HRD Trends Worldwide

Jack J. Phillips

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2009
• eBook ISBN: 9781136397653
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

Meet the demands of a competitive worldwide competitive economy. Discover the relevance of these 16 global HRD trends to your organization: * Strategy and training * Needs assessment and analysis * Performance improvement * Corporate universities * Training and delivery * Shared responsibilities * Systematic evaluation * Measuring the return on investment (ROI) * Training costs * Profit centers * Budgeting * Learning objectives * Management partnerships * Technology * Global training programs * Outsourcing Jack Phillips noticed something while consulting for organizations all over the world. He discovered that training and development departments - even though they are in different countries - experience many of the same issues and challenges. He recognized and then researched, sixteen critical global HRD trends. These sixteen noteworthy trends were formulated by surveying thirty-five organizations in various industrialized countries, as well as actually working with training and development departments across the globe. This firsthand global HRD experience verified and brought to life the trends. As a result of the author's investigation, 'HRD Trends Worldwide' outlines each HRD trend and helps you thoroughly understand them all and, more importantly, put them to good use. This text presents the survey results and explains each trend through examples and evidence. To help you work with the trends, the text provides an examination of each trend's potential impact on your training and performance improvement functions. Every HRD and training and development professional interested in meeting the demands of a competitive worldwide economy should make reading this book a priority.

1

THE IMPORTANCE
OF TRENDS

This book describes important trends that will have a significant impact on learning, training, and performance improvement. The information a bout these trends comes from thousands of organizations located all across the world. Most of the organizations are medium to large in size and are engaged in international commerce, which means that their products and services are sold outside the borders of their countries. In addition, many have facilities or operations in other countries and function as global firms or multinational corporations. As with most organizations, they participate in the international economy.

The important point of this book is not that the work of the organizations occurs across borders, but that the training and development function is undergoing tremendous change, regardless of the location of headquarters or operations. Training and development functions in medium to large organizations are more alike than dissimilar from one country to another. They face common issues and are being influenced, significantly, by the vast number of changes taking place in organizations and the workplace. This book attempts to capture these changes and present them as sixteen critical trends in learning, HRD, and performance improvement.

In this book, training and development trends are distinguished from general trends affecting workplace issues. The trends presented involve training and development directly and significantly impact the training and development function in an organization. Other workplace issues may influence specific programs and delivery mechanisms but do not directly involve changes in training and development. For example, information about the development and implementation of work teams throughout the world continues to make the news. Although work teams may influence the training program design and delivery, they are not a training and development trend. Thus, these sixteen trends focus directly on the training process, including the aspects of needs assessment, design and development, delivery, evaluation, and follow-up. In addition, the leadership and management of the function are represented in these trends.

Observing and Reacting to Trends

Monitoring and reacting to trends is an essential part of developing an effective training and development policy and practice. Trends are not solutions in search of a problem or tools and techniques in search of a prescription. Trends represent important changes that must be followed and addressed. Figure 1-1 shows the major steps needed to use trend data effectively. The first step in this process is to be aware of specific trends that will influence the training and development function. Building on a significant research base, this book identifies the most critical trends and provides appropriate evidence and examples to substantiate the existence and importance of the trends.

The second step is to examine the drivers, the major influences that cause the trend. The presence or absence of these influences can reveal much insight about the progress of the trend and how it can be managed. Understanding the drivers can help predict the magnitude and scope of the trend or similar trends in the future.

The third step is to thoroughly understand the trend in terms of key issues, concepts, models, principles, and theories. A complete understanding provides the necessary information and framework to explain the trend and address it in an appropriate and effective way.

Figure 1-1. Using Trend Data.

The fourth step is to examine the potential impact of the trend within the current training and development function. Some trends have had (or will have) a significant impact on the training and development department, while others will have a minimal, short-term effect. A few trends will impact the entire organization. This important analysis is a key step in taking decisive action.

The fifth step is to make adjustments in training and development based on the potential impact of the trend. In most situations the trend is positive, and planned actions may be necessary to continue to react to the trend and enhance its effects. In others, the trend can be negative, and efforts to inhibit or minimize the effects will be needed.

The sixth step is to continue to monitor the trend, reassessing its impact and exploring the need for further adjustments. Because of the rapid change of some of these trends, constant monitoring may be necessary. Also, constant monitoring may reveal new or emerging trends.

This book provides the information required to examine each trend, explore its impact on the training and development organization, and make adjustments to effectively address the trend internally. A chapter is devoted to each trend, and the final chapter provides more information about how to make additional progress with the trends.

Research Base

Although the research base for this book is comprehensive, it is also grounded in actual practice by those individuals who are leading the training and development functions in major organizations. As depicted in Figure 1-2, the research involves several major elements:

1. An initial listing of the trends was developed from direct observation in organizations through the work of Performance Resources Organization (PRO), an international consulting firm that primarily focuses on developing a results-based training and development process. In these contacts with clients all across the globe, several trends common among organizations were identified and initially published as an internal document within PRO.
2. The initial list prompted a review of the literature to determine the extent to which the trends appeared common from one country to another. This review added a few trends and prompted adjustments to the initial list.
3. A survey was conducted among thirty-five training and development organizations that are members of the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO). All industrialized and emerging nations were represented in the survey. This initial survey provided additional insight into the major issues facing training and development functions in these countries.
4. An exhaustive literature search was conducted throughout major international and domestic publications. This research revealed additional issues, challenges, and trends facing training an...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1: The Importance of Trends
• Chapter 2: Strategy and Training
• Chapter 3: Needs Assessment and Analysis
• Chapter 4: Performance Improvement
• Chapter 5: Corporate Universities
• Chapter 6: Training and Delivery
• Chapter 7: Shared Responsibilities
• Chapter 8: Systematic Evaluation
• Chapter 9: Measuring ROI
• Chapter 10: Training Costs
• Chapter 11: Profit Centers
• Chapter 12: Budgeting
• Chapter 13: Learning Organizations
• Chapter 14: Management Partnerships
• Chapter 15: Technology
• Chapter 16: Global Training Programs
• Chapter 17: Outsourcing
• Chapter 18: Working with the Trends
• Appendix 1: Top 16 Global HRD Trends: Survey Results
• Appendix 2: Second 16 Global HRD Trends: Survey Results
• Index