Summary
Human resource development (HRD) research and practice have expanded and diversified quickly. That growth is welcome, but it also raises questions about the core identity and boundary of the field. This study traces the main thematic periods, which we call waves, in the evolution of HRD from its early days to the present.
We combined several kinds of evidence: the use of the term over time, a content analysis of 17 widely cited definitions of HRD, the influence of key works, and the connections among research topics that appear together, drawing on a keyword network of the journals sponsored by the Academy of Human Resource Development.
The analysis identified three distinct waves. The first was about defining HRD as a discipline. The second was marked by competition and selection between major paradigms, notably the learning and performance perspectives. The third is a period of divergence and expansion of topics. We describe the main characteristics of each period and how earlier periods influenced later ones.
Why it matters
Reading the field as an evolving body of knowledge, shaped by adaptation and influence, gives a way to discuss HRD’s identity that does not depend on settling a single definition.
Citation
Han, S.-H., Chae, C., Han, S. J., & Yoon, S. W. (2017). Conceptual organization and identity of HRD: Analyses of evolving definitions, influence, and connections. Human Resource Development Review, 16(3), 294–319. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484317719822
Indexed in: SSCI
Citation
@online{2017,
author = {},
title = {Conceptual {Organization} and {Identity} of {HRD:} {Analyses}
of {Evolving} {Definitions,} {Influence,} and {Connections}},
date = {2017-09-01},
url = {https://chadchae.github.io/posts_publication/2017-09-01-conceptual-organization-identity-hrd/conceptual-organization-identity-hrd.html},
langid = {en}
}