Bridging the Gap between Human Resource Development and Adult Education: Part Two, the Critical Turn

Abstract

Human resource development (HRD) as a scholarly endeavor and as a practice is often criticized in the adult education (AE) literature and by AE scholars as manipulative and oppressive and, through training and other interventions, controlling workers for strictly economic ends (Baptiste, 2001; Cunningham, 2004; Schied, 2001; Welton, 1995). The reasons for this disapproving perspective are numerous and include HRD's primary conceptual foundations as being performative and based on human capital theory that tends to situate humans within the rubric of expendable resources. Additional support for this critique comes from an assumption that HRD as a whole is embedded within a rational/functional paradigm that tends to support ‘any means to profit’ over democratic treatment of people in the workplace. Similarly, although less vocal and antagonistic, HRD scholars have been critical of AE's ‘academic’ and ‘theoretical’ elitism versus the pragmatic and socially responsive practice of AE.

Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Development

“…Ethical considerations and social responsibility are at the core of social entrepreneurship, providing individuals with opportunities to engage in ethical decision-making and recognize the broader societal impact of business activities. This aligns with the goals of HRD, which aims to cultivate responsible and ethically aware leaders (Hatcher & Bowles, 2006). In addition to developing the skills of organizational leaders, HRD can support organizations practicing social entrepreneurship more broadly with its workforce.…”

Breaking the Mold: HRD and Social Entrepreneurship – A Recipe for Progress

“…While legal and regulatory guidelines offer some direction, they may not comprehensively address the ethical complexities that organizations, especially those supporting vulnerable populations or operating in ethically challenging environments, may encounter (Solomon, 1992). In such cases, human resource development professionals play a vital role in cultivating ethical cultures that prioritize the well-being of beneficiaries and in navigating the evolving landscape of social movements or shifts in organizational dynamics (Hatcher & Bowles, 2006).…”

Social Housing Competencies: Expertise for a New Era

“…Ronald L. Jacobs (2014) defines HRD as "the process of improving organizational performance and individual learning through the human accomplishments that result from employee development, organization development, and career development programs" (p. 14). Human Resource Development is often seen to be embedded in, and subject to, organizational power dynamics and to be an approach that reinforces the status quo (Hatcher & Bowles, 2014). This means that HRD is seen as reinforcing existing power relationships and objectives at work as opposed to meeting employee learning needs and desires.…”