Advances in Developing Human Resources recent issues

Collective Learning Processes and Human Resource Development

Garavan, T. N., McCarthy, A. — 2008-07-11

Collective learning is important to both human resource development (HRD) researchers and practitioners. Collective learning is a broad term and includes learning between dyads, teams, organizations, communities, and societies. Most conceptions of collective learning highlight characteristics such as relationships, shared vision and meanings, mental models and cognitive and behavioral learning. Collective learning processes pose challenges for both HRD research and practice. For researchers, we need to more fully understand how collective learning processes occur, the factors that affect collective learning, and the emergent nature of collective learning. For practitioners, the challenge concerns whether collective learning can be planned, structured, and managed.

Dimensionalizing the Architecture of Organization-Led Learning: A Framework for Collective Practice

Heraty, N., Morley, M. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. This article is based on the premise that organizational learning is being raised almost to the status of an orthodoxy, and is in danger of taking on the guise of a postindustrial futurology, because of poor conceptualization and a lack of systematic empirical evidence. Although the motivation for establishing a new order in organization-led learning might be rather straightforwardly hinted at, the work environment and organizational design features, what the authors have come to designate as the "architecture" of the system, can not be so easily postulated.And yet, specifying the foundations and the building blocks of learning in the organizational context is critical to ensure that the vocabulary does not surpass its empirical foundations and conceptual expression, or that the rhetoric does not outstrip the reality.

The Role of Intuition in Collective Learning and the Development of Shared Meaning

Sadler-Smith, E. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. Intuitions are rapid, affectively charged judgments arrived at without conscious awareness of the reasoning processes involved. Intuiting is one of the principal means by which managers and other professionals are able arrive at judgments in relation to complex problems in loosely structured environments. Intuition has the potential to influence, inform, and enhance not only the learning of the individual actor but the development of shared meaning, also. This article explicates a theoretical model based on "feed-forward" and "feedback" relationships between "intuiting" and "interpreting." Some of the implications of intuition as a difficult-to-articulate and difficult-to-capture aspect of human capital are explored. Suggestions are offered both for how intuition may be nurtured and managed in the institutional setting of business organizations, and how researchers might further examine the role that intuition plays in collective learning processes and the development of shared meaning.

Team Learning and Metacognition: A Neglected Area of HRD Research and Practice

McCarthy, A., Garavan, T. N. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. An important and somewhat neglected level of analysis in human resource development research and practice is learning and development that occurs within a team. Increasingly, teams are required to make important decisions in organizations. Employees must learn to be team members and to function not merely as a collective of individuals, but rather as a cohesive team that learns to learn. A key component of team learning concerns metacognitive processes. Although metacognition has been established as an important aspect of individual level learning, there is a paucity of research exploring how metacognition can impact learning at a team and collective level. We propose a conceptual model of team learning and metacognition and discuss the implications for research and practice.

The Contribution of Communities of Practice to Human Resource Development: Learning as Negotiating Identity

Jorgensen, K. M., Keller, H. D. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution . The article explores the contribution of communities of practice (COP) to human resource development (HRD), specifically exploring a main point of COP, that learning is about negotiating identities.This implies that individuals attach temporal significance to the activities in which they are engaged by means of a symbolic framework. Identity construction implies construction of a trajectory that connects past, present, and future. There are several implications for HRD research and practice. First, the authors argue that identity dissolves the artificial separation of individual-level HRD and organizational-level HRD because identity is viewed as a pivotal point between the personal and the societal. Second, working with learning and development is to work with individuals' construction of trajectories. The authors distinguish between two ways of exploring trajectories: reflective practice—exploring trajectories to create best practice but where prevalent discourses are fixed—and reflexive practice—exploring trajectories to question discourses from within.

Learning and Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Communities of Practice: Motivators, Barriers, and Enablers

Ardichvili, A. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution . Virtual (online) communities of practice (VCoPs; when community members share and cocreate knowledge in online discussions and other forms of knowledge exchange) are increasingly viewed as important vehicles of collective learning in the workplace. Currently, factors leading to successful online knowledge sharing are not well understood. This article is based on an extensive review of online learning, knowledge management, and online communication literature, and proposes a framework for understanding motivators, barriers, and enablers for successful online knowledge sharing and learning. The framework includes key motivational factors, such as utilitarian considerations, value-based considerations, and sense of community and belonging; barriers to online knowledge sharing, including interpersonal factors, procedural and/or use of technology-related factors, and cultural norms; and enablers of VCoP knowledge sharing, including supportive organizational culture, presence of personal knowledge-based trust, and availability of adequate tools. The article concludes with specific recommendations for promoting and supporting vibrant and productive VCoPs.

