Human Resource Development: Concepts, Strategies, and Evaluation

This assignment delves into the multifaceted realm of Human Resource Development (HRD), providing a comprehensive definition and distinguishing it from mere training. It explores the two primary outcomes organizations seek through organizational learning, differentiating between single-loop and double-loop learning using practical examples. The assignment outlines the five steps of the ADDIE model and describes the four levels of training evaluation as per Kirkpatrick's model. Moreover, it contrasts mentoring and coaching, discusses the training paradox, and identifies and explains three key actions organizations can take to retain talented human capital. The content covers strategic HRD, organizational learning, and knowledge management, offering a holistic understanding of HRD's role in achieving organizational objectives and fostering employee growth. The document emphasizes the importance of aligning HRD practices with organizational strategy, ultimately aiming to build human capital and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

• Comprehensively define human resource development and distinguish it from mere training
• Make sure you can identify the two main outcomes that organisations seek to achieve
through organisational learning;
• Use examples to differentiate between or discuss single-loop and double-loop learning;
• Briefly discuss each of the five steps in the ADDIE model;
• Be able to describe the four levels of training evaluation proposed by Kirkpatrick’s model.
• Differentiate between mentoring and coaching
• Be able to discuss the training paradox and identify and briefly explain three actions that an
organisation can take to retain talented human capital.
What is HRD?
Training, Development, Development, Learning, Organisational learning, Organisational
Development, Knowledge management, Education, Managing careers and succession
HRD includes training and development, career planning and development, as well as organisational
learning, development, and change. Its focus is on the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills
and abilities to facilitate the achievement of employee career goals and organisational strategic
business objectives. HRM seeks to strategically integrate the interests of the organisation and its
employees.
• HRD is an integrated approach to performance improvement involving a wide variety of
specific approaches and techniques
• Purpose is the improvement of performance at the individual, task, process and
organisational level  i.e. at all levels
• At the organisational level, it is heavily influenced by how performance is defined and by
organisational values
From pg. 361 Stone, such an approach, however, has been criticised for promoting compliance with
the organisation’s values – particularly when the performance appraisal, recruitment and selection
and reward systems are strategically integrated to reinforce the absorption of desired values or
outcomes. This inculcation of culture, claims Kamoche, really is indoctrination, leading to employee
loss of identity and unquestioning acquiescence (i.e. agreement/compliance/submission).

What is strategic HRD?
HRD strategies are programmes and activities that contribute to long-term survival.
HRD strategy is a course of action intended to have a long-term rather than short-term impact on
significant rather than marginal areas of performance at organisational rather than individual level.
The particular course of action will also have been arrived at through a series of decisions resulting
from analysis of external as well as internal factors and be intended to directly contribute to
matching organisational capability to changed and changing market conditions in order to achieve
competitive advantage.
Clardy defines SHRD as providing planned learning experiences on the KSAs needed in the future by
various groups of organisational stakeholders. To do this HRD practices must be informed by
organisational strategy and strategy must always be assessed in terms of KSA requirements and
availability. Capability-driven SHRD develops and maintains skilled production routines that are the
basis for competitive advantage and future success, this is quite different to remedying skills gaps.
HRD becomes strategic when an organisation’s HRD activities move beyond short-term needs to
focus on the long-term, strategic goals of the organisation
HRD is an investment in the building of a firm’s human capital and thereby pursuing a sustainable
competitive advantage through people
HRD becomes strategic when the organisation begins to ask (and answer) questions like:
• What KSAs are required by our current and future business strategies?
• How might these change as the business or environment change?
• What kind of skills will our people need 5, 10, or 20 years from now?
• What kind of leadership skills will our future managers need and what are we doing
about it?
• What structures, processes, culture and systems will be needed in the work
environment to support our people in achieving our goals?

• How might we develop unique human and social capital and defend these as sources
of competitive advantage?
Organisational learning
One definition of OL is “sustained improvement through performance”
• Organisational learning defined in the context of the learning organisation is more than the
sum of the parts of individual learning.
• This is not just the tacit knowledge in peoples’ heads  interaction
• It is learning that is intended to ensure that future members of the organisation will have
access to what has been learned through previous members experiences.
• HRD plays a major role in preparing employees  skilled problem solvers, developing
creativity, learning from the past, transferring knowledge
What we really want to achieve in terms of organisational learning is two things:
• Adaptability to the environmental changes/forces faced by the business; and
• Continuously improving processes and the way we do things
According to Senge, in order for organisational learning to take place five disciplines need to be
practiced.
Personal Mastery  The first discipline involves an individual's ability to know what he or she wants
and to work toward that goal. In a learning organization, creating an environment in which members
can develop themselves toward the goals and purposes they choose encourages personal mastery.
Mental models , the second discipline, are an organization's and individual's internal picture of
the world -a paradigm. Paradigms must be constantly evaluated, analyzed, and clarified to ensure
they are as accurate as possible. Too many organizations get caught in an old paradigm and cannot
react quickly enough to a changing market.
Shared vision  is building a sense of commitment in an organization by developing shared images
of the future. This includes developing the principles and guiding practices used to reach the goal. In
many organizations the mission or vision statement is often a tangible symbol of the shared vision.
Team learning  is geared toward developing collective thinking skills. These skills enable members
of a group to reliably develop intelligence and abilities greater than the sum of the individual
members' talents.
Systems thinking  is a way of thinking about and understanding the forces and interrelationships
that shape the behavior of systems. This discipline helps organizations see how to change the
systems more effectively and to act more in tune with the larger processes of the natural and
economic world

