HRD - the shapes and things to come

There has been limited critical review and development of Human Resource Development (HRD) theory in the past two decades. It is change, and especially the rate at which change occurs, that largely influences the HRD hybrid that any organisation adopts. This paper will systematically consider the professional discussions in a number of countries to trace HRD through four key phases: the 'duet', the 'trio', the 'quartet' and concluding with the 'orchestra'. In the past, Human Resource Development (HRD) was often polarized as focusing primarily on either performance or learning - a 'duet'. The relationship between HRD and change was then developed once the integral nature of work to both performance and learning was recognised - a 'trio'. A significant addition to the exploration of learning at work then came about when authors tackled the issue of quality - a 'quartet' of learning, performance, work and quality. However, the future of HRD now lies squarely in the need for the profession to embrace fully the inextricably interrelated paradigms of movement (where people have developed from); change (and especially the rate of change); dynamism (provided from leadership); harmony and unity (resulting from cohesive partnerships) - the 'orchestra'

Evolutionary Economics, Classical Development Economics, and the History of Economic Policy: A Plea for Theorizing by Inclusion

The author argues that in order to create a qualitative understanding of the factors polarizing the world in growing wealth and growing poverty there is a need to create economics by inclusion, a system where all relevant factors, some of which have been part of the economic discourse for centuries, but also elements (like the different effects of process and product innovations) that are part of evolutionary economics itself, are considered simultaneously. According to the author, this historical/institutional approach to economics would benefit especially the Third World. Moreover, the economics by inclusion should also open the way for policies of inclusion, a system that will put the accent on the wellbeing of the majority and not on the growth of the export sector.

(WP 2011-01) Kenneth Boulding as a Moral Scientist

Kenneth Boulding’s AEA presidential address argued that economics is a moral science. His view derived from his general systems theory thinking, his three systems view of human society, and his early contributions to evolutionary economics. Boulding’s argument that economics could not be value-free should be distinguished from other well-known views of economics as a moral science, such as Gunnar Myrdal’s. This paper discusses the development and nature of Boulding’s thinking about economics as a moral science in the larger context of his thinking

The Complexity Era in Economics

This article argues that the neoclassical era in economics has ended and is being replaced by a new era. What best characterizes the new era is its acceptance that the economy is complex, and thus that it might be called the complexity era. The complexity era has not arrived through a revolution. Instead, it has evolved out of the many strains of neoclassical work, along with work done by less orthodox mainstream and heterodox economists. It is only in its beginning stages. The article discusses the work that is forming the foundation of the complexity era, and how that work will likely change the way in which we understand economic phenomena and the economics profession.

The Calling of Nursing

(excerpt) Baffled by the broad variety and diversity of nursing and unable to discover one single common thread of thought and discussion in the literature, I got desperate and finally turned to Dean Brown for help, hoping to get some viable direction. And, indeed, I did, yet of course not the way I expected. When I asked her if she would be so kind as to name me the standard instruction textbook used for nursing education and practice, she unhesitatingly replied: \u27There isn’t one. Because there are so many content areas in nursing, there is no one text that is considered the ultimate one that must be used by all.\u27 And when further asked about the \u27reference work for the history of nursing in the US\u27 her reply was: \u27I don’t think there is one most reliable source.\u27 So there I was, my puzzlement now confirmed by a knowledgeable authority

Integal futures based on the paradigm approach

The study discusses the interpretation of integral futures in the context of paradigm. The dynamic matrix model of futures paradigm has been developed for carrying out meta-analysis of futures. As a result of meta-analysis integral futures and its new paradigms are defined by way of reconstructing futures paradigm history as responses to changing societal needs and through the outcomes of dynamic and comparative analysis of futures paradigms. The study sets the argument that integral futures: a) is entering a new phase in development of futures that responses to societal demands for sustainability, democratic participation and continuous knowledge production and integration, b) it is the phase of cooperation building between theoretical and practical futures, c) it is the complementary development of co-evolutionary and participatory paradigms, d) it unfolds further research perspectives for futures

Strengthening the Scientific Foundations of Professional Psychology: Time for the Next Steps

The field of professional psychology has been tremendously successful, although it has also been characterized by many competing preparadigmatic theoretical orientations, which have led to a great deal of contention as well as conflicting views regarding psychological development, functioning, and behavior change. There is now widespread agreement regarding scientific explanations of many psychological processes, however, and, consequently, it is time to update the basic conceptual frameworks used for professional psychology education and practice. Replacing the traditional reliance on an array of theoretical orientations with a science-based biopsychosocial framework would resolve many of the contradictions and conflicts that characterized the preparadigmatic era and would also provide a common perspective for unifying psychologists around a shared approach to practice, research, and training

The selfish signifier: meaning, virulence and transmissibility in a management fashion

Purpose. Management fashions can be, and have been, conceptualized as narrative elements competing for replication and resources in the wider managerial discourse. Most wax and wane through a life cycle. Some achieve an extended place and even a transition to quasi permanent institutions. Facilities / Facility Management (FM) is one such example. Design/methodology/approach. The case draws FM’s history since 1968 and asks whether it is compatible with recent and classic (Darwin 1871) thoughts on cultural evolution as a selection process between competing discourses. Findings. Several properties of that history are argued as compatible with the theoretical stance taken particularly the mutation of the syntactic content to suit local circumstances and the dilution of the term’s intent. Success attributes in the selective competition include contingency, securing an organizational home and mutability (what was represented became, more operational, less virulent but in the process more transmissible). In spreading globally the signifier / meme FM also proved mutatable to local managerial discourses. Originality/value The study supports a developing paradigm that it is possible to view organizations as ecologies of variously, memes, signifiers, narratives, representations or discourses. All five terms are shown to have been used to make similar significations by different authors. It shows how a natural history of narrative memes can be constructed