Gary N. McLean

If we can't define HRD in one country, how can we define it in an international context?

Is it possible to define HRD in a way that is appropriate in a world-wide context? That was the question for this research. Several factors were found that influence a countrys and an individuals definition. The most common US definitions have influenced definitions around the world, yet definitions are also influenced by the context in which the definitions have emerged. Through e-mails and literature research, definitions from several countries have been identified and compared, and an initial definition that meets the conditions of many countries is proposed.

National Human Resource Development: What in the World Is It?:

The problem and the solution. Recent exploratory research has affirmed the variations in understanding of the meaning of human resource development (HRD) from country to country based on a number of identifiable characteristics of the country. One area identified in the definitions of some countries, which was different from that found in the United States and in some other countries, was a focus on HRD as national policy. The purpose of this issue of ADHR, then, is to explore how HRD is viewed as national policy around the world.

Best Employer Studies: A Conceptual Model from a Literature Review and a Case Study

This article explores the phenomenon of best employer studies, including origins, meaning, and implications of such studies through a literature review and a case study of Hewitts Best Employers in Asia study. A conceptual model is suggested of the relationships among business strategy, HR practices, engaged employees, HR reputation, and financial performance, based on theoretical backgrounds, such as the resource-based view of the firm, strategic HR management, signaling theory, and social identity theory. Finally, implications for practice in HRD and for future research are presented.

What We Discovered about NHRD and What it Means for HRD

The problem and the solution. This issue was initiated to discover how human resource development (HRD) was being used as national policy in various countries throughout the world and what the findings would mean to our understanding of HRD. As suggested in recent exploratory research, the concept of HRD as national policy is a reality throughout the world. As we continue to explore HRD in our coursework and research, the articles in this issue will require us to think more expansively about what HRD is and how we need to partner with many other change agents to be successful in our national human resource development (NHRD) efforts.

Knowledge as a facilitator for enhancing innovation performance through total quality management

Many organisations are facing competitive challenges due to the rapid pace of technological change. Management theorists and practitioners alike have called for more creativity and innovation in product lines, management practices and production processes. However, total quality management (TQM) has long been a major management practice. Knowledge management (KM) initiatives have gained popularity in organisations recently. In addition, innovation has also received considerable attention as critical to securing sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace. This study examined how KM initiatives, TQM and innovation performance are related. A survey of 223 managers from 1139 Taiwanese high-tech companies provided the empirical data needed. The study used structural equation modelling to analyse simultaneously the relationships between KM, TQM and innovation performance. Findings were that KM is positively associated with both TQM and innovation performance and that TQM is a mediator between KM and innovation performance.

Influence of demographic factors and ownership type upon organizational learning culture in Chinese enterprises

This empirical study, using Western concepts incorporated into the Dimension of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) instrument and data collected from 919 employees in nine companies located in Guangdong Province, China, explored organizational learning culture in Chinese business settings. Findings suggest that the DLOQ is applicable to the Chinese context, and demographic variables, such as age and educational level, and the type of ownership of Chinese companies (state-owned enterprises and privately owned enterprises), show differences in organizational learning culture. Discussions and implications are provided.

The Dilemma of Defining International Human Resource Development

From the beginning of the use of the term human resource development (HRD) to describe our field, there have been struggles over the meaning of the term and, even more broadly, of the field itself. In recent years, there has been increased attention to the question of the field’s definition, in general, as well as attention to the emerging field of national HRD. This article moves this exploration one more step toward an exploration of the dilemma of defining international and cross-national HRD. A beginning definition is offered, not as a definitive answer but to facilitate ongoing discussion in the dialogue on HRD definitions.

National Human Resource Development: A Focused Study in Transitioning Societies in the Developing World

The problem and the solution. The world continues to be one that is marked by incredible disparities in wealth, education, employment, health, technology, infrastructures, safety, and other factors that contribute to one’s sense of well-being. The renewed interest in national human resource development may be an effective, systematic approach to assisting in reducing these disparities and in reaching the United Nation’s target to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Such developments make it increasingly important for human resource development professionals to understand and contribute to this broader context of human resource development. This issue of Advances in Developing Human Resources fills one more niche in the growing literature related to national human resource development.

Strategic HRD Practices as Key Factors in Organizational Learning

The purpose of this research was to explore (1) the relationships among strategic HRD (SHRD) practices and organizational learning; and (2) the relationships among organizational learning and HRD outcomes through a literature review. This paper reviews the characteristics of strategic HRD that are important in supporting organizational learning. A conceptual framework outlining the relationships among SHRD practices and organizational learning is provided to illustrate how these relationships can enhance HRD outcomes.Design/methodology/approach: Key words were identified to use in the literature search: HRD, SHRD practices, and organizational learning. All of the several electronic databases available in the university’s electronic library, including both journal and book sources, were used to search for resources, as well as Google Scholar and Google.Findings: Organizations that learn and develop their SHRD practices have more opportunities to obtain and integrate the nine HRD outcomes in the learning process: organizational mission and goals, top management leadership, environmental scanning, HRD strategies and plans, strategic partnerships with line management, strategic partnerships with HRM, trainers as organizational change consultants, influence corporate culture, and emphasis on individual productivity and participation.Research limitations/implications: The study was exploratory, based on a literature review. Empirical research is needed to examine why some SHRD practices, like culture recognition, environmental scanning, and organizational mission and goals, were suggested as key factors in organizational learning.Practical implications: Instilling more SHRD practices through organizational learning may lead to more desired HRD outcomes.Originality/value: The research constructs a conceptual framework to outline the relationships among SHRD practices and organizational learning. Value was created when strategic HRD practices were identified as key factors in organizational learning.

A Response to Wang and Swanson's Article on National HRD and Theory Development

Wang and Swanson (2008) have provided a critique of the current state of the research and theory of national human resource development (NHRD). In this article, the authors provide a critique based on the following issues: insistence on a single paradigm of truth or reality, theory development methodology, the bounding process, the definitional process, scope of NHRD efforts, and reliance on economics (and only development economics).