Human Resource Development Research Research Articles

Disability and Employment in the United States, 1880–1955: Implications for Human Resource Development Practice and Research

Disability and Employment in the United States, 1880–1955: Implications for Human Resource Development Practice and Research

Yes She Can: Examining the Career Pathways of Black Women in Higher Education Senior Leadership Position

Problem Black women continue to face significant underrepresentation in senior leadership roles, particularly within higher education. Despite this disparity, there exists a dearth of research and understanding surrounding the achievements and success narratives of those who have managed to ascend to senior-level leadership positions within the higher education sector. Solution Higher education institutions and professionals in the HRD field ought to develop and implement identity-based leadership initiatives that address the distinctive challenges Black women (as well as other women of color) face in leadership roles. Concurrently, universities are encouraged to establish structured mentoring programs to facilitate connections between Black women leaders and mentors possessing either congruent or divergent identities, but with a demonstrated cultural competence capable of accommodating the mentee’s requirements. Furthermore, universities must formulate and uphold policies that cultivate and retain Black women’s talent, intellectual contributions, and leadership acumen. Stakeholders Black women leaders, human resource development researchers, practitioners, scholars, higher education administrators.

Understanding the Epistemic Diversity and Essential Components of the Grounded Theory Method: Empowering Human Resource Development Researchers

This article addresses the challenges faced by HRD researchers in selecting a qualitative approach, particularly Grounded Theory Method (GTM), which is underrepresented in the field. The author discusses the epistemological foundations of the four major GTM versions and outlines the six essential elements. The article emphasizes GTM’s flexible yet structured nature and explains differences among Glaserian, Straussian, Charmazian, and Clarkean methods. It also summarizes common GTM features like concurrent data collection, constant comparison, theoretical sampling, phased coding, memoing, and theoretical saturation. The article concludes by providing suggestions to promote GTM’s adoption and popularization. In essence, this article offers guidelines to assist HRD researchers, especially newcomers or those with limited qualitative research experience, in understanding and effectively using GTM.

Breaking the Mold: HRD and Social Entrepreneurship – A Recipe for Progress

Social entrepreneurship practices integrate aspects from the private, public, and non-profit sectors into a cohesive practice. This paper advocates for the integration of human resource development (HRD) research and practices into social entrepreneurship initiatives to drive progress and build effective organizations committed to positive social change and value creation. By exploring HRD insights on ethical organizational strategies, initiatives for workforce development, and their impact on employee engagement and attitudes, we contend that HRD professionals can significantly contribute to the success of social entrepreneurship.

Artificial Intelligence and Automation in Human Resource Development: A Systematic Review

This systematic review synthesizes the existing literature on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on Human Resource Development (HRD) practices and outcomes. The study explores how AI and automation affect HRD, highlighting specific HRD processes affected and their influence on outcomes. A comprehensive search was conducted across academic databases, HRD journals, and conference proceedings, resulting in a selection of relevant studies. The findings were analyzed through a narrative synthesis, with subgroup analyses based on specific HRD processes. The review provides insights into AI and automation implications for HRD researchers and practitioners. It also identifies research gaps and future directions.

Systematic bibliometric review of artificial intelligence in human resource development: insights for HRD researchers, practitioners and policymakers

Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) is a significant game changer in human resource development (HRD). The launch of ChatGPT has accelerated its progress and amplified its impact on organizations and employees. This study aims to review and examine literature on AI in HRD, using a bibliometric approach. Design/methodology/approach This study is a bibliometric review. Scopus was used to identify studies in the field. In total, 236 papers published in the past 10 years were examined using the VOSviewer program. Findings The obtained results showed that most cited documents and authors are mainly from computer sciences, emphasizing machine learning over human learning. While it was expected that HRD authors and studies would have a more substantial presence, the lesser prominence suggests several interesting avenues for explorations. Practical implications This study provides insights and recommendations for researchers, managers, HRD practitioners and policymakers. Prioritizing the development of both humans and machines becomes crucial, as an exclusive focus on machines may pose a risk to the sustainability of employees' skills and long-term career prospects. Originality/value There is a dearth of bibliometric studies examining AI in HRD. Hence, this study proposes a relatively unexplored approach to examine this topic. It provides a visual and structured overview of this topic. Also, it highlights areas of research concentration and areas that are overlooked. Shedding light on the presence of more research originating from computer sciences and focusing on machine learning over human learning represent an important contribution of this study, which may foster interdisciplinary collaboration with experts from diverse fields, broadening the scope of research on technologies and learning in workplaces.

