Learning and Development (5th ed.)

John P. Wilson (University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK)

Industrial and Commercial Training

ISSN: 0019-7858

Article publication date: 2 February 2010

393

Citation

Wilson, J.P. (2010), "Learning and Development (5th ed.)", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 42 No. 1, pp. 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197851011013733

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


In looking through my bookshelves I found a copy of Rosemary Harrison's 1992 Employee Development. Much has happened to learning and development since then, not least the movement away from the use of the term “training” to a greater focus on the individual and learning. Her latest book, the fifth edition of Learning and Development, incorporates a significant amount of contemporary initiatives and perspectives and does so in a fluent and conversational style. With this degree of experience it is not surprising that Harrison has produced a valuable and accessible text that will be of particular value to a range of postgraduate and CIPD students as well as practitioners.

The book is targeted at postgraduates studying learning and development on specific programmes or attending HRM or MBA programmes. It is also targeted at CIPD students and contains sample review questions related to the chapters as well as the CIPD's Learning and Development Generalist Standard and Performance Indicators. The current development of the CIPD's HR Profession Map may impact on these indicators.

The book is designed to support the reader, and particularly students, and includes a glossary of terms, an introductory section, reflection breaks, case examples, review questions, and further information sources.

The book has a case study about the troubles faced by Northern Rock, making it topical and still having value in the longer term as a cautionary tale about economic hubris and the need for HR to take a more proactive stance in managing the excesses which brought about the recession.

The book acknowledges that L&D is complex, challenging and dynamic nature and has “fuzzy” boundaries. This probably made it a challenge for Harrison to decide which content should be included in the book and which left for other s to address. Indeed, it is encouraging to see a text that incorporates national issues and policies regarding vocational education and training, thus encouraging greater integration between those professions responsible for people development.

The book is divided into four parts and a total of 18 chapters. The first section, “Understanding the Field” considers L&D within organisations and emphasises the importance of theoretical frameworks. To add life and colour to these “dry” theories, Harrison punctuates the text with stories and narratives that illustrate the complexity and range of perspectives thus avoiding a black‐and‐white ideological view.

The following two chapters are devoted to vocational education and training in the UK, with particular attention to the agenda in England. This is a tall order and Harrison should be congratulated on providing an overview of VET systems that is clear and understandable. The challenge, as ever, is keeping up‐to‐date with events; the references to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills have been overtaken with the Department's replacement by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. This change is yet another example of structural reform that is designed to remedy the limitations of the previous department. In fact this continual reorganisation of departments has left a system that now has no department with education or universities in its title. This divisive thinking rather than joining up the threads of a comprehensive national knowledge management and learning strategy (see Harrison and Kessels' book Human Resource Development in a Knowledge Economy) potentially retards sectoral development and holds back progress for the country as a whole.

The second part, “Getting to Grips with the Practice”, contains six chapters that examine the nature of learning, workplace learning, performance management, the training cycle and ethical practice.

The third part, “Making a Business Contribution”, examines L&D in a number of sectors including the NHS and SMEs. In addition, it examines managing the L&D function, producing and implementing an L&D strategy; L&D partnerships; and adding value.

The fourth and final part describes challenges for the future; talent and career development; developing leaders and managers; and, lastly, pulling the threads together with a consideration of challenges for the profession. This agenda is something which needs to be considered in depth in order to increase the influence and contribution L&D professionals undoubtedly make to their organisations.

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