Community Views on the Training of Human Resource Practitioners: Some Research Results

Abstract

At present, the South Australian College of Advanced Education is developing a bachelor's degree in human resource management to begin in term two of 1984. The course is designed for those who work in the various fields of human resource management and who wish to obtain a professional qualification at the degree level or develop and broaden their professional competencies. As part of this developmental exercise, the College has initiated a community survey investigating the need and content of the degree.

Human Resource Development Practitioner Roles and Competencies: An Analysis of Recent Research

“…While a tradition of research on ideal and actual practitioner roles and competencies exists in these countries, Australian research efforts have been isolated and, in the case of the studies by Malone (1984) and Gurr (1981), aligned with course development at a single institution.…”

“…The crucial role of HRD practitioners in the national training effort has been recognized in Britain and the United States through the commissioning of research studies. While a tradition of research on ideal and actual practitioner roles and competencies exists in these countries, Australian research efforts have been isolated and, in the case of the studies by Malone (1984) and Gurr (1981), aligned with course development at a single institution.…”

“…Significantly less time was devoted to duties such as counselling and advising staff on T&D (Duty G), advising on job performance and on-the-job training (Duty H) and influencing behaviour in groups and the organization through the use of organizational development interventions and other techniques (Duty J). , A traditional practitioner role orientation is also suggested by the findings of a study conducted by Malone (1984) to determine content for a proposed undergraduate degree in human resource management at the South Australian College of Advanced Education. Although college staff believed that internal consulting skills were crucial to the effective performance of the human resource practitioner, this item received least support from survey respondents (chief executive officers, personnel officers and T&D practitioners) for inclusion as a core course area.…”

“…Consequently, the Australian empirical studies of HRD roles and competencies conducted in the early 1980s suggest conformity with the North American research findings from the mid-1970s. While significant variations would have existed in the roles of individual practitioners participating in the studies by Gurr (1981), Malone (1984) and Hayton (1984), all three studies suggest a predominantly Table 5 THE ROLES, ASSOCIATED DUTIES AND JOB TITLES. IDENTIFIED BY HAYTON (1984) * Recommended job titles; SD denotes 'Staff Development' Source: Hayton, 1984, 64. traditional orientation towards direct instruction, rather than the consultant/facilitator/change agent roles, in Australian HRD practice.…”