The Metaverse in the Workplace: Possibilities and Implications for Human Resource Development

This study reviews the potential applications of the metaverse to various areas of human resource development (HRD) and reflects on the applications’ significance for employee and organizational development. Adopting a narrative review approach to this study, we selected and reviewed 34 cases. From our review, we found several findings that contributes to the HRD field in several ways. First, it draws the attention of HRD researchers and practitioners to a critical emerging trend that has been overlooked in the field. Second, it offers an analytical view of the metaverse in comparison to other training or learning technologies, assessing its effectiveness in employee development. Third, this study enhances the perspectives of HRD researchers and practitioners regarding this new technology by providing practical and theoretical insights into how metaverse-based interventions can reshape organizational culture and improve employee performance in the workplace. Lastly, it addresses compelling theoretical and practical questions related to HRD issues arising from the metaverse.

Bibliometric Analysis of Human Resource Development: Trends, Research Focuses, and Recent Developments

This bibliometric analysis delves into the dynamic landscape of Human Resource Development (HRD) research, exploring trends, collaborative networks, and influential works. Utilizing VOSviewer, we conducted a temporal analysis, co-authorship network analysis, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and citation analysis on a comprehensive dataset from leading databases. Temporal trends reveal an increasing scholarly interest in HRD since the early 2000s. Co-authorship networks unveil collaborative clusters, showcasing influential authors and fostering a collective research agenda. Keyword co-occurrence analysis uncovers interconnected thematic clusters, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of HRD. Citation analysis identifies pivotal works shaping HRD scholarship. Integrating these findings provides a holistic understanding of HRD research, offering implications for future endeavors and insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers.

Towards a comprehensive model of human resource development research and practice: A systematic literature review

Although several models have been proposed to guide practitioners and academics in human resource development (HRD), there is sufficient manifestation that a new HRD model is required to address emerging HRD problems such as cultural variation and value systems across the globe, the need to strengthen the theoretical foundation of HRD research and practice, and the incompleteness of HRD research methods. The purpose of this study was to propose a comprehensive HRD model that will address these problems in order to make HRD more responsive to the current needs in HRD research and practice. Bozer and Jones’s (2018) seven-phase systematic literature review approach was adopted to gather data for this study. The available data were analyzed using thematic analysis. It was found that the proposed HRD model was capable of helping HRD practitioners to choose appropriate HRD practices that will match their culture and value systems, and guide them on the methods and theories to apply in their respective locations. On the basis of these findings, it was concluded that the proposed HRD model can address the problems currently facing HRD research and practice.

PLS‐SEM: A method demonstration in the R statistical environment

AbstractIn line with calls to stimulate methodological diversity and support evidence‐based human resource development (HRD) through quantitative competencies, we present a methods demonstration leveraging open‐source tools and lesser‐known quantitative research methods to support the HRD research community and applied HRD in the workplace. In this paper, we provide an informative introduction to partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM). We discuss PLS‐SEM application trends in the field of HRD, present key characteristics of the method, and demonstrate up‐to‐date metrics and evaluation guidelines using an illustrative model. Our PLS‐SEM demonstration and explanations can serve as a valuable resource for practitioners concerned with substantiating results for organizational stakeholders and support researchers in methodological decision‐making while avoiding common pitfalls associated with less familiar methods. Our step‐by‐step demonstration is conducted in open‐source software and accompanied by explicitly coded operations so that readers can easily replicate the illustrative analyses presented.

People Analytics and Human Resource Development – Research Landscape and Future Needs Based on Bibliometrics and Scoping Review

This study provides a comprehensive examination of the current research landscape of People Analytics (PA) from Human Resource Development (HRD) perspectives. By leveraging the methodologies of bibliometrics and topic modeling, the paper aims to illuminate key trends and emerging themes. By conducting a comparative analysis of topics and grouped themes from topic modeling and clusters from bibliocoupling, the study reveals a convergence in research focuses. This convergence is particularly evident in areas such as workforce planning and management, data-informed decision-making, applying analytics to various HR functions, and emphasizing the ethical and societal implications of data analytics in HR. The paper also identifies gaps and future research needs for HRD research in the current PA landscape and discusses fertile grounds for future research.

