Investigating the link between strategy and HRD

Abstract

This article is a theoretical presentation of human resource development (HRD) within the context of strategic management. It represents a single component view of human resource management (HRM) by concentrating on developing human assets only. According to this view, HRM is too complex and multidimensional an entity to be handled as a set of people‐related activities in relation to strategy. The article presents conceptions of strategic HRD based on earlier theory, and deduces three distinct logics, labelled as need‐driven, opportunity‐driven, and capability‐driven approaches to HRD. These approaches are summarized in an integrated framework which is suggested as an illustration of the full potential of HRD’s contribution to the business success. Accounts of organizations adopting the approaches are presented.