The UFHRD Teaching and Learning Resource Bank
Initiative Title
Teaching the politics of HRD
Authors
Rick Holden, Visiting Research Fellow, Liverpool Business School
Vivienne Griggs, Senior Lecturer, School of HRM Leeds Metropolitan
University
Key Words
Critical HRD; Politics of HRD; Critical Management Education
Context
Course
MA/PDHRM (CIPD approved)
Module: Employee Development; taught over one semester; 3 hour weekly
sessions
Background
Addressing organisation politics is problematic in much of management
education, requiring engagement with contentious issues of power and
interest. However, at the same time it provides a perspective through which
a more critical understanding of management can be achieved.
We considered the HRD curriculum and its delivery to have sidestepped
somewhat the politics of HRD practice. The curriculum lacked a resonance
with the political reality of HRD practice and, in turn, this undermined efforts
to nurture a more general level of criticality within HRD teaching. The need
for a different lens through which to view HRD practice was identified: one
that would encourage students to engage more reflectively and
independently, and ultimately realistically, about their professional practice.
A small scale research enquiry formed the basis of the initiative. The purpose
of the research undertaken was to generate a richer insight into the practical
day to day, week by week, manifestations of the politics of HRD. The aim
was to access a picture of the political realities facing HRD practitioners,
which could then be harnessed in teaching endeavours
See Appendices for key contextual references:
Purpose
To address within a module on Employee Development the politics of HRD.
To introduce a critical HRD perspective within the teaching of the module.
How it works
It was considered inappropriate to create a topic on the “Politics of HRD”, to
be delivered in one of the weekly slots, in the same way perhaps as topics
such as “Learning and Development Needs” or “E Learning” might be
managed. Instead we sought to integrate, sometimes overtly, sometimes
more subtly, the politics of HRD on a week by week basis into all the topics.
Our rationale was that all aspects of HRD demonstrate theory-practice
tensions; our teaching of which would be facilitated and enhanced by the
introduction of the politics of HRD perspective.
Four case scenarios (see Appendices) have been developed from the
research (a large bookmaker, a medium sized charity, a medium sized motor
vehicle dealership, one section of a local education authority). Extracts from
the audio and video recordings (see Appendices) are used throughout. Thus
for example:
In one session, audio extracts from our interview with the Personnel
Manager in the charity assists us address HRD in different organisational
contexts and enables us to engage students in a discussion of why, in
different contexts, the power and influence of HRD may be different and
differently exercised. IIn another session we use a case we have written
called ‘The Dinnerladies’, drawn from the local education authority, to
illustrate some of the complexities of issues regarding access to HRD. The
scenario describes an investigation into the training provision for a group of
workers (school lunchtime supervisors) who are unskilled and, typically,
receive minimal training and development. The case provides a means by
which we can introduce the students to a wider debate about HRD; one that
goes beyond organisational borders, raising questions about the social,
political and ethical issues that are reflected in the scenario.
Elsewhere our research findings are used more anecdotally, to illustrate the
politics involved in identifying training needs or in focussing priorities of one
particular group of employees for example. Importantly, the overriding
rationale in relation to the integration of our research material is to
encourage and stimulate dialogue. Dialogue facilitates a classroom learning
environment whereby the real experiences and ‘stories’ of the students
themselves can be drawn on to facilitate a more critical interpretation of
events, practices and policies.
Evaluation/Feedback Student Feedback
The changes made have been well received by students. Formal university
module evaluation indicated a positive reaction, using the sorts of measures
used in a Kirkpatrick-type model of evaluation at Level 1 and observations
from the classroom and the nature of some of the assessed work gave us an
indication of impact beyond the reaction level. Once reservations in relation
to revealing political tensions were overcome, students enjoyed discussing
the politics of HRD, providing rich, engaging, sometimes amusing stories. The
case scenarios, and other illustrations and examples introduced, resonated
with their experience. The manifestation in their own organisation may have
been different, but the teaching material provided an effective stimulus for
students to compare and contrast and comment along the lines of “what
seems to happen in our place is . . . ”.
Tutor Development
It has been important for us to acknowledge that we are not somehow
outside the politics of HRD: it must include us. As tutors we are invested
with a degree of positional power. We determine how the CIPD standards
are interpreted and delivered within the curriculum. However, the research
process revealed the need to question our reliance and dependence on the
textbook, the formal body of knowledge, and develop a critical reading of
these standards. As Valentin (2007) notes, “the authority of the tutor comes
from knowledge of content and process; they must seek to divest
themselves of the authority of status and see themselves as partners in a
process of enquiry” p.180. It is this notion of partnership through enquiry
that marks this research, this journey of professional development, as
significant.
Not only has useful course material been generated but some important
developmental steps have also been taken in terms of a more mature,
critical, relationship with both the curriculum and our students. A critically
reflective journey of our own was a necessary part of the process of
curriculum development. Ultimately, the outcome is that we are
comfortable in a role of a teacher of HRD taking a critical turn (Sambrook,
2007). Importantly, this critical turn embraces both a perspective of critique
of the curriculum and critique of practice, in terms of the teacher learner
relationship and the guiding principles of our teaching and learning strategy.
Appendices
1.The four case scenarios (A,B, C and D)
2.Audio Extracts
3. References
Buchanan, D., & Badham, R. (2008). Power, politics, and organizational
change: Winning the turf game (2nd ed.). London: Sage.
Githens, R. P. (2007). Critical action research in human resource
development. In F. M. Nafukho (Ed), Academy of Human Resource
Development Conference Proceedings (pp. 481–488). Bowling Green, OH:
AHRD.
Grey, C., & French, R. (1996). Rethinking management education. London:
Sage.
Sambrook, S. (2007). Exploring the notion of “time” and “critical” HRD. In C.
Rigg, J. Stewart & K. Trehan (Eds), Critical human resource development:
Beyond orthodoxy (pp. 23-41). Harlow, England: Prentice Hall.
Valentin, C. (2007). How can I teach critical management in this place? A
critical pedagogy for HRD: Possibilities, contradictions and compromises. In
C. Rigg, J. Stewart & K. Trehan (Eds), Critical human resource development:
Beyond orthodoxy (pp. 169-180). Harlow, England: Prentice Hall.