High performance work systems and employee performance: the roles of employee well-being and workplace friendship

ABSTRACT Promoting a thriving and productive workforce is a core task for human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners. Drawing on the job demands-resources model, this study aims to provide a balanced view of how high performance work systems (HPWSs) influence employee performance through different aspects of employee well-being. Data were collected from 346 employees through a three-wave survey in China. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. The results reveal that HPWSs positively predict employee performance through psychological empowerment and negatively predict employee performance through emotional exhaustion. Workplace friendship minimises the positive effect of HPWSs on emotional exhaustion and attenuates the indirect effect of HPWSs on employee performance via emotional exhaustion. This study challenges the prevailing idea that HPWSs can always improve employee performance. It informs HRD researchers and practitioners to dialectically assess the impact of HPWSs and include workplace friendship as an intervention measure to reduce the detrimental outcomes of HPWSs and better promote employee development.

Improving the undergraduate human resource development curriculum in South Africa

ABSTRACT The Human Resource Development (HRD) curriculum is under-researched at the undergraduate level in tertiary education institutions, particularly in South Africa (SA). This article addresses the need for research on HRD undergraduate education in SA. Using a qualitative case study approach; the researchers interviewed HRD practitioners who have all completed an undergraduate HRD curriculum to determine the deficits in the curriculum under study and what to include in a new HRD curriculum. Findings revealed that the degree title was limited to learning and development only, there were concerns about the faculty that housed the degree, and that the degree replicated lower-level skills certificates. HRD practitioners recommended what to include in a new HRD curriculum that would be relevant and considered credible in practice. The article identifies the implications of the findings for HRD theory, practice, and research. It offers HRD practitioners perspectives on what they consider relevant in an undergraduate HRD curriculum to carry value in the workplace.

Work conditions of interstate migrant workers in India: A critical realist exploration

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns were flashpoints that exposed the vulnerabilities of low‐skilled interstate migrants that have persisted for years across the globe and demanded a critical examination of their work experiences and conditions. Unlike migrants who cross national borders for employment and economic reasons, internal migrants migrate within the country in search of better livelihood options. However, while the problems of low‐skilled immigrants who cross national borders attract research attention, the experiences of internal migrants have not been adequately researched. Using critical realism as a framework, we investigated the precarious working conditions of one of India's most vulnerable groups of workers—interstate migrant workers. Our findings showed that, despite short‐term positive outcomes, interstate migration does not guarantee freedom from poverty, precarity, or powerlessness. The conspicuous absence of formal opportunities to develop their potential reiterates their status as a marginalized, forgotten, and exploited group of workers, also neglected by human resource development (HRD) researchers. HRD has a critical role to play in the short term by providing skill training and in the long term by advocating for policy changes to ensure the well‐being and empowerment of migrant workers.

Mapping the Future of Intersectional Research in Human Resource Development: An Integrated Literature Review

This study critically reviews intersectional research (IR) published in the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) journals and presents a framework for future work in IR. First, we identified 10 IR approaches from previous literature and classified them into four perspectives: conceptual, category-based, alternative philosophy-based, and alternative analysis-based perspectives. Utilizing the framework, we found that the majority of IR in HRD has (a) drawn on an intra-categorical approach, (b) focused on the intersection of gender and race, (c) centered on the United States context, and (d) depended on qualitative research methodology. We also examined the IR trends in HRD over time and observed that IR has recently incorporated more diverse approaches and identities and has explored some non-US contexts. To advance IR and better understand the complexity of intersectionality at work, future research needs to continue diversifying research approaches, methods, subjects, and contexts.

Employees’ social capital in South Korea: A systematic review and implications for HRD research and practice

ABSTRACT As the workplace is calling for more collaboration and teamwork, social capital has become increasingly popular in the human resource development (HRD) and management fields. In this article, we systematically reviewed social capital research in South Korea by focusing on the definitional and methodological issues as well as the impact of social capital, as documented in 57 empirical studies analysed. Our findings showed that social capital researchers have witnessed an upsurge of interest in social capital in Korea since the 2010s. In addition, we mapped out the nomological network of social capital research by incorporating all prior empirical evidence. Finally, we identified the lack of indigenous conceptualisations of social capital and methodological limitations in previous research. We proposed that utilising social network analysis and diversifying research approaches would provide additional insights that will advance current social capital and HRD literatures.

