Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example

? Annotated Bibliography HRD 276 November 17, 2003 Burack, E.H., Hochwarter, W. and Mathys, N.J. (1997) The New Management Development Paradigm. Human Resource Planning 20 (1), 14ff. This article focuses on the particular needs of management for staff development and describes how HRM and Strategic Planning have traditionally been separate functions but are nowadays beginning to work more closely together. The rapid advance in technologies has been matched by an increasing need for well trained workers, and this is especially true at management level where the training needs to keep up with the pace of change in the markets. It argues for the building of core competencies and then the crafting of these to particular jobs. Cairncross, G. and Kelly, S. (2008) Human Resources Development and ‘casualisation’ in Hotels and Resorts in Eastern Australia: Getting the Best to the Customer. Journal of Management and Organization 14 (4), 367 ff. This article acknowledges the rising trend of casual employment in the tourism industry in Australia and reports of fieldwork with 15 hotel locations. The authors recommend that strategies like succession planning, job sharing, team performance pay and higher levels of empowerment be considered in order to lower turnover rate and improve performance. Donaldson, L. and Scannell, E. (2000) Human Resource Development: The New Trainer’s Guide. Cambridge, MA: Perseus. As the title suggests, this book looks at HRD from the trainer’s point of view. It approaches the subject in a chronological order, starting with the need for a trainer to organize his or her own self-development and then work out a strategy for establishing what the organization needs in terms of training. It moves to the design and planning of training inputs, obtaining the necessary resources, and specifying different objectives such as training, structural and behavioral objectives. Chapters 5-8 provide practical detail on lesson types, training methods and the use of techniques and technology. Some teaching theory on communication, learning, motivation and skills building is also provided. The last few chapters give guidance on meetings and dealing with “problem participants”. Elkeles, T. and Phillips, J.J. (2007) The Chief Learning Officer: Driving Value within a Changing Organization Through Learning Development. Burlington, MA: Elsevier. This book explains the origins and nature of the “Chief Learning Officer” role. This is a concept which is used in commercial companies, and it describes a senior position which aims to add value by linking strategic goals with the competencies of the personnel. It stresses learning rather than training or development, and includes a drive to improve performance. A useful set of comments from industry professionals is included at the end. Flaherty, J. (2010) Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others. (3rd ed.) Burlington, MA: Elsevier. This book explains how coaching differs from other types of learning approach. It stresses the relationships between coach and client and explores how to build trust and respect, what techniques to use, and what kind of models to use for assessment. There are long sections (Chapters 7 and 8) on speech act theory and “the coaching conversation” which highlight how HRD professionals can improve their skills in dealing with clients one a face to face basis. Follis, E. (2001) Organization development & Human Resources: Planning for the future. Organization Development Journal 19 (2), 37ff. This article explores the tensions between the organization development and human resources sections of some companies. It reports on empirical research involving 48 individuals participating in structured interviews and concludes that there is still work to be done in ensuring that these two areas of expertise work effectively together and over come problems like turf wars and differing perspectives. Garavan, T.N. (1991) Strategic Human Resource Development. International Journal of Manpower 12 (6), 21-34. This article presents some of the challenges faced by HRD professionals in High Technology companies in Ireland in the late 1980s. It stresses the necessity of having sufficient knowledge of the theoretical background and describes how companies have benefited from HRD interventions to improve their performance. Gilley, J. and Eggland, S. and Gilley, A.M. (2002) Principles of Human Resource Development. Cambridge, MA: Perseus. This book introduces subject with definitions of terms. Part one then focuses on the different areas that HRD usually covers, including the development of individuals, career planning and performance management, while part two gives detailed descriptions of the different roles and competencies within HRD. There was an interesting commentary on why HRD functions sometimes fail, especially in times of economic downturn. Good HRD monitoring systems and inspirational leadership are presented as key features of successful HRD units. Part three discusses concepts such as learning acquisition and learning transfer, as well as design and evaluation issues. The final section deals with credibility building and positioning within an organization. This is a good all-round introduction to the topic. Hansen, C.D. and Lee, Y-T. (Eds.) (2009) The Cultural Context of Human Resource Development. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave MacMillan. This book is a collection of essays on HRD in a very wide range of different countries. The opening and closing chapters are generic, but the largest section in the middle provides a good range of cultural perspectives. European, Asian, American and African comparisons illustrate how different cultural paradigms influence the way that people perceive the HRD task, and they explore the different tactics and strategies that work best in each context. One interesting example shows how Hofstede’s work on individualism and collectivism impacts upon cross-national HRD in the USA and Germany (individualist) and Cote d’Ivoire (collectivist) cultures. Another chapter looks at fast-track career choices, which is often seen in the West as a sign of success, and the concept of reversalism, which in Asia is valued as a non-linear but broader and more flexible type of career path. This book encourages the reader to reflect on the traditions and myths that exist in each culture, even when they implicit. Killion, J. (2008) Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. This book encourages evaluability in the design of staff development programs. There is a very useful section (chapter 8) on data management which splits the task into three steps: organize, analyze and display. After this comes interpretation and then dissemination. Five appendices give excellent examples which could assist HRD professionals in implementing these ideas. Madsen, S.R. and Musto, A.L. (2004) Traits, Skills and Knowledge Required of Successful Human Resource Leaders. