DEFINING HRD
Defining HRD
HRD is considered by scholars of Business Administration as a sub discipline of Human Resource Management (HRM), concerned with developing productive skills by imparting training. HRM scholars, Werner and DeSimone (2006 p.5) defined Human Resource Development (HRD) as:“A set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members with the opportunities to learn necessary skills to meet current and future job demands”.
Haslinda-a (2009) expressed referring many studies that numerous attempts to define human resource development (HRD) by academics, researchers and practitioners have led to confusion in the literature, illustrating the elusive nature of this concept. The process of defining HRD is made still more difficult by the evolving nature of HRD; for example, the term HRD started out as simply “training”, and then evolved into “training and development” (T&D), and then into HRD. Confusion also arises over the “purpose”, the “location” and the “intended beneficiary” of HRD. This is further complicated by attempts to define HRD from an international or global perspective. The emerging field of national HRD (NHRD) have also been explored and debated and has had notable influence on the definition of HRD. Haslinda-a (2009) further narrated that a disagreement arises, with some authors arguing that it is not possible or feasible to provide a single definition of this concept. In reviewing the literature surrounding the meaning and understanding of HRD, a number of dimensions can be seen to be influencing the evolving and complicated nature of HRD. Haslinda-a reported, that Harbison and Myers offered the first definition of HRD in 1964. This definition is very broad in perspective, as it elaborates HRD in relation to culture, the economy and social and political contexts rather than individuals and organizations. They defined HRD as:
“HRD is the process of increasing the knowledge, the skills, and the capacities
HRD is considered by scholars of Business Administration as a sub discipline of Human Resource Management (HRM), concerned with developing productive skills by imparting training. HRM scholars, Werner and DeSimone (2006 p.5) defined Human Resource Development (HRD) as:“A set of systematic and planned activities designed by an organization to provide its members with the opportunities to learn necessary skills to meet current and future job demands”.
Haslinda-a (2009) expressed referring many studies that numerous attempts to define human resource development (HRD) by academics, researchers and practitioners have led to confusion in the literature, illustrating the elusive nature of this concept. The process of defining HRD is made still more difficult by the evolving nature of HRD; for example, the term HRD started out as simply “training”, and then evolved into “training and development” (T&D), and then into HRD. Confusion also arises over the “purpose”, the “location” and the “intended beneficiary” of HRD. This is further complicated by attempts to define HRD from an international or global perspective. The emerging field of national HRD (NHRD) have also been explored and debated and has had notable influence on the definition of HRD. Haslinda-a (2009) further narrated that a disagreement arises, with some authors arguing that it is not possible or feasible to provide a single definition of this concept. In reviewing the literature surrounding the meaning and understanding of HRD, a number of dimensions can be seen to be influencing the evolving and complicated nature of HRD. Haslinda-a reported, that Harbison and Myers offered the first definition of HRD in 1964. This definition is very broad in perspective, as it elaborates HRD in relation to culture, the economy and social and political contexts rather than individuals and organizations. They defined HRD as:
“HRD is the process of increasing the knowledge, the skills, and the capacities