Foundations of Human Resource Development

The third edition of this classic is a must-have text for the human resource development (HRD) profession. It has with brand-new material on the impact of technology, globalization, and emerging business trends on HRD practice.

Human Resource Development is a large field of practice but a relatively young academic discipline. For the last two decades, Foundations of Human Resource Development has fulfilled the field’s need for a complete and thoughtful foundational text. This essential text provides an up-to-date overview of the HRD profession, along with the terminology and processes required for sound HRD research and practice. Readers will gain a basic understanding of

• HRD models and theories that support best practice
• History and philosophical foundations of the field
• HRD’s role in learning, performance, and change in organizations

This new edition has been updated throughout and contains new chapters on assessment, technology, globalization, and future challenges. Examples of best practices are included, along with variations in core thinking, processes, interventions, tools, and much more. This must-have reference will help both practitioners and academics add clarity to their professional journeys.

Table of Contents

PART I: Introduction to Human Resource Development

1 Human Resource Development Boundaries

2 Basics of Human Resource Development

3 History of Human Resource Development

PART II: Theory and Philosophy in Human Resource Development

4 Role of Theory and Philosophy in Human Resource Development

5 Theory of Human Resource Development

6 Component Theories of Human Resource Development

PART Ill: Perspectives of Human Resource Development

7 Paradigms of Human Resource Development

8 Perspectives on Performance in Human Resource Development

9 Perspectives on Learning in Human Resource Development

10 Traditional Information and Communication Technology in Human Resource Development

PART IV: Developing Expertise through Training and Development

11 Overview of Training and Development

12 The Nature of Expertise

13 Training and Development Practices

PART V: Unleashing Expertise through Organization Development

14 Overview of Organization Development

15 The Nature of the Change Process

16 Organization Development Practices

PART VI: Advancing Human Resource Development

17 Strategy and Human Resource Development

18 Assessment in Human Resource Development

19 Policy and Planning for Human Resource Development

PART VII: Human Resource Development into the Future

20 Challenges of Self-Managed Learning and Career Development

21 The Age of Digitalization, Automation, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence

22 Globalization Impacting Human Resource Development

23 Human Resource Development Moving Forward

About the Author

Richard A. Swanson is professor emeritus of human resource development and adult education at the University of Minnesota, where he served on the faculty for twenty-five years. Following that tenure, he served as distinguished research professor of human resource development and the Sam Lindsey Chair in the College of Business and Technology at University of Texas at Tyler. Swanson has published extensively and has consulted with organizations in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. He is the founding editor of both the Human Resource Development Quarterly and Advances in Developing Human Resources.