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship 9 (3), 56ff. This article is based on fieldwork in Utah. It lists a great many skills needed for HR leadership. There is very little analysis of this information. In in terms of knowledge, the authors stress business acumen and knowledge of HRM theory. This article provides good points to reflect on, not much more. Martin, V. (2006) Managing Projects in Human Resources, Training and Development. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. This book is a very detailed account of all the stages in HRD project management, from scoping, defining, to managing risk, planning, estimating time and cost, scheduling and implementing. There is also guidance on monitoring and control and there are many chapters on the follow up work such as evaluation and reporting outcomes. The author takes a very practical view, covering potential problems and showing how HRD and management professionals can learn from each project in many ways. Given that many companies conduct their change management initiatives through projects, this book provides important parameters for HRD projects to follow so that maximum benefit can be gained. McNiff, J. and Whitehead, J. (2000) Action Research in Organisations. London and New York: Routledge. This book takes an academic approach to the way that an organization embeds a learning culture through action research. It takes account of traditional, rational types of analysis, but also cover the “messy, uncontrolled and unpredictable” side of working with human beings. (p. 2) The author recommends that HRD professionals should reflect on their own experiences. In chapter 3 there is a useful discussion on the nature of power, where it comes from, using Foucault’s ideas, and how it is maintained in hierarchical ways, forcing people to conform to organizational norms. The HRD function is presented as a way of helping people to resist improper uses of power and develop their own potential and their own identities within the systems of the workplace. There are international case studies which illustrate how the issues work out in particular situations such as schools, colleges and prison. Phillips, J.J. (1997) Handbook of Training Evaluation and Measurement. (2nd ed.) Woburn, MA: Elsevier. This handbook stresses the need for a results-based approach to HRD. It gives clear instructions on how to build evaluation methods into training design, how to collect data, identify benefits and calculate the return on investment. It has quite a numeric focus, but it shows the value of considering this aspect of training, especially on the part of those whose job it is to determine what training is done and report to managers on the effect of HRD initiatives. Swanson, R.A. (2001a) Assessing the Financial Benefits of Human Resource Development. Cambridge, MA: Perseus. This book is a hard-hitting critique of some of the practices that exist in HRD, such as training which without any clear benefit to the organization. It states that if there is no need, then there is no benefit, and explains how to convert intangible benefits into money. The approach is quite alien to most HRD professionals but the book provides a useful insight into how some financial directors think and gives good tips on how to present HRD plans and results to managers who have this world view. Swanson, R.A. (2001b) Human resource development and its underlying theory. Human Resource Development International 4 (3), 299-312. This article argues for the importance of theory building in HRD. It explains the value of different contributing fields such as systems theory, field and intervention theory and work design or human capital theory. No one approach is suitable, but a combination of elements of them all is necessary in reflective practice. Stopper, W.G. and Risher, H. (2005) Outsourcing’s Effect on HR Leadership Development. Human Resource Planning 28 (4), 11ff. This article considers recent trends to outsource HRD functions and the implications for HRD managers which include new skills needed in pitching for work and bargaining for strategic influence. Vicere, A.E. (2000) Ten Observations on E-Learning and Leadership Development. Human Resource Planning 23, pp. 34ff. This article explores how wireless internet technology is influencing people management. It warns against investment in technology for the sake of it and notes that face to face learning is still preferred, often with add-on support from internet features. Weakland, J.H. (2001) Human Resources Holistic Approach to Healing Downsizing Survivors. Organization Development Journal 19 (2) 59ff. This article looks at the after effects of the common practice of workforce reduction and considers strategies to repair the damage caused by “survivor syndrome” where stress and low morale undo any benefit brought by downsizing. Zhu, C.J. (1998) Human Resource Development in China during the Transition to A New Economic System. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources 35 (3), 19-44. This is an interesting study on the way that HRD principles have been introduced into a situation where they were largely unknown, namely China’s manufacturing sector. The transition from a top-down planning regime to a more entrepreneurial model is described, along with the benefits that the intervention of HRD can have in improving company performance. Read More