Wenger's Communities of Practice Revisited: A (Failed?) Exercise in Applied Communities of Practice Theory-Building Research

Storberg-Walker, J. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. Multiple sources describe how communities of practice (CoPs) work and what their constituent elements may be. These contributions offer valuable insights into learning, meaning, identity, and practice. However,they do not explicitly take recognized theory-building steps (R. Dubin, 1978; R. J.Torraco, 2005) to develop an applied theory of CoPs that researchers can test, apply, and adapt. One solution is to submit CoPs to an applied theory-building research critique. This article reviews the analytical components of E. Wenger's (1998) abstract theory with the intent to specify each component and move the components down the ladder of abstraction.The intent of this critique is to move Wenger's (1998) theory toward an operationalized format for confirmation, application, and continual refinement.After the theory-building research analysis, it was found that the 13 analytical elements of Wenger's CoP contribution did not withstand the theory-building research critique in level of analysis or definitional clarity. Recommendations for future CoP applied theory-building research are provided.

Understanding the Dynamics of Collective Learning: The Role of Trust and Social Capital

Gubbins, C., MacCurtain, S. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. A focus on collective, as opposed to individual learning, points to the social network component of learning. Collective learning is fundamentally concerned with social interaction and the development of relational synergies.A key challenge to understanding social interaction is the influence of trust. Trust is important for social capital development and thus for collective learning.This article addresses a significant gap in the literature by reviewing the literature on collective learning, trust, and social capital theory and proposing a set of propositions for further research.The article also identifies a number of implications for HRD in tandem with each proposition.

Understanding the Role of Networks in Collective Learning Processes: The Experiences of Women

Cross, C., Armstrong, C. — 2008-07-11

The problem and the solution. Despite the rapid increase of women in both junior and middle management positions in organizations globally, women comprise a very small percentage of senior executives. One explanation for the scarcity of senior women in organizational life is that women tend to lack access to the relevant networks, which are often biased toward male membership.To reach senior executive positions, women need to either bypass or establish a way into these networks.Within these networks, the learning tends to begin as individualized incidental learning, but develops into collective learning, as women form their own networks and learn from each other in an anticipatory fashion.The authors believe that through efforts to provide more direct access to formal female networks, collective learning can take place in a more structured and efficient fashion. Providing such structured opportunities for knowledge sharing among female managers could form the lynchpin of a successful collective learning strategy.

What Does HRD Know About Organizational Crisis Management? Not Enough! Read on

Hutchins, H. M. — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. Organizational crises have become more complex, far-reaching, and prevalent in modern times. Disease outbreaks, investor fraud, terrorist acts, and natural disasters are but a few of the events that can morph into crisis events and have severe impacts on organization sustainability.This article introduces the area of organizational crisis management to the human resource development (HRD) community, discusses trends that contribute to organizational crisis being a relevant area for HRD inquiry, and previews the contributing perspectives included in this issue.

Organizational Crisis Management and Human Resource Development: A Review of the Literature and Implications to HRD Research and Practice

Hutchins, H. M., Jia Wang, — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. From the post-9/11 effect on financial and transportation industries to the corporate fraud scandals involving Enron and Tyco, organizational crises are a pervasive threat to organizational performance and sustainability.The authors' review of the literature suggests that although the impact of crises on organization effectiveness has been increasingly recognized, it has not attracted much attention from human resource development (HRD) scholars and practitioners. As a result, HRD has not considered how learning, change, and performance interventions might be used to support crisis management processes. The purpose of this article is to explore the role of HRD in organizational crisis management. Specifically, the authors review the theoretical underpinnings of organizational crisis management research, identify opportunities for HRD to be involved in crisis management processes, and explore how HRD research and practice may contribute to supporting organizations' crisis management efforts.

The Role of Human Resource Development Competencies in Facilitating Effective Crisis Communication

Reilly, A. H. — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. Effective crisis communication is one of the key components of effective crisis management, and this article describes key human resource development (HRD) competencies that facilitate crisis communication. Research from organization development, crisis management, and crisis communication is used to provide an integrated framework for studying crisis communication that emphasizes the role of HRD in coping with crises. A repertoire of techniques for crisis communication is provided, together with recommendations for companies seeking to enhance their firms' crisis management capacities through communication. Implications for HRD practice, theory, and research are provided.

