1. Chapter 1
Introduction to HRD
Copyright © 2010 Tilde University Press

2. The business environment
Change will keep occurring at a rapidly escalating rate
Faith in corporate Australia and New Zealand has deteriorated
A common theme in these corporate disasters has been the lack of training and development of staff
The knowledge of their staff is the component most critical for the success of organisations

3. Management re-engineering
Unfortunately, the focus on dollar savings often became the sole justification for actions in many organisations
costs cannot be eliminated; they can only be transferred
Some negative effects of the ‘cost-saving syndrome’ include:
Loss of knowledge
Ignoring traditional but critical processes and standards.
Forgetting that loyalty is a two-way street
The ‘everything is saved’ mentality
The anorexic syndrome
Focus on money

4. The traditional management approach
Based on ‘Machine’ metaphor
emphasises linear processes and a search for cause- and-effect
Severe limitations of relying only on the traditional management theories, including:
Great difficulty in adapting to changing circumstances
Mindless and unquestioning bureaucracy that is destined to always perform the same actions, no matter what
Concentration on the detail – if in doubt, divide the detail further and undertake even more micro-measurements, and
Dehumanising of employees
Is still needed – but does not go far enough

5. Knowledge capital A unique resource
Knowledge is a multifaceted concept
justified true belief
the capacity to define a situation and act accordingly
explicit (can be enunciated) and is tacit (beliefs, intuition, complex skills)
Levels
Data
Information
Inert knowledge
Embodied knowledge

6. Complexity theory Two dependent and relating systems
The legitimate system
Efficiency – traditional management processes
three important roles
Operates near-to-certainty
Day-to-day activities
Audit any change
Negative feedback loops
Single-loop learning
Source of immediate organisational survival – and this gives the legitimate system power

7. Complexity theory (cont)
The shadow system
Creativity.
three important roles
Operate far-from-certainty
Import and create new knowledge
Export the new knowledge to the legitimate system
Positive feedback loops
Double-loop learning
Self-organising groups - heart of the shadow system

8. Complexity theory (cont)
If the legitimate system has too much power- will lead to a toxic organisation
Uses defensive mechanisms to maintain power
If the shadow system has too much power, will lead to chaos
Bounded instability
Each system has appropriate power
Legitimate system retains sufficient efficiency
Shadow system creates sufficient knowledge
A state of continual tension

9. The adult learner
Learning (individual & group) fundamental to organisational survival
Some key action areas for adult learning:
Understanding the needs of adult learners
Supporting learning in the workplace
Ensuring access to opportunities
Organisations are becoming more dependent on the skills and knowledge of their workers
Adult learning in societal, community and organisational life is complex, contested and contextual

10. HR developer and the management of knowledge
The role of the HR developer must expand beyond the traditional role
The full responsibility for the development of staff rests with the immediate supervisor
The supervisor may take on the role of HR developer.
Or the supervisor may delegate the HR role to a third party – such as the in-house trainer or external consultant.
Will still use the four stages of:
Needs analysis
Design
Implementation
Evaluation

11. Within a wider theoretical context
The functions of HRM
All of the HRM functions will link with HRD. However, the more important are:
Strategic human resource planning
Induction
performance appraisal,
The context of HRD
See Figure 1.2