Content area
Full Text
Abstract
Purpose - Establishes a connection between the concepts of "learning organisation" and "human resources development".
Design/methodology/approach - A brief and broad overview of the current state of human research development research.
Findings - One conclusion to be reached is that the subject is healthy. Another conclusion is that human resource development research is developing the potential to lead in fundamentally changing the nature of organisation, management and work. A final conclusion is that the concept of human resource development and that of the learning organisation have much in common.
Originality/value - Provides possible links between the concepts of a learning organisation and human resource development.
Keywords Learning organizations, Human resource development
Paper type Viewpoint
An introduction and rationale
I want to begin this Viewpoint by establishing a connection between the concepts of "learning organisation" (LO) and "human resources development" (HRD). The idea of LO has a connection with that of organisation development (OD). I have argued previously that the LO ideal can be seen as the ultimate articulation of the goals and values of OD (Stewart, 1996). Whatever view is adopted on that argument, many readers of this journal will I think agree that change programmes intended to transform organisations into forms based on the principles of the LO ideal have many characteristics in common with OD programmes. This is perhaps especially the case in relation to the values which inform the design and implementation of such programmes, and which form a denning principle in the desired organisation form. We know that HRD has a clear connection with OD. As far back as the early 1980s OD was argued to be a central component of what was then the emerging notion of HRD (McLagan, 1983). More recent theorising on HRD (McGoldrick et al, 2002) and empirical research on the practices of HRD (Tjepkema et al, 2002) both support the argument that OD constitutes a component of HRD. So, if HRD encompasses OD and if OD in turn is connected in some way with the notion of the LO, then there is a connection between the concept of the LO and that of HRD.
This rather neat syllogism is not though the only grounds for accepting a relationship between the two concepts. A more...