Rick Holden
Liverpool Business School
UFHRD Research Committee
UFHRD Mission
“To create, develop, and inform leading –
edge HRD theories and practices by
promoting professionally focused
qualifications, co-operative research
initiatives, consultancy interventions”
Critics of HRD research and its status


HRD is not an academic discipline (Kuchinke, 2001)
HRD research must ‘up its game’ (Thorpe,2009)

HRD research is barely scratching the surface (SadlerSmith, 2014)

HRD research must ‘sharpen its toolkit’ (Kuchinke,
forthcoming)

A diversity of perspectives – unhelpful given need for a
distinct identity (Poell, 2007)

Will HRD survive (Short et al, 2003)?
Champions of HRD research and its status

The subject is healthy…both in terms of quantity of
research and as driver of change vis management / work
(Stewart 2005)

HRD makes a contribution to the overall knowledge base
of the social science ….the theme of training transfer and
evaluation has been the most valuable (Jeung et al, 2011)

The RAE should not be allowed to distort or minimise the
value and quality of research currently being produced and
published on HRD (Stewart, 2007)
The Honorarium
Key link to Mission
 Annually, since 2002-3
 Small scale
 32 completed projects

Evaluation: Main Findings
Perceived well… “a rare case of funding that
is exclusively for HRD research”
 Impact

 Kick starts research
 Enhances research capability
 Outputs (Figure 3)
Figure 3: Outputs directly attributable to Honorarium
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Journal Articles
Book Chapters
Conference Papers
Reports
Main Findings


Perceived well… “a rare case of funding that is exclusively for HRD
research”
Impact
 Kick starts research
 Enhances research capability
 Outputs (Figure 3)
 Extends and sustains research beyond the
specifics of Hon project (Figure 5)
Figure 5: The 'Springboard' Effect
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
To a large extent
No further research
Main Findings



Perceived well… “a rare case of funding that is exclusively for HRD
research”
Impact
 Kick starts research
 Enhances research capability
 Outputs (Figure 3)
 Extends and sustains research beyond the specifics of Hon
project (Figure 5)
Contribution to Forum Mission (Figure 7)
Figure 7: Contribution to Mission of UFHRD
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Significant
Irrelevant
On the other hand….

Is HRD research measurable better, different, more
significant than without the Honorarium ? Evaluation
revealed:
- a lack of collaborative work
- Something of a ‘rag bag’ of projects / initiatives
- Minimal attention to theory (cf RAE report re Mgt Ed
and Dev)
- A tendency for one-offs; little ‘building’ from one year
to another
- Hon researchers face a dilemma…loyalty to Forum
(and its associated journals) v pressure from institutions
wedded to ‘orthodox’ view of research assessment
Theory / Conceptual Underpinning
The Practice of HRD
The Teaching and Learning of HRD
4
14
14
Table 1: The focus of Honorarium research projects
On the other hand….

Is HRD research measurable better, different, more
significant than without the Honorarium ? Evaluation
revealed:
- a lack of collaborative work
- Something of a ‘rag bag’ of projects / initiatives
- Minimal attention to theory (cf RAE report re Mgt Ed
and Dev)
- A tendency for one-offs; little ‘building’ from one year
to another
- Hon researchers face a dilemma…loyalty to Forum
(and its associated journals) v pressure from institutions
wedded to ‘orthodox’ view of research assessment
Conclusions and Question





The UFHRD Research Honorarium is a
successful ‘cottage’ industry.
It does help initiate and sustain HRD research
Its impact in any national assessment is
marginal
Does it stick with a proven formula, albeit at
‘cottage’ industry level of impact, or seek
greater influence and impact in the politics of
social science research….
How might the Honorarium assist HRD
research to ‘up its game’ ?
Figure 6: Impact within research assessment
exercises
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Significant contribution
Has not featured
N/A