Linking Crisis Management and Leadership Competencies: The Role of Human Resource Development

Wooten, L. P., James, E. H. — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. Most executives are aware of the negative consequences associated with an organizational crisis and focus on communications and public relations as a reactive strategy. However, many neglect the other leadership responsibilities associated with organizational crises.This may result from lack of formal training and on-the-job experiences that prepare executives to lead crises. Executives who enable their organizations to recover from a crisis exhibit a complex set of competencies in each of the five phases of a crisis—signal detection, preparation and prevention, damage control and containment, business recovery, and reflection and learning. In this article, through the use of qualitative research design and the analysis of firms in crises, we examine leadership competencies during each phase of a crisis. In addition, this article links the important role of human resource development to building organizational capabilities through crisis management activities.

The Role of HRD in Integrated Crisis Management: A Public Sector Approach

Rusaw, A. C., Rusaw, M. F. — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. This article examines the role that human resource development (HRD) plays in integrating crisis management systems in public sector organizations. We chose to examine the role of HRD in government organizations because public organizations play cross-sector roles in managing large-scale crises and because we have consulted in public organizations for more than 30 years. We reviewed more than 30 journal articles, books, and government studies and identified some possible conditions affecting the integration. As the review suggested that crises make organization adaptability imperative, we maintain that governments facing national man-made or natural disasters require flexible deployment of resources to attain strategic advantage. To explore further the role of HRD, we analyzed conditions in the Charlotte— Mecklenburg (North Carolina, United States) government that integrated HRD in crises management systems.We identified four emergent themes and compared them to crisis management literature to develop three hypotheses of how such integration occurs.We follow this with suggestions for future research and practice.

Using Scenarios to Develop Crisis Managers: Applications of Scenario Planning and Scenario-Based Training

Moats, J. B., Chermack, T. J., Dooley, L. M. — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. Since the events of September 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina during the summer of 2005, the words crisis and disaster evoke images of families stranded on causeways turned islands, surrounded by what little property they could carry; houses smashed by killing winds; and skyscrapers crumbling out of the sky. Disastrous events, such as fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, terrorist incidents, and chemical spills, cause the loss of resources, destruction of property, financial hardship, and death. During these events, local, state, and federal governments commit large numbers of resources, time, and money to mitigate the consequences of the disaster.To manage the response to these events, leaders of public safety organizations and agencies such as fire and police departments, emergency medical services, and health-care organizations, public works departments, private industry, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) descend on the disaster site.These leaders are required to make high consequence decisions with incomplete or inaccurate information, ill-defined goals, and the pressures of time and a constantly changing situation by drawing on their training and experience. This article positions scenario planning and scenario-based training as two cutting-edge methods for organizational leaders to understand better their environments so as to avoid disastrous events and to put in place efficient and effective plans for coping if disaster should strike.

Developing Organizational Learning Capacity in Crisis Management

Jia Wang, — 2008-05-09

The problem and the solution. The impact of crises on organizations and individuals has been stronger than ever. Despite increasing recognition of the effects of crisis events, most organizations are found not adequately prepared in managing crises. The increasingly frequent occurrence of organizational crises exemplifies the need for human resource development in preparing organizations and their members for crisis situations. However, very little effort has been made in this direction. Recognizing the dynamics and interconnectedness of crisis management, organizational learning, and organizational change, this article proposes an integrated model of organizational learning for crisis management that will likely strengthen organizational capacity and resilience in coping with crises and resultant changes.

Seeing Scenarios

Swanson, R. A. — 2008-03-17

Scenario Planning: Human Resource Development's Strategic Learning Tool

Chermack, T. J., Swanson, R. A. — 2008-03-17

This article introduces the concepts of scenario planning and HRD. A discussion of the major areas of overlap is provided, the links are clarified in a strategic context, and clear opportunities for both researchers and practitioners are outlined.This article also provides a short overview of what is to come in this issue of ADHR.The authors carefully outline this issue and each of its major points for optimizing HRD professionals as they work to leverage scenario planning as HRD's strategic learning tool.

Scanning Beyond the Horizon: Exploring the Ontological and Epistemological Basis for Scenario Planning

Walton, J. S. — 2008-03-17

The two-step process of scenario building and action planning that constitutes scenario planning enables methodological rigor, theory testing, and good inquiry to be demonstrated by researchers through established criteria. This article focuses on the philosophical underpinnings of scenario planning that have not been addressed in the human resource development literature and that are treated as problematic from a theoretical perspective because of the conjectural nature of the future. This article categorizes these underpinnings and reviews the claims that can be made with respect to their ontological and epistemological status. A pragmatic perspective that builds on critical realist and constructivist—interpretive paradigms to emphasize decision-making utility as the outcome of inquiry rather than testable knowledge production is proposed.