Single-Loop Learning (Following the Rules) The conventional example used to explain this concept is
the thermostat. It operates in one mode. When it detects that the room is too cold, it turns on the
furnace. When it detects that the room is too hot, it turns off the furnace. In other words, the
system includes one automatic and limited type of reaction – little or no learning occurs and little or
no insight is needed. Experts assert that most organizations operate according to single-loop
learning – members establish rigid strategies, policies and procedures and then spend their time
detecting and correcting deviations from the “rules.” You might exhibit this kind of learning when
you notice that your client has not produced a certain deliverable on time during a project, so you
get angry at your client and demand that your client produce the deliverable – without ever really
exploring why your client did not produce the deliverable in the first place. Double-Loop Learning
(Changing the Rules)
In double-loop learning, members of the organization are able to reflect on whether the “rules”
themselves should be changed, not only on whether deviations have occurred and how to correct
them. This kind of learning involves more “thinking outside the box,” creativity and critical thinking.
This learning often helps participants understand why a particular solution works better than others
to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Experts assert that double-loop learning is critical to the
success of an organization, especially during times of rapid change. To continue the above example
of your client not producing a deliverable, double-loop learning occurs when you engage your client
in discussion about their reasons for the absence of the deliverable, and whether your expectations
were realistic or not. Results of the discussion might be, for example, that project timelines are
changed or that communications between consultant and client are improved.
triple-loop learning focuses on transforming organizational members by helping them learn how to
learn. That is, triple-loop learning focuses on the ability to effectively utilize single- and double-loop
learning. As such, triple-loop learning challenges one’s existing learning framework as well as one’s
mental models and assumptions.
“Knowledge management (KM) refers to the process of enhancing organisational performance by
designing and implementing tools, processes, systems, structures and cultures to improve the
creation, sharing, storage and use of knowledge in an organization
Briefly discuss each of the five steps in the ADDIE model
A NEED ANALYSIS
• Organisation analysis
• Task analysis
• Person analysis
Conducted at three levels  organisation, task, person
Aims to identify “gaps”  performance deficiencies in terms of where we want to be and where we
currently are
D DESIGN
• Learning objectives

• Test development
• Sequencing
• Strategies and tactics
Training design is carried out once needs analysis has identified the root cause of a performance
deficiency
If training is required the first step in the design process is to develop specific learning objectives, i.e.
training or non-training intervention
A decision must also be made on the level of learning required and the appropriate learning
strategies to be used  Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning
Design decisions also involve deciding what are the best delivery methods for the target group, who
will lead the learning process, will learning be individual or collaborative, what are the characteristics
of my learners, what resources are available?
Design also needs to consider the important aspect of “transfer of training”  based on the learning
principle of identical elements
D DEVELOP
• Materials preparation
• User manuals
• Prototype testing
Development involves the actual development of learning materials, resources, assessment
materials, job aids, learning contracts, LMS resources
Assessment tools and methods are developed
I IMPLEMENT
• Training delivery
• Installation
• Maintenance
Implementation involves the actual delivery of the training program to the learners or the
implementation of the intervention in a non-training situation
E EVALUATION
• Reaction
• Learning
• Behaviour
• Results

Includes KIRKPATRICK’S MODEL OF EVALUATION
Be able to describe the four levels of training evaluation proposed by Kirkpatrick’s model.
Differentiate between mentoring and coaching
These two concepts are indeed very different and often occur at different times within the
organisation.
Be able to discuss the training paradox and identify and briefly explain three actions that an
organisation can take to retain talented human capital.

TRAINING PARADOX
Common fear:
If you train your staff, they are not just more valuable to you (increase the company’s competitive
advantage), they are also more valuable to your competitors. With increased KSA’s they become
more employable (increase the employee’s competitive advantage) and may well leave.
Standard human capital theory argues that investment in firm-specific skills reduces turnover, while
investment in general skills training could result in increased turnover
Research also suggests that merely investing in training is insufficient to retain employees
These investments need to be supported by other HR systems relating to reward, recognition and
career/succession planning
12 retention factors
1. Job satisfaction - The amount of potential for movement to higher levels within the organisation.
2. Extrinsic rewards- The amount of pay, benefits, or equivalents distributed in return for service
3. Constituent attachments - The degree of attachment to individuals associated with the
organization, such as supervisor or co-workers.
4. Organisational commitment - The degree to which individuals identify with and are involved in the
organization
5. Organisational prestige - The degree to which the organization is perceived to be reputable and
well regarded
6. Lack of alternatives - Beliefs about the unavailability of jobs outside the organization.
7. Investments - Perceptions about the length of service to the organization.
8. Advancement opportunities - The amount of potential for movement to higher levels within the
organization
9. Location - The proximity of the workplace relative to one’s home.
10. Organisational justice - Perceptions about the fairness of reward allocations, policies, and
procedures and interpersonal treatment
11. Flexible work arrangement - The nature of the work schedule or hours
12. Non-work influences - The existence of responsibilities and commitments outside the
organization.