Jim Stewart

Human Resource Development in Small Organizations.

The paper draws on case‐study research into human resource development (HRD) within three small organizations in the north‐west of England. It positions the investigations within an overall framework of doctoral research, defines how the term small to medium‐sized enterprise (SME) has been used, and summarizes the research design. The main content of the paper discusses the characteristics and values of SMEs in general and explores how these might influence the HRD policies and practices developed by them. A comparison of an HRD model typically found in small organizations with one typically engendered through the adoption of the Investors in People standard is presented. Findings and conclusions about HRD in the three case‐study organizations are reported to include a description and comparison of the three cases’ own HRD models. The paper concludes with some suggestions for further research.

Research on the African-American family : a holistic perspective

Research on the African-American Family: A Holistic Perspective. Robert B. Hill, Andrew Billingsley, Eleanor Engram, Michelene R. Malson, Roger H. Rubin, Carol B. Stack, James B. Stewart, & James E. Teele. Westport, CT: Auburn House. 1993. 195 pp. ISBN 0-86569-019-7.

Linkages and foreign direct investment

47.95 cloth,

What is HRD? A definitional review and synthesis of the HRD domain

15.95 paper. In this publication, Robert Hill and associates contribute a timely and well-written work on the status of the African American family. The authors pay particular attention to inadequate research perspectives that have guided and continue to guide social scientists and policy makers. Along with discussing these various prevailing viewpoints, they also offer an alternate perspective for studying and viewing the African American family based on the history and current conditions facing this heterogeneous population. The book contains five chapters with a preface written by Wornie L. Reed, who serves as General Editor and is with the William Monroe Trotter Institute at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. This volume is one of the four recently produced by this Institute on the status of African Americans. The main purpose of bringing these researchers together is to update the Gunnar Myrdal (1944) study on the status of African Americans in this country, only this time bringing together primarily African American scholars who have written extensively on blacks in the United States. Chapter 1 gives a good overview of past conceptual perspectives in the literature on African American families and outlines the advantages and disadvantages of those frameworks. This summary was presented primarily to set up what these authors feel to be a superior perspective on which researchers should concentrate as their guide for similar studies--the holistic perspective. The holistic perspective would not focus only on either the strengths or weaknesses of family functioning, as has been the usual practice, but would realistically look at both the weaknesses and the strengths for a balanced analysis. This first chapter provides a foundation for the remaining chapters by focusing reader attention on what these strengths and weaknesses are and how we could best structure our research agenda to focus on those issues. Chapter 2 concentrates on recent social and economic trends for the heads of the black family. This is a powerful chapter that clearly delineates disturbing trends that have taken place over the last many decades. The widening income and employment gap between blacks and whites, poorer housing, and the increasing number of single-parent families are some examples that these authors focus on as current patterns that affect the functioning of black families. …

Factors influencing learning in European learning oriented organisations: issues for management

Stewart J. C. (1976) Linkages and foreign direct investment, Reg. Studies 10, 245–258. This paper describes a study of linkages in a random sample of native and foreign firms in the Western part of Ireland. A method of measuring linkages is developed and compared with that of Hirschman. The method developed is then applied to the regional sample. The paper argues that native firms have higher backward and forward linkages than foreign firms, and that foreign firms show little sign of developing further linkages. A possible explanation for this linkage pattern is given in terms of the discouragement to the development of linkages through exempting profits from exports from tax, and the integrated operations of multinational firms.

Doctoral supervision . . . a view from above, below and the middle!

Purpose – The aim of the paper is to present the findings of a definitional review and comparative study of HRD definitions. It also reports the results of comparing and contrasting a synthesis of the “intended purposes” and “processes” constituting these definitions against various definitions and conceptualisations of organisational development (OD) and coaching.Design/methodology/approach – A targeted literature review was conducted to identify and collate a comprehensive range of HRD, OD, and coaching definitions/conceptualisations. These were then subjected to forms of content and thematic analysis in search of similarities and differences.Findings – The literature review has revealed many “contradictions”, “confusions” and “controversies” concerning the identity of HRD. Results from the definitional review suggest two or more of four synthesised “core purposes” of HRD are embedded explicitly or implicitly within the respective HRD definitions examined. Furthermore, these HRD “core purposes” and “pro...

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: A research-based approach

This paper reports on one aspect of a European Union‐funded research project, focusing in exploring factors that influence lifelong learning. Influencing factors were categorised as those that inhibit and those that support a learning orientation. Research findings suggest that the same factors could have both supportive and inhibiting influence, highlighting the complexity and subjectivity of investigating the influence of HRD practices and other organisational features on perceptions of learning. The paper also identifies key issues for management – that is, how to manage these factors to further encourage, promote, capture and act on the wide range of learning opportunities apparent in work organisations. It is argued that identifying such factors within an organisation is an important step in enabling managers and other HRD practitioners to recognise how learning might be hindered or helped within that context, before considering strategies and practices to better manage and cope with these influences.

The Effect of International Competition on Union and Nonunion Wages

Doctoral supervision is a complex process, and a critical success factor is the supervisory relationship. The aim of this article is to share experiences of doctoral supervision from three different perspectives, offering a view from above, below and the middle. The author was inspired by the activities associated with a recent conference. It presents reflections from three researchers at different stages of their research careers. Key themes to emerge were: the problematic transition from being an undergraduate/postgraduate student on a taught programme (a star performer) to a doctoral candidate (novice researcher, and to some extent ‘peer’), with associated issues of developing independence; the potentially problematic aspect of giving and receiving feedback, where genuine constructive critique can often be perceived as being ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ when it could be argued that all feedback is positive in its attempt to improve performance; and the development of relationships from tutor/student to critical friends and beyond, for example into mentoring roles, although again there are issues of (in)dependence.

Graduate recruitment and selection: implications for HE, graduates and small business recruiters

This edited volume contains original chapters by some of the leading researchers and writers in HRD. It provides a definitive work on the design and conduct of research in HRD and identifies and examines the possibilities and limitations of particular methods and techniques. Emerging debates on the purpose, nature and practice and theoretical base of HRD are examined. Each chapter is structured with: * Statement of aims * Description of theoretical and empirical context^ * Identification and examination of methodological issues * Description and evaluation of research design * Critical analysis and evaluation * Key learning points

The Changing Nature of Graduate Careers.

Using data from the May 1975 to 1981 Current Population Surveys, the authors examine the impact of international competition on union and nonunion wages. Two findings emerge from the study. First, international competition, measured by import share, was a significant determinant of union and nonunion wages: a 10% rise in the import share lowered the union wage differential by about 2%. Second, the net negative effect of a given import share on both union and nonunion wages decreased sharply in absolute magnitude as the percentage organized increased.