Raidén, A B; Dainty, A R J and Neale, R H (2004) Exemplary human resource development (hrd) within a large construction contractor. In: Khosrowshahi, F (ed.) Proceedings of 20th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2004, Edinburgh, UK.
Abstract
Human resource development (HRD) is a vehicle for facilitating organisational and individual learning through training and development. According to El-Sawad (2002) there are 'soft' and 'hard' elements to HRD; the soft implying investment in people, whilst the hard suggests cost and expendability. This paper presents an analysis of a large UK-based construction contractor's approach to HRD strategy, policy and practice in relation to the classification developed by El-Sawad. The findings of the study suggest that the organisation actively encouraged continuous development and supports self-responsibility, inter-organisational learning and temporary organisational structures. Thus, their approach falls toward the internalised pattern characterised by organizational learning and significantly, the learning organization. However, it appears that this culture has evolved unintentionally rather than as a result of targeted strategic human resource management policies.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | human resource development; organisational learning; learning organisation; strategic human resource management |
| Index terms: | construction contractor, human resource, strategy, human resource management, falls, organizational learning, organizational structure |
| Subjects: | sociology, professional development, health risk and incident analysis, management, practitioner |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Human Resources, Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Information Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here