Human capital theory: implications for human resource development

This article reviews definitions of 'Human Capital Theory' by leading economists and HRD scholars. The origin of the term 'capital' is explained, and the link between Human Capital Theory and HRD is discussed. It is argued in the article that HRD scholars and practitioners should explore further the link between human capital, HRD and development at individual, organizational, community and international levels.     

Of those who plan: A meta-analysis of the relationship between human capital and business planning

Business planning is a popular managerial practice, especially in the SME context. Yet, literature presents diverging perspectives regarding business planning and the role it fulfills for the individuals leading these organizations. To advance research, we focus on evidence regarding factors that determine whether and how individuals engage in business planning. Drawing on human capital concepts and the theory of planned behavior, we scrutinize how education and different prominent work experience types influence business planning behaviors. We use meta-analysis to aggregate data on 8095 observations leading SMEs from 31 independent data sets. We find critical differences in planning behaviors relating to human capital types, as well as to whether individuals engage in substantive planning processes or the specific preparation of a formal business plan. Implications of our findings for research on business planning are discussed.     

Analysis of human capital development in Puerto Rico: summary and conclusions

This study explored whether perceptions of organizational business ethics differ by hierarchical levels. The study sample