Importance of Human Resource Development - Research Paper Example

IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT Importance of Human Resource Development Introduction Despitethe continuous debate regarding the human resource development nature, the human resource field continues to play a significant role in most organizations. Human resource management mainly deals with functions, responsibilities, importance and employees behavior. Therefore, human resource significance in an organization remains phenomenon. Previously, most organizations had given the aspect of managing employees less attention. However, the trend has shifted in most organizations (Information Resources Management Association, 2012, p. 34). With this in mind, this essay intends to provide a critical discussion on the significance of human resource department. The essay will also provide various predominant themes within which crucial debates about the significance of human resource department (HRD) are situated. Human Resources Development Defined This discussion begins by defining human resources development. Given the significance of the definition especially in understanding the limitations of human resource development, the HRD issue is, therefore, important. However, questions’ regarding human resources development is sometimes difficult to answer given the controversial nature of the field in some contexts (Swanson, 15, p. 208). Most dominant articles on management define human resource development as a contested domain. In management, Human Resource Development entails the career development efforts, organizational development, and integrated use of training to enhance employee and organizational effectiveness (Swanson, 15, p. 208). Alternatively, human resources development entails the integrated systems, programs and policies use in recruiting, developing and maintaining employees. Conversely, the human resource development operates under four different domains: The first domain that tends to define the HRD is the performance domain, which mostly includes the organization, group/individual levels, and the work process. The second domain, which HRD operates under, is the organization development, which entails the process of implementing organizational change systematically to improve organizational performances. The human resource development aspect also operates under the three important application human resource development areas, which include career development, human resource management and quality improvement (Swanson, 1995, p. 209). The last domain, which defines human resource development, is the training and development aspect. In HRD, the training and development aspect entails the process of developing expertise systematically among individuals to improve organizational performances. Human resource development also operates under three core beliefs. The beliefs make human resource development an important aspect in the organization (Huselid, Jackson, & Schuler, 1997, p. 175). The three core beliefs are; The first human resource development belief is that human expertise tends to maximize through HRD processes. In fact, it should be done for either short or long-term organizational benefits. There is the belief that human resource development professionals act as the group, organizational integrity and work process advocates. There is the fact that organizations are entities made by humans, hence depend on human competences in establishing and achieving the set goals. Concepts and Components of Human Resource Development Human resource development operates under two main components, which include organizational plus training and development. Additionally, human resource development has at least three main application areas including career development, human resource management and quality improvement (Swanson, 1995, p. 208). Organization development - This HRD component states that the organization entails the process of developing expertise among employees to improve organizational performances. Performance - This component identifies at least three performance levels in the organization. The three components include individual, organizational and process (Swanson, 1995, p. 208). Training and development – In organizational management, training and development entail the process of developing expertise among employees to improve performances (Swanson, 1995, p. 208). HRD as a Professional Field/Discipline Field As previously indicated, HRD embraces various performance aspects that include; Training and development Management development Organizational learning Human performance technology Employee development (Swanson, 2001, p. 11) Evidence of Reading and Application Of Theory As with any practice and theory field, there are intense debates and rival views regarding the importance and roles of HRD in organizations. Pointing out differences and rival views regarding the significance of HRD in organizations is sometimes important since it helps in emphasizing the HRD aspect. It is this agreement, which provides a platform of HRD practice and theory. HRD remains an evolving discipline/process that makes for an exciting debate, especially within the management profession. Similar studies and literature including the (American Heritage Dictionary, 1993, p. 684) indicate that the HRD remains an important organizational process. In most cases, the process helps in attaining organizational expertise, making the positive change in the organization, and the development of excellent quality (Swanson, 2001, p. 15). Similar literature indicates that the HRD profession is mostly focused on creating an improved organizational future. Additionally, HRD also aims at making things better in organizational concept. Examples include everything from mastering new content and helping employees learn to assist organizations establish their strategic direction. Apart from that, there is also the debate among HRD professionals regarding the HRD purpose being either performance or learning. In the same context, Krempl and Pace (2001) claim that human resource development objectives should always remain the link to business outcomes. However, other research studies indicate that organizations should only value human resource development process only if assist in organizational productivity. The debate regarding the HRD value in an organization is sometimes interesting. In the HRD process, learning is mostly associated with a performance avenue (Swanson, 2001, p. 15). On the other hand, the performance also requires learning. In reference to the debate on the significance of HRD in an organization, there is the overarching improvement concern that human resource development tends to provide. Despite its organizational importance, there are arguments that human resource development is problem oriented. According to the (American Heritage Dictionary, 1993, p. 1090), a problem is simply an issue or a situation, which presents difficulty or perplexity. Therefore, these difficult or perplexing situations and people ignite or justify the HRD process. This argument remains baseless given what the human resource development process holds. In fact, most HRD professionals feel that they are positive and constructive agents of the process. In fact, most organizational employees claim that they are HRD beneficiaries. With all the techniques