Scenario Planning: Toward a More Complete Model for Practice

Keough, S. M., Shanahan, K. J. — 2008-03-17

Numerous approaches to scenario planning exist. In fact, as a discipline that has grown more in practice than in any other domain, much about the process is not fully understood.This has led to extreme variety in method and process for conducting scenario projects.The authors begin the task of investigating the elements that appear common to multiple models and processes with intent of aggregating these elements toward a best practice approach. In this article, the authors present and describe several prominent scenario planning models in detail, highlighting the strengths and areas for improvement in each.They then discuss opportunities for solidifying best practices in terms of a sound approach to scenario planning in addition to offering the basis of a unifying model for moving the study of scenario planning forward. Conclusions and suggestions are provided for organizational decision makers and researchers.

Applying Scenario Planning Across Multiple Levels of Analysis

Korte, R. F. — 2008-03-17

Planning for an uncertain future is problematic yet necessary for organizations to remain viable. Scenario planning helps organizations to increase their capacity to learn and adapt as the future unfolds and results in strategies that more effectively help organizations prepare for an uncertain future. Because organizations are complex, multilevel systems, scenario planners must also focus the complexities of learning across multiple levels of analysis. Fostering the learning processes that support effective implementation of strategy across multiple levels of analysis requires attention to the elements and relationships that drive learning from one level to the next. Few strategies for learning fully articulate and integrate the characteristics of learning at different levels of analysis.This article identifies key elements and relationships constituting learning at multiple levels of analysis—individual, group, organization, and industry—and provides an integrated view of multilevel learning in organizational settings to guide and support strategic planning and implementation.

Cognitive Barriers in the Scenario Development Process

Bradfield, R. M. — 2008-03-17

The literature on scenario planning can be neatly divided into two broad categories: (a) anecdotal, practitioner oriented articles that describe how scenario planning has been undertaken in organizations, its espoused benefits, and experienced-based advice on how to construct scenarios and (b) articles that are more academic and analytical in that they attempt to provide a theoretical underpinning for scenarios based on a small body of empirical studies of related topics. It is this second category, the empirical studies of related topics that this article focuses on, in particular, research findings from the cognitive psychology domain in terms of how knowledge is organized and activated in the human mind, cognitive simplification processes, and inductive versus deductive thinking. A research project focusing on the scenario development process is described and the preliminary findings related to the impact of these cognitive phenomena in terms of learning barriers in the development process is discussed.

Scenario-Based Strategy in Practice: A Framework

van der Merwe, L. — 2008-03-17

This article documents the underlying principles of scenario planning considered best practice in its application. These principles have been learned directly over the past 15 years from the first- and second-generation pioneers of the scenario method. In this article, human resource development professionals wishing to gain expertise in the discipline of scenario planning will encounter a way of thinking about this work, some key processes having a track record of success, and an outline of the knowledge skills they need to develop to become competent practitioners. The first part identifies a number of key phenomena that led to the birth of scenario-based strategy as a method.The second part describes some of the essential process elements, their origins, and the competencies needed for facilitation and execution.The goal of this article is to provide a set of reliable "handrails" for practitioners and guidelines for identifying useful further learning resources.

Applying Organization Development Tools in Scenario Planning

McLean, G. N., Egan, T. M. — 2008-03-17

Scenario planning, as an ongoing process for helping leaders in an organization to think more expansively and flexibly, is a complex process requiring trained professionals as facilitators.What approaches do such facilitators use to maximize the benefits of scenario planning? In this article,the authors posit that organization development, with its multitude of interventions, is essential for use in the process. Interventions to be used in each of the three phases of scenario planning are described briefly.

Scenario Planning as Developing Leadership Capability and Capacity

McWhorter, R. R., Lynham, S. A., Porter, D. E. — 2008-03-17

Documented scenario planning projects report a diverse cross section of organizational members. Yet most projects involve executive and senior management teams as their primary participants. Given the participation of higher-level organizational members, a question arises as to whether the scenario planning process is useful in developing leadership capability and capacity within an organization. The implied link between scenario planning and the development of leadership capability must first be described, understood, and substantiated before it can be assumed to be of strategic utility to organizations and fields of practice. This article presents the outcomes of an exploratory inquiry into the association between scenario planning and leadership. Initial discoveries suggest that the development of leadership capability and capacity are reasonable expected outcomes of scenario planning and tentatively positions scenario planning as a strategic tool in human resource development.

