CIPD Intermediate – Human Resource Development

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Unit Content

5HRD Contemporary developments in human resource development Purpose and aim of unit Human resource (HR) professionals need to understand key developments in the theory and practice of human resource development (HRD), both within and beyond the immediate organisational context. This unit allows learners to build on their knowledge and develop new understanding required to make informed and effective judgements about existing and emerging models, processes and practices in HRD. The unit is designed to encourage learners to compare, contrast and evaluate developments in theory and practice that influence the design, delivery and management of HRD to drive sustained business performance and anticipate future organisational needs. This unit is suitable for persons who:

• seek to develop a career in HR management and development • are working in the field of HR management and development and need to extend their knowledge and

skills • have responsibility for implementing HR policies and strategies • need to understand the role of HR in the wider organisational and environmental context. Learning outcomes On completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Understand competing approaches that contextualise contemporary developments in HRD. 2. Understand contemporary external trends and data and the implications of these for HRD practice. 3. Understand the role and contribution of HRD practice to developing different categories of

employees and organisation functions. 4. Understand contemporary developments in HRD practice.

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Unit content Indicative content is provided for each of the learning outcomes of the unit. The content is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive but should enable achievement of the learning outcomes.

1. Understand competing approaches that contextualise contemporary developments in HRD.

Recent debates on the meaning and definitions of HRD; the advantages and disadvantages of performance versus learning debates; the emergence of critical HRD; strategic HRD versus HRD as strategy; contexts of HRD practice; the role of HRD in driving sustained business performance.

2. Understand contemporary external trends and data and the implications of these for HRD

practice. Notions and theories of national HRD; approaches to and models of vocational and educational training (VET); comparative analyses of models of national HRD and VET systems in varying national contexts; use of population, demographic and labour market trends in HRD planning.

3. Understand the role and contribution of HRD practice to developing different categories of

employees and organisation functions. Theories and models applied to professional, management and leadership development; types of HRD interventions, for example work based, formal versus informal, education based, and self-development/CPD approaches; team and graduate development programmes.

4. Understand contemporary developments in HRD practice.

Emergence and application of technology-enabled methods of delivery; impact and implications of cross-cultural employee populations; models of cross-cultural HRD; connections between HRD and diversity management; the emergence of notions of talent.