and tools report regarding HRD, it is important to think positively about human resource development (Swanson, 2001, p. 16). Here, HRD acts as a problem defining a process. Human resource development is also a problem-solving process. Most HRD professionals have various ways and strategies for defining both the problem defining and problem-solving aspects. Theoretical Foundations of Human Resource Development Systems Thinking Most HRD professionals tend to talk about systems thinking and systems views. In this case, systems thinking remain a basic aspect to HRD theory. System thinking entails a conceptual framework, tools and a body of knowledge, which help in making full patterns clearer. They also individuals see ways of changing their imaginations effectively. Therefore, systems thinking remain a system theory outgrowth (Swanson, 2001, p. 17). The basic system theory includes aspects such as processes, inputs, system outputs and feedback loop. Additionally, basic system theory tends to acknowledge that the environment influences most systems. Also known as, an open system, this system has the ability to be influenced by various external forces. Therefore, the system’s ideas tend to provide the foundation of HRD tools that are used for taking action especially after identifying problems in an organization. On the other hand, systems thinking have the ability to allow HRD to view its sponsoring organizations as systems (Swanson, 2001, p. 17). Basic system theory remains the origin of system thinking and in this case, it informs individuals regarding the fundamental and initial requirements of engaging in system thinking. To understand the significance, roles, and HRD processes in an organization, it is always important the human resource development theoretical foundation. The human resource development process operates in at least three theoretic foundations, which include; economic theory, psychological theory and the system theory. In fact, most organizations portray the three HRD models component and their integration as a 3-legged stool (Swanson, 2001, p. 17). In this case, the legs tend to represent a platform that helps in the integration of various theories into unique HRD theories. The theoretical components provide an organization with an ethical rug, which acts as a rug that filters the integrity of the human resource development process. Theoretic basics of HRD include; The economic theory of the HRD process tends to capture some of the main issues regarding the effective and efficient utilization of organizational resources in attaining productive goals towards the organizational competitive environment. Psychological theory tends to capture some of the primary human aspects of HRM. This theory also captures the human and systems socio-technical interplay. In human resource development, the systems theory tends to capture various dynamic and complex environments interactions, work process, organizations and group variables that operate at the different organizational point in time. Summary While it is safe to agree that human resource development can be an expensive process especially in a new organization, the human resource idea remains an important prospect in most organizations. In organizational management, the HRD process entails various organizational concepts and methodologies that include career development efforts, organizational development, and integrated use of training. All these aspects help in enhancing both employee and organizational effectiveness. The HRD process has three primary application areas. The three areas are quality improvement, career development, and human resource management. Despite the negativity associated with human resource management in some contexts, the process remains significant especially in organizations. In most cases, it helps organizations attain expertise. In this case, both the employees and the management tend to benefit from the process since human resource development also acts as a learning process. By attaining organizational expertise, the process enables positive change in the organization. Human resource development tends to motivate both the employees towards the attainment of organizational goals. Like any other process, the HRD process tends to operate in various theoretical foundations. Common theoretical foundations include; system theory, economic theory, psychological theory. Examples Real companies using HRD The success of organizations such as the Microsoft Company is built on innovation, unlocking employee potential especially for business impact and building a modern organizational culture. Such companies do not only rely on their physical presence in the market. On the other hand, the Microsoft Company mainly concentrates on the strategic role, which focuses on its business. This strategy helps in coordinating efforts from various organizational departments (Microsoft Company, 2015). Employee motivation and creativity in this case is dependent on human resource development. Another example is how the Toyota Company uses human resource development. In this case, the Company uses HRD as an effective program for knowledge creation and transfer. Here, Toyota’s Technical Development Corporations efficiently links the company’s knowledge transfer to creation (Matsuo, 2015). In doing this, HRD allows the establishment of new knowledge on automobile development through transfer competencies. Additionally, the company’s technical development corporation helps in promoting the transfer of tacit and explicit knowledge by combining on-the-job training and off-the-job training (Matsuo, 2015). The company’s human resource development aspect mostly operates under quality improvement. A negative attribute about the company’s HRD concept is that sometimes the concept tends to receive strong opposition from organizational employees. Conclusion From the essay, it is evident that the HRD practice is mostly dominated by positive intentions, which seek to improve individual’s performances, expertise within the organization, work processes, and groups. Most observers suggest that human resource development tends to evoke effective actions and common sense thinking among employees. Therefore, contrary to the argument, the HRD perspective has good consequences (Akinci, & Sadler-Smith, 2012, p. 105). A positive HRD consequence is that most organizational employees are willing to participate or contribute in HRD processes. Despite the arguments that human resource development also has bad consequences for the organization, it is evident that the HRD process provides a learning opportunity to organizational employees. The definitive importance of this essay is to disclose the underlying thinking, which allows HRD professionals to apply HRD theories in their work. Bibliography Akinci, C & Sadler-Smith, E. 2012. Intuition in management research: A historical review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14(1): 104-122. Carberry, R. and Cross, C. (Eds.). 2015. Human Resource Development. London: Palgrave. Sadler-Smith, E. (2006). Learning and Development for Managers. Oxford: Blackwell Chalofsky, N., Rocco, T. S., & Morris, M. L. 2014. Handbook of human resource development. Chandra, H. 2006. Human resource development: theories & practices. New Delhi, India, Akansha Pub. House. 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