Human Resource Development

People performance within organisations is a source of long term competitive business strength. Human Resource Development examines the activities and processes that impact on organisational and individual learning. The focus is on interventions which change, or improve the ability to change organisational behaviour. Interventions can range from the strategic to the functional areas of training and development. Topics include the strategic role of human resource development, organisational and individual analysis, adult learning styles, technology and learning, management education, vocational education and training. Communication and group management techniques are emphasised as important attributes for the HRD professional. All students engage in trainer competencies through developing and implementing experiential sessions for small groups.

Content

The content in this course includes the following topics:  

1. The strategic role of human resource development (HRD): defining the HRD function and links with organisational strategies, goals and sub-systems.
2. The Learning Organisation: traditional forms of HRD, current models and predictions for the future.
3. HRD and employee orientation: organisational socialisation and the role of HRD, role interpretation; vicarious learning; problems and benefits of formal induction programs.
4. Analysis: at an organisational, task and individual level; the rationale for analysis, methods utilised for analysis, how analysis can be linked to training programs.
5. Training Programs: the design, delivery, methods and media, assessment and evaluation of training programs. Adult learning styles and theories and integration with training programs.
6. Organisational development concepts and interventions: Analysing forces for and against change and a range of change interventions.
7. Management of talented employees; the need for management development; strategies and trends.
8. Open and distance learning: HRD through various media and technology; advantages and disadvantages of learning "off-the-job".
9. Transfer of Learning: the role of mentoring, coaching and feedback in transferring "off the job" training to "on-the-job" behaviour. Transitional problems, skill acquisition and utilisation.
10. Future Issues and HRD: adapting to workplace diversity; the increasing development of networks and global alliances; ethics, corporate social responsibility and sustainability; faster pace and less resources; working as an HRD contractor as opposed to a full time employee.