Monica Lee

A refusal to define HRD

This article argues that, although at times it is necessary to define HRD for political reasons, there is a strong case that HRD should not be defined on philosophical, theoretical and practical grounds. To proffer definitions of HRD is to misrepresent it as a thing of being rather than a process of becoming . Defining the field also runs the risk of disengaging from the moral dimension of HRD.

Human Resource Development from a Holistic Perspective

The problem and the solution. In an increasing complex world, a holistic perspective on HRD examines the inter-relatedness of the global and local; economic and social; individual and community and considers the role of professional bodies, the development of ethical approaches, and the need to guard and enhance notions of identity.

HRD in a complex world

The essence of chaos and complexity theories is that ‘simple processes in nature [can] produce magnificent edifices of complexity without randomness. In nonlinearity and feedback lay all the necessary tools for encoding and then unfolding structures as rich as the human brain’ (Gleick, 1987, p. 306-307). Faith in the tools we use, whether they are accurate or not, has brought extraordinary insights and results. For example, Weick (1995) relates the story of the soldiers who used a map of the Pyrenees to find their way successfully in the Swiss Alps. For centuries we used Newtonian laws to solve quite adequately complex problems in the physical world until the general theory of relativity provided a better understanding of what occurs in time and space. Our attempts to find tools that will better clarify the complexity that confronts us may not give us an accurate picture of ‘reality’. Nevertheless, our attempts very often yield tools that reveal extraordinary insights that are ‘real’ for those seeking answers to practical issues. Thus, in the spirit of chaos and complexity, this chapter offers a tool that represents our attempt to begin unfolding the ‘objective correlatives’ of emotion structures in the workplace that influence the practice of HRD.

Complex archetypal structures that underlie the ‘human condition'

Abstract In this article I synthesise notions from several different fields to argue that there are archetypal structures that underlie the human condition that can best be understood through the language of complexity. In so doing I accommodate the disparity that exists between different branches of the social sciences through the provision of a holistic overview that accords with the idea of a coherent scientific body of knowledge. To do this I use a Jungian typology to reinforce the parameters of four archetypes by which organisation and individuals have been interpreted, and locate this within some findings from evolutionary psychology, thereby building a meta-typology of the human condition. I conclude by suggesting that this can best be understood through the notions of relationship and knowledge through the opposite, and by examining some of the implications this approach holds for the field.

Finding a voice

There is a need for a resource that focuses on writing for publication that discusses the components of a manuscript, types of manuscripts, and the submission process. This groundbreaking book fills that need and includes information on how to develop writing skills by offering guidance on becoming an excellent manuscript reviewer and outlining what makes a good review. It shows how to craft scholarly papers and other writing suitable for submission to academic journals. The book offers on developing a manuscript suitable for publication in scholarly journals including tips on follow through with editors, rejection, and rewrites and re-submittals.