Human Resource Development's Role in Women's Career Progress

Abstract

The role of the human resource development unit is to maximize the potential of all organizational associates. Some initiatives do more to encourage the career progress of women than others.

Human Resources Development and Career Development: Where Are We, and Where Do We Need to Go

“…Scholarship on career development, equity, and privilege in HRD is scant. The work that exists covers gender (McDonald and Hite, ), African American women (Alfred, ), foreign born workers (Lopez, ), battered women (Collins, ), people with disabilities (Kulkarni, ), LGBT (McFadden, ) and straight privilege (Rocco & Gallagher, ). While these citations represent the equity issues covered, in most cases the issue treatment lacks depth (in terms of one scholar focusing on the issue) and breadth (in terms of multiple scholars examining the issue or the examination of a range of topics related to the issue).…”

Connections, confidence, and competence: the meaning of professional development for community college support staff personnel

“…And, the conscious institutional choice that was made in 1999 at the college I studied to adopt the principles of the learning college (O'Banion, 1997a(O'Banion, , 1997b(O'Banion, , 1997c(O'Banion, , 1999 allow me to place the study and its results in the context of the learning college model and in the related principles of the learning 4 organization (Kofman & Senge, 1995;Garvin, 1993;O'Neill, 1995;Senge, 1990). Further, as my study participants were all women, the literature of women's ways of knowing and learning (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986Bierema, 2001;Fenwick, 1996;Hayes, 2001;Hayes & Flannery, 2000;McDonald & Hite, 1998;Tisdell, 1996) also resonates with my work and the results. My study was exploratory and my hope is that it begins to answer some of the questions that started me on this journey and, further, that it points clearly toward the need for further research and study of professional development for community college support staff.…”

“…The ideas and models that shaped the design and analysis of my study include professional development in general and, specifically, professional development programs in community colleges, the learning college (O'Banion, 1997a(O'Banion, , 1997b(O'Banion, , 1997c(O'Banion, , 1999, and the learning organization (Kofman & Senge, 1995;Garvin, 1993;O'Neill, 1995;Senge, 1990), and women's ways of knowing and learning (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986Bierema, 2001;Fenwick, 1996;Hayes, 2001;Hayes & Flannery, 2000; McDonald & Hite, 1998;Tisdell, 1996). The limited literature on employment and career issues related to front-line staff (Hite & McDonald, 2003;McDonald, Hite, & Gilbreath, 2002;Mitchell & Livingstone, 2002) also provided issues for consideration.…”

“…Women's ways of learning and knowing are distinct from the ways that men approach learning opportunities (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986Bierema, 2001;Hayes, 2001;Hayes & Flannery, 2000;McDonald & Hite, 1998;Tisdell, 1996). Workplace learning (Fenwick, 1996) by women is influenced both by the individual's ways of knowing and learning, the work that she is doing, and the institution in which she is working.…”

“…I will follow the focus on professional development with sections on the learning college (O'Banion, 1997a(O'Banion, , 1997b(O'Banion, , 1997c(O'Banion, , 1999, the learning organization (Kofman & Senge, 1995;Garvin, 1993;O'Neill, 1995;Senge, 1990), and women's ways of knowing and learning (Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger, & Tarule, 1986Bierema, 2001;Fenwick, 1996;Hayes, 2001;Hayes & Flannery, 2000;McDonald & Hite, 1998;Tisdell, 1996). The literature review will conclude with a discussion of the work focused on work and career issues of support (front-line) staff in settings outside the community college including the meaning of professional development activities to these staff members.…”