Learning With Scenarios: Summary and Critical Issues

Burt, G., Chermack, T. J. — 2008-03-17

This issue of Advances in Developing Human Resources has discussed scenario planning as a contemporary business approach to support the strategic roles of human resource departments in organizations. Scenario planning is usually situated in the domain of strategic and business planning, yet it is increasingly considered a major organizational intervention approach to overcome organizational defensive routines and bring about learning and change in organizations.The articles in this issue bring together academics and practitioners discussing a wide range of issues concerning the theory, research, and practice of scenario planning, illuminating different applications of the method as well as some pitfalls that need to be acknowledged and considered by those wishing to use it in their organizations.

A New Era for Career Development and HRD

Hite, L. M., McDonald, K. S. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. Career development (CD), long considered a primary function of HRD, has been eclipsed in recent years by changing employer—employee loyalties, increasing interest in portable careers, and the growing importance of subjective career goals. Instead of abandoning CD in the wake of such significant changes, HRD needs to review the evolving career landscape and respond to the diverse needs of individuals and systems. It is a new era for CD and HRD.

Creating Career-Conducive Organizations: A Primary Intervention Approach

Gilbreath, B. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. This article introduces the concept of career-conducive organizations and suggests ways human resource development (HRD) professionals can help to create them. A healthy psychosocial environment is proposed to be the foundation of career conduciveness. A case is made for making healthy psychosocial environments one of an organizations' primary goals and for HRD playing a significant role in achieving this goal. Methods for improving the workplace psychosocial environment are discussed, including stress audits, work environment monitoring, person— environment matching, and participatory action research. It is argued that creating career-conducive organizations is not only an important strategic HRD contribution but also an important quality-of-life contribution and an ethical duty.

Using the Kaleidoscope Career Model to Understand the Changing Patterns of Women's Careers: Designing HRD Programs That Attract and Retain Women

Sullivan, S. E., Mainiero, L. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. This article explores how a new model of careers can be used to suggest human resource development (HRD) programs that better match the unique career patterns of women. Traditional career stage models, which form the basis of many modern HRD practices, were created by studying men's careers and do not fit the complexities of women's careers. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Kaleidoscope Career Model as a means of understanding the needs of women workers and how organizations can systematically fulfill those needs to gain a competitive advantage. In addition to HRD implications, we also discuss directions for future research.

The Stalled Career: Addressing an Organizational Undiscussable

Kormanik, M. B. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. Conditions in the United States have created a situation in which some middle-aged White males are experiencing a stalled career; they perceive they have plateaued in career progression, while at the same time women and minority peers continue advancing.There has been no research describing the stalled career experience or its impact on the workplace.This phenomenological study explores the stalled career phenomenon by asking White males who have experienced the nonevent work transition of a stalled career to describe their experiences.The analytical framework for this exploration into adult development is transitions theory. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The Baby Boom Generation and Career Management: A Call to Action

Callanan, G. A., Greenhaus, J. H. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. The aging and ultimate retirement of the baby boom generation represents a major demographic and sociological phenomenon that has far reaching implications for organizations, the government, and society as a whole. For organizations, the baby boom workforce is a paradox, simultaneously representing both a critical success factor and potential drag on corporate performance and financial resources. Given this paradox, this article first provides a description of the significant issues and challenges that the baby boom generation presents to organizations currently and in the future. It then discusses contemporary organizational attitudes toward the baby boom workforce as well as the related career management programs aimed at this cohort. In a "call to action" for organizations, we conclude by recommending a number of career management and human resource development actions that should, collectively, allow organizations to proactively respond to the challenges posed by the aging of baby boom generation.

The Next Generation of Career Success: Implications for HRD

McDonald, K. S., Hite, L. M. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. This exploratory qualitative study investigated young professionals' definitions of career success and the strategies they employ to achieve that success. There were three over-arching themes that emerged from the data. Two reflect how young professionals perceive career success.They see it as individualistic and as a multidimensional concept that is likely to change throughout their work lives.The third theme, attaining work—life balance, is integral to their definition of career success as well as to their strategies for attaining success. Implications for human resource development are provided.

Improving the Evidence Base for Career Development Programs: Making Use of the Evaluation Profession and Positive Psychology Movement

Preskill, H., Donaldson, S. I. — 2008-01-15

The problem and the solution. Though much has been written on the topic of career development, the human resource development field has paid little attention to the ways in which career development programs are evaluated.The lack of sound evidence for the effectiveness of career development interventions may be because of the overreliance on Kirkpatrick's ubiquitous evaluation approach or that traditional research methods such as experimental and quasi-experimental designs are not appropriate or feasible in many organizational settings. In this article, we describe the growing profession and practice of evaluation and discuss how the positive psychology movement provides new insights into how career development programs may be evaluated.