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The purpose of this study is to focus on the issue of paradigms in human resource development (HRD) and validate the HRD cube as a synthesized model of HRD praxis and to explicate some of the extant paradigms of HRD.

The study was carried out by examining the text of articles published in Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD)-sponsored journals over a specific period. Sixteen articles published in AHRD-sponsored journals were treated as if they were the representative voice(s) of their author(s). Data units were axially coded and sorted into one of seven pre-determined categories based on the axioms of theory, research and practice. Then, data units were open coded using the constant comparative method, and themes were developed.

Axial coding results identified a dominant emphasis on practice. The accumulation of units representing research and theory were comparatively smaller. Evidence of shared perspectives was found that emphasized the practice axiom. Open coding results identified representative themes within each of the axiom-based categories of theory, research and practice. Six themes developed in the theory category, nine themes developed in the research category and six themes developed in the practice category.

The results support the overall construction of the HRD cube. Given the initial validation and support of the HRD cube and of the components described within the theory, research and practice sides within these 16 articles published in AHRD-sponsored journals, at least 18 prospective paradigms of HRD were identified.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of qualitative research in causality, with particular emphasis on process causality. In one paper, it is not possible to discuss all the issues of causality, but the aim is to provide useful ways of thinking about causality and qualitative research. Specifically, a brief overview of the regularity theory of causation is provided, qualitative research characteristics and ontological and epistemological views that serve as a potential conceptual frame to resolve some tensions between quantitative and qualitative work are discussed and causal processes are explored. This paper offers a definition and a model of process causality and then presents findings from an exploratory study that advanced the discussion beyond the conceptual frame.

This paper first conceptually frames process causality within qualitative research and then discusses results from an exploratory study that involved reviewing literature and interviewing expert researchers. The exploratory study conducted involved analyzing multiple years of literature in two top human resource development (HRD) journals and also exploratory expert interviews. The study was guided by the research question: How might qualitative research inform causal inferences in HRD? This study used a basic qualitative approach that sought insight through inductive analysis within the focus of this study.

The exploratory study found that triangulation, context, thick description and process research questions are important elements of qualitative studies that can improve research that involves causal relationships. Specifically, qualitative studies provide both depth of data collection and descriptive write-up that provide clues to cause-and-effect relationships that support or refute theory.

A major conclusion of this study is that qualitative research plays a critical role in causal inference, albeit an understated one, when one takes an enlarged philosophical view of causality. Equating causality solely with variance theory associated with quantitative research leaves causal processes locked in a metaphoric black box between cause and effect, whereas qualitative research opens up the processes and mechanisms contained within the box.

This paper reframed the discussion about causality to include both the logic of quantitative studies and qualitative studies to demonstrate a more holistic view of causality and to demonstrate the value of qualitative research for causal inference. Process causality in qualitative research is added to the mix of techniques and theories found in the larger discussion of causality in HRD.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the program design of a sustainability leadership certificate to participants’ perceptions of their in-program learnings and competencies development. The authors present the results from the analysis of one program evaluation component, a survey, which was delivered before the program start and at the program end.

The authors describe key design elements of a sustainability leadership certificate, which was framed around five key sustainability competencies. Using a pre/post self-assessment, participants (n = 32) selected their level of confidence and competence in each of the key sustainability competencies and completed open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data were analyzed using a Mann–Whitney U test, and qualitative data were transcribed and coded using a grounded theory approach in NVivo 10.

Based on the survey feedback, the program participants were generally excited by the program’s experiential format and supportive community. They felt that they had improved their confidence and competence in the key sustainability competencies. Three themed clusters, community, future and personal development, emerged from the participants’ open-ended responses. This supports the program design and can inform further program development.

The third theme, personal development, is notable, as it is not a typical focus of sustainability in higher education, but held high importance to participants. This strong resonance with participants suggests that sustainability programs should consider the role of the self to foster the development of key sustainability competencies.

The program’s focus on “personal” was intentional in the program design. Based on participants’ feedback, the inclusion of personal development exercises was a critical element for successful sustainability leadership development.

Purpose: This chapter problematizes the philosophical origins of direct funding models in a normative conception of independence that ignores and obscures the fundamentally relational nature of care work.

Approach: The study adopts a reflexive ethnographic methodological approach. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 19 participants variously involved with direct-funded attendant services (disabled “self-managers,” “attendant” employees, other members of self-managers’ support networks, and program staff). Additional data sources included the author's reflexive journaling and publicly available policy and program materials. The present analysis interrogated the impact of systemic constraints (i.e., limited funding) on the organization and management of attendant services.

Findings: The data illuminate how systemic constraints draw the interests of self-managers and attendants into tension, despite the affective relationality of the work they do together. The findings present four strategies self-managers adopt to maximize support hours, including: splitting shifts, strategic hiring, dynamic resource management, and supplementing remuneration. These findings suggest it is not vulnerability to each other that represents an ongoing concern for self-managers and attendants, so much as exploitation by a system that capitalizes on the oppression of both groups.

Implication/ Value: Disabled people and care workers have been and continue to be constructed as opposing interest groups. However, there is great potential in disabled people and care workers joining a united front to lobby for their common, often interrelated interests. Direct funding models are an important evolution of support services, but where they fail to attend to the relational nature of care work, we must continue to pursue more inclusive solutions.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue which considers some of the contemporary debates in managing people in Africa.

The papers that constitute this special issue were selected from submissions to various events hosted by the Africa Research Group, a community of scholars committed to researching Africa, and from a more general call for submissions.

The papers highlight the changing picture of the African organisational landscape and provide both theoretical and empirical insights about the opportunities and challenges of managing people in a culturally complex continent.

Taken together, the papers make an important contribution by engaging current debates and demonstrating potential new areas for further research.

This paper aims to analyze the development of global human resource development (HRD) articles published in journals indexed in the Scopus database since 1960s until present time.

A publication collection of 1,905 articles collected from the Scopus database was downloaded and analyzed by using bibliometric techniques available in the VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software.

Three different development stages of HRD research have been identified: a seeding stage between 1962 and 1989, a growth stage between 1990 and 2007 and a development stage from 2008 onward. The USA and the UK were the biggest contributors who participated to 30.02% and 12.55% of articles in the collection and received 43.82% and 19.54% of the total number of citations, respectively. Scholars with the most publications and citations are mostly from the USA and the UK, and nine over ten most cited articles having first author’s affiliation located there. Emerald Group is the most popular publishing house, as five over ten most popular journals belong to this publishing house.

After six decades of development, it is necessary to examine the evolution of HRD research, its characteristics and its intellectual framework as this type of analysis is not yet available in the literature. This study helps scholars better understand this research field, as well as better prepare for future work in HRD.