Andrew Armitage

From sentimentalism towards a critical HRD pedagogy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach for the teaching and delivery of HRD practices, professional skills and theory that challenges the modernist orthodoxy of contemporary organisational life and the requirements of professional bodies.Design/methodology/approach – First, the territory of a critical HRD pedagogy is defined within practices that respect human freedom and individual dignity as opposed to instrumentalism and target setting. Second, it will advocate an approach for a HRD pedagogy that has its roots within the lost paradigm of sentimentalism that emphasises the belief in the goodness of humanity informing the romantic notions of human imagination, creativity and respect for the individual that is realised through the dialogical process.Findings – The findings, evinced by vignettes, advocate a critical HRD pedagogy and the development of professional skills that base their values and ethics within emancipatory practices if organisations are to create and support sustain...

The rapid structured literature review as a research strategy

The analysis of literature indicates that there are gaps in both science and practice related to the efficiency measures of forms enhancing employees’ competencies. Performance indicators can be seen as a part of the evaluation of training courses carried out immediately after their completion. However, consistent and comprehensive research on the effectiveness of various forms increasing the competence and development of employees is rarely observed. The purpose of this article is to present the results of a research using the case study method.

Leadership prototypes: a Russian perspective

Purpose – The aim of this research is to study leadership prototypes of Russian employees, which are dependent on their gender, organizational position and age.Design/methodology/approach – As a research method a cross‐sectional survey was employed where 223 employees of Russian middle‐sized company were interviewed. Instruments included a questionnaire containing 21 leadership dimensions adopted from the global leadership and organisational behaviour effectiveness (GLOBE) Research Program Project, together with three factual questions. Respondents had to rate it using seven‐point Likert Scale.Findings – The research findings revealed that leadership prototypes of Russian employees differ depending on gender, organisational position and age. All three factors influence the leadership prototype simultaneously. Female managers value leaders who are more humane‐orientated, open and being capable of solving conflicts, whereas male managers are more willing to exercise power and authority in their positions. T...

Total quality management meets human resource management: perceptions of the shift towards high performance working

Purpose – A number of studies and writings have presented ideas about new working practices that might be embraced in the twenty‐first century. Moreover, that, employers would seek to gain their commitment by adopting the high working practices of high performance working (HPW) for organisations to become successful through their strategic approach to the human resource (HR). It is against Watsons model that this paper seeks, in order to gain insights, to explore the perceptions of current HR professionals of their organisations post‐2000.Design/methodology/approach – A survey design is used for the study to collect data over a four‐week period in February 2006 from 100 HR professionals. Using a seven‐point Likert scale questionnaire, adapted from Watsons model, the study is conducted in two phases. The first initial pilot study that surveys 30 HR professionals and after modification, this is extended to a further 70 HR professionals as Phase 2. The respondents are primarily drawn from organisations in ...

HRD Challenges Faced in the Post-Global Financial Crisis Period--Insights from the UK.

Purpose – The paper aims to report initial empirical research that examines UK employees’ perceptions of the changing nature of work since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) to consider how the financial context may have constrained HRD practice and more sustainable approaches. Design/methodology/approach – Focus group research was facilitated through collective group discussion. Through template analysis of the findings, thematic analysis was undertaken to extend prior research. Themes used by Hassard et al. (2009) in terms of the changing nature of the workplace between 2000 and 2008, were used to provide new data on HRD realities. Findings – Participants reported diminishing personal control over changes within the workplace and a cultural shift towards a harsher work climate. HRD was considered as silenced or absent and associated solely with low cost-based e-learning rather than acting in strategic role supporting sustainable business objectives. Research limitations/implications – Whilst providing only indications from employee perceptions, the research identifies a weakened HRD function. The key contribution of this paper lies with empirical evidence of post-GFC constraints placed upon HRD strategies. It further identifies whether alternative development approaches, mediated by organisational learning capabilities, might emancipate UK HRD. Social implications – This paper engenders a debate around the status of HRD within the UK organisations, further to the global financial crisis (GFC), where HRD might be viewed as at a juncture to argue a need for a shift from a financialised mode for people management towards one of greater people focus. Originality/value – This research provides initial findings of the impact of the economic climate. It considers new approaches which might resolve expiring HRD through more sustainable practices.

The Dark Side The Poetics of Toxic Leadership

The Problem Morgan explored in her book What Poetry Brings to Business the deep but unexpected connections between business and poetry. She demonstrated how the creative energy, emotional power, and communicative complexity of poetry relate directly to the practical needs for innovation and problem solving that face business managers, and how poetry can unpack complexity, together with the ability to empathize with, and better understand the thoughts and feelings of others. This, it can be argued, not only aids the creative process of individuals, but it can also help facilitate the entrepreneurial culture of an organization, develop imaginative solutions, and help better understand chaotic environments. However, despite Morgan’s welcomed addition, it still remains that there is still a dearth of literature of the use of poetry concerning toxic leadership practices. The Solution According to Roebuck, reflexive practice can be described as a process of inquiry that facilities appreciation and understanding of contextualized views, deeper learning experiences, the development of ideas, and the conditions for actual change. Therefore, if organizations are not to objectify the creativity of those who aspire to be organizational leaders, then leadership development programs have to give voice to those who own organizational problems and their solution. Examples of organizational poetry will be presented to show how it can be used to unlock personal experiences and relationships within the context of working life. It will be argued that if stories are to represent reality as lived by those who report them, then poetry provides an alternative method of enquiry to inform contemporary leadership practices. The Stakeholders Poetry empowers individuals to internalize stories that carefully attend to context and settings to offer fresh perspectives on established truths, thus providing a way to explore hidden worlds that might often go unsaid in the milieu of normal conversation. As such, this article is aimed at those who need to develop an alternative paradigm for leadership and Human Resource Development (HRD) educational programs and want to adopt a more open dialogical approach to human relations within classroom settings and practice.

Is HRD in need of an ethics of care

ABSTRACT Human Resource Development (HRD) operates within competitive global environments and the changing expectations of societal moral values, which can be in conflict with organizational values, performance, and profit. These are underpinned by the unquestioning acceptance and ‘orthodoxy’ of free‐market economics, legalism, and codes of conduct that result in a lack of ethical analysis within HRD practice. In response to the forgoing, it will be argued that the ethics of care that espouses the values of human relationships, empathy, dignity, and respect is a legitimate approach to free-market lead ethical rule-based rationality that is often presented as the de facto position for HRD professional practice. It presents the ethical debates in which HRD operates within, before arguing for the ethics of care. Three case examples from practice are offered illustrating how HRD practice might respond through the lens of an ethics of care. Reflections and implications for HRD in the form of objections and responses are considered. It concludes that HRD professionals are faced with many difficulties when making decisions, and that the ethics of care offer is an alternative perspective for HRD practitioners.