Human resource management practice I also available by michael armstrong

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Learning and development

Introduction

Learning and development strategies and practices, 

as described in this part, aim to ensure that people 

in the organization acquire and develop the know-

ledge, skills and competencies they need to carry out 

their work effectively and advance their careers to 

their own benefit and that of the organization.

The term ‘learning and development’ (L&D) has 

largely  replaced  that  of ‘human  resource  develop-

ment’ (HRD), at least for practitioners. Rosemary 

Harrison (2009: 5) observed that:

The term human resource development retains its 

popularity among academics but it has never been 

attractive to practitioners. They tend to dislike it 

because they see its reference to people as a 

‘resource’ to be demeaning. Putting people on a 

par with money, materials and equipment creates 

the impression of ‘development’ as an unfeeling, 

manipulative activity, although the two terms are 

almost indistinguishable.

The terms are indeed often used interchangeably by 

commentators and practitioners although the intro-

duction of ‘learning’ has emphasized the belief that 

what matters for individuals is that they are given 

the opportunity to learn, often for themselves, with 

guidance and support, rather than just being on the 

receiving end of what the organization provides.

The  following  definition  of  strategic  HRD,  

produced by Walton (1999: 82), could serve equally 

well as a definition of strategic L&D:

Strategic human resource development involves 

introducing, eliminating, modifying, directing, and 

guiding processes in such a way that all individuals 

and teams are equipped with the skills, knowledge and 

competences they require to undertake current and 

future tasks required by the organization.

This  part  deals  with  L&D  under  the  following 

headings:

 

●

strategic learning and development – how 

L&D is aligned to the business strategy, 

L&D strategy;

 

●

the process of learning and development – 

how people and organizations learn, the 

concept of the learning organization;

 

●

the practice of learning and development – 

identifying L&D needs, encouraging and 

supporting workplace learning, planning and 

implementing learning programmes and 

events, evaluating L&D;

 

●

leadership and management development – 

the planning and implementation of 

processes and programmes for developing 

leadership qualities and for developing 

managers generally.

PART V