Interorganizational Learning: A Conceptualization of Public-Private Learning Communities

Human Resource Development (HRD) finds itself at a critical juncture given the rapidly changing landscape of work and a shift of focus in HRD research and practices. This provides momentum for the HRD discipline to explore new models of workplace learning that exceed the boundaries of one’s own organization. Public and private organizations increasingly understand that by joining forces and cocreating knowledge, they are better able to address these challenges and thereby stay innovative. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for Public-Private Learning Communities (PPLCs) as a promising approach to prepare organizations and employees for the rapidly changing future. By drawing on the concept of interorganizational learning and learning-network theory, we distinguish essential building blocks that relate to the PPLCs’ strategy, structure, process, and culture. With this conceptual paper, we aim to break new ground for HRD theory-building and offer novel directions for HRD researchers and practitioners.

Virtual Human Resource Development: Definitions, Challenges, and Opportunities

The purpose of this article is to promote knowledge and understanding about the concept and utility of Virtual Human Resource Development (VHRD) for both research and practice in Human Resource Development (HRD). This article begins with a brief history of VHRD, defines VHRD, and then presents an appendix that summarizes key insights from 36 VHRD peer-reviewed publications located across five academic journals and 52 authors associated with this line of inquiry. The article then discusses challenges and opportunities associated with VHRD as a result of this summary which may be insightful for researchers and practitioners. It concludes by considering the implications of VHRD along with offering directions for future research in the VHRD space.

Skilling marginalised or skills eco‐system, precarious workers and higher education—A case study of Roma in Liverpool, UK

AbstractThis qualitative case study explores the Human Resource Development (HRD) interventions utilised in respect of local eco‐skills with one marginalised group, the Roma, in the City of Liverpool, UK, and responds to HRD research calls into the cause of cycles of inequality. The case study illustrates the challenges experienced by precarious workers in accessing education and training. Further, it shares the interventions taken to address inequalities that a Higher EducationUK University and a local Non‐Government Organisation took between 2016 and 2019. Roma is among the UK and Europe's most disadvantaged and marginalised groups. Working in partnership, utilising Community‐Based Participatory Research, we developed three HRD interventions: stakeholder groups (adult and young Roma), motivational interviewing and employability/education events. The findings unpack an understudied experience and context: the need for more attention to developing skills at a local level for marginalised precarious workers. We found that aspiration grew through focused community support and a partnership approach, and educational opportunities emerged, albeit at a relatively slow pace. This paper ends with a call for action for more HRD educators to work with those at the margins of society.

An Anti-racism Curriculum for Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Problem The field of human resource development (HRD) is recognized for its contributions to the body of literature on learning and performance. However, the lack of literature on problems emanating from the social systems (e. g. racism, sexism, ageism, sexual orientation, disability, to name a few) that create a barrier for optimal learning and performance is troubling. In this article, racism is called out as an enduring and pervasive social injustice that has become normalized and encompasses the whole of society as well as those spaces that are frequently occupied each day. Nonetheless the ideology of racism is egregious and continues to threaten individual well-being, dignity, and simply put, rights as a human being. As a program within numerous departments of higher education, the lack of literature that addresses racism and subsequently provide resources for educators is problematic. While it is understood that HRD is an interdisciplinary field that draws from multiple bodies of literature, the lack of contributions from HRD researchers, scholars, and practitioners on a topic that counteracts learning and performance is a problem. Solution HRD is uniquely positioned as a field of practice with an affiliate in higher education. HRD researchers and scholars are often instructors in HRD educational programs. This unique position can hugely impact what is learned and therefore what is practiced in the workplace. We propose a framework for an anti-racism curriculum in HRD educational programs that teaches students, the future workforce, how to recognize and disrupt racism and contribute to building workplaces that are equitable, fair, and psychologically safe. We use critical theory as a conceptual framework for an anti-racism curriculum that teaches students about the continued and pervasive system of racism.