Critical action research in human resource development

Critical approaches to HRD do not focus solely on improving organizational performance; instead, they address previously undiscussable issues such as power, politics, class, alternative work structures, sexism, racism, and heterosexism. As critical HRD often seeks to raise problems instead of immediately solve them, it is sometimes criticized for being elitist or detached from practice. This article addresses how critical approaches to action research can allow practitioners and researchers to integrate critical approaches into actual practice. Critical action research provides a mechanism for ensuring that critical HRD research is grounded in the realities of real-world practice. A model is presented for considering practitioner-oriented research in HRD, which forms the theoretical basis for using action research as a methodological stance for critical HRD. An overview is provided of foundational literature of critical HRD and action research, followed by a discussion of the practical implications for conducting critical action research within the HRD field

Older adults and e-learning: Opportunities and Barriers

E-learning and distance education can play a role in helping older adults become integrated with the rest of society. As demographic and cultural changes affect the place of older adults in society, online learning programs become increasingly appealing to older adults. In this aticle, I discuss (1) the changing notion of work and learning in older adulthood, (2) the myths about older adults\u27 use of technology, (3) the types of e-learning programs for older adults (i.e., programs for personal growth and social change, workforce development, and workplace learning), and (4) the barriers to older adults\u27 full participation in e-learning

Capitalism, identity politics, and queerness converge: LGBT employee resource groups.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employee resource groups have brought about substantial organizational change within corporations. Capitalist structures have enabled these changes to occur more quickly in the private sector than within the public sector. In this article, I explore how capitalism has converged with two approaches of organizing around sexuality: identity politics and queerness. As a result of this convergence, human resource development has occurred at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Due to current forms of capitalism, employers have a need to keep employees happy and enable them to seek meaning through their jobs. As a result, LGBT employees and their allies have seized upon the opportunity by creating spaces that enable social support and working toward organizational change. Danger and promises of employee resource groups are also considered

Leadership and power in fostering a collaborative community in a non-profit professional organization

Organization development issues among small-scale local professional organizations have rarely been addressed in the adult education human resource development (HRD) literature. In this paper, I provide a first-hand account of an organization development effort in an all-volunteer chapter of an HRD professional organization. This effort grew into an attempt to foster a professional community of practitioners, while examining the power dynamics within the group, specifically the power exercised by myself, as a leader of the group. Due to space constraints, I primarily focus on the self-study aspects of the process of forming the committee and working through issues of leadership and power. In September 2005, I was asked to become the director of a local area branch (LAB) of this chapter. The chapter covers a large geographic area and consists of four regions with separate (but affiliated) groups and activities. Each LAB has a director. This particular LAB had become inactive in the prior year, due to some leadership transitions and lack of member interest. After agreeing to take on the role, I planned to organize a few small activities, so that the local group would not fade away entirely. I was not interested in putting much work into this effort, due to other commitments. As I will explain later, my interest evolved and I became interested in seeing the group grow into an active professional development community for HRD practitioners. Action research was utilized as we sought these goals

Leadership and power in fostering a collaborative community in a non-profit professional organization

Organization development issues among small-scale local professional organizations have rarely been addressed in the adult education human resource development (HRD) literature. In this paper, I provide a first-hand account of an organization development effort in an allvolunteer chapter of an HRD professional organization. This effort grew into an attempt to foster a professional community of practitioners, while examining the power dynamics within the group, specifically the power exercised by myself, as a leader of the group. Due to space constraints, I primarily focus on the self-study aspects of the process of forming the committee and working through issues of leadership and power. In September 2005, I was asked to become the director of a local area branch (LAB) of this chapter. The chapter covers a large geographic area and consists of four regions with separate (but affiliated) groups and activities. Each LAB has a director. This particular LAB had become inactive in the prior year, due to some leadership transitions and lack of member interest. After agreeing to take on the role, I planned to organize a few small activities, so that the local group would not fade away entirely. I was not interested in putting much work into this effort, due to other commitments. As I will explain later, my interest evolved and I became interested in seeing the group grow into an active professional development community for HRD practitioners. Action research was utilized as we sought these goals

Approaches to Diversity in Educating for LGBTQ-Friendly Changes in a University

In this case study, I examine the approaches to education used in various organizational contexts by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) activists seeking domestic partner benefits within a major state university system throughout a nearly 20-year effort. Diversity education by activists occurred through self-censoring behaviors, varying degrees of coalition building, and the regular use of testimonials. I consider these efforts through the lens of five approaches to diversity, which illuminate the complex, multifaceted tactics utilized in various phases and contexts of the 20-year effort. Activists primarily used identity-aware approaches and harmonious diversity approaches. The article provides insight into the influence of identity, ressentiment, and intergroup coalitions in seeking these policy changes. In particular, the study provides researchers, activists, and other practitioners with evidence demonstrating the successful use of different approaches to diversity. These flexible approaches were used in response to varying organizational contexts throughout this long-term organization change effort. Despite the tension that arose among activists in determining which approach to use, the deliberative and flexible use of these approaches resulted in a well-respected and generally successful effort

Leadership and Power in Fostering a Collaborative Community in a Non-Profit Professional Organization

This article provides an account of first-person action research used for organization development in an all-volunteer professional organization. During a 12-month period, members sought to build a collaborative community out of a formerly defunct group. As part of this project, the group’s leader conducted a self-study by examining his role in exercising power while leading the group in building a collaborative community. Although the goals to collaborate and explore power relations originate in different philosophical perspectives, they were combined with moderate success in this project. An ongoing theoretical analysis of the challenges in using this approach illustrates the complications of combining collaborative approaches with the exploration of power

Organization Change and Social Organizing Strategies: Employee-Initiated Organization Development.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) employees create formal and informal groups within workplaces to provide social support and to seek organizational change at their places of employment. I present a case study of a coalition of these groups working together to attain domestic partner benefits within a large three-campus university system. These groups worked together to conduct employee-initiated organization development (OD). This development occurred through various approaches to organizational change and social organizing strategies. The study illustrates the distinct differences between employee-initiated OD in the corporate sector and in universities. It also demonstrates the utility in organizing through a structured activist group and a looser grassroots coalition at various stages of the effort. Successes were attained at various stages through both the more highly structured groups and through loose-knit coalitions. Additionally, this study illustrates successes in social organizing around both fixed, ethnic-type identities and through more fluid queer approaches. Both approaches were utilized to varying degrees as the activists worked toward goals of concern to (a) diverse groups (not just LGBTQ individuals) and (b) LGBTQ-specific constituents