and economic
theories in providing perspectives on HRD at work;
 critically evaluate the role that theories of learning can play in the design and manage-
ment of HRD practices.
Sections
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Conclusions

12. Policy-Making and HRD

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe the role of the state in policy-making for HRD;
 discuss the historical and political context for HRD policy in different national contexts;
 analyse political contexts and their impact on HRD policy;
 critically evaluate the evolution and impact of HRD policy and practice in a specific case
study context (a city).

Sections
12.1 Introduction
12.2 HRD Policy and Programmes
12.3 The Background
12.4 Recent Concerns: Change and Unemployment
12.5 The Contemporary Agenda: Lifelong Learning
12.6 Conclusion
12.7 Human Capital Development Issues: Learning Points

13. Communities of Practice: The Knowledge Management

Perspective

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 define knowledge management;
 identify the connections between knowledge management, information systems,
organisational learning and intellectual capital;
 describe the theory and practice of developing communities of practice;
 analyse HRD issues from the perspective of knowledge management.

Sections
13.1 Introduction
13.2 The Information Systems (IS) Perspective
13.3 Organisational Learning (OL)
13.4 Intellectual Capital and Strategic Management
13.5 The Evolution of HRD in the CoP and KM Context
 13.6 Conclusion
13.7 Concluding Case Studies

14. Strategic HRD

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 define the concept of strategic HRD (SHRD);
 identify the key themes and issues raised by SHRD;
 analyse the functional and status factors underpinning the rise of SHRD;
 critically evaluate the theory and practice of SHRD.

Sections
14.1 Introduction
14.2 An Analytical Framework: The Certainties of HRD
14.3 The Structural Certainties of SHRD: The Experience of Employment
14.4 The Affective Certainties of HRD
14.5 The Cognitive HRD Certainties: SHRD Models and Frameworks
14.6 Critiques of SHRD
14.7 The Status of HRD
14.8 The Roles and Activities of Management and HRD Specialists
14.9 Conclusion: Scenarios for SHRD

15. Perspectives Integrative Case: The Investors in People

Standard

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 describe the Investors in People (IiP) standard;
 outline what is involved in an organisation being accredited as an IiP;
 explain the reasons for the development of the IiP standard and accreditation process;
 use various perspectives to critically evaluate the evolution of IiP, and evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of the IiP standard.

Sections
15.1 Introduction
15.2 The Actual IiP Standard
16. Looking Ahead: The Future of HRD

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
 review key themes and issues of HRD at work using a force field analysis method;
 critically evaluate the place of HRD at work in the context of changes in management
and organisation.

Sections
16.1 Introduction
16.2 The Future