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What is the future for the human resource development professional? A UK perspective
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2003
Year
EducationHrd ProfessionHuman Resource ManagementHuman Resource Management TrainingOrganizational BehaviorHuman Resource Management DevelopmentHuman Capital DevelopmentManagementUk PerspectiveHuman Resource DevelopmentEmployee LearningWorkplace LearningInternational Human Resource DevelopmentCareer DevelopmentCritical Human Resource DevelopmentHrd WorkIn-service Professional DevelopmentWorkforce DevelopmentHrd ProfessionalBusinessOrganizational CareerProfessional Development
Abstract This paper seeks to explore the validity of HRD as a profession in the UK both now and into the future. The source of professional status is explored and Freidson's (2001) ideal type of professionalism is used to assess the status of the HRD professional. It is suggested that the constitutive aspects of disciplinary knowledge and activity for the HRD professional field remain in flux, with inherent instability and lack of permanence in the foundations of professional expertise. The key forces for change in HRD work in the future are explored, leading to the development of four scenarios for the future of the HRD profession. It is concluded that, for the future of the HRD profession to be sustained and grow, the profession's expertise and practice must concern the values and interests of others who face uncertainty and difficulty in relation to learning at work. Keywords: HRD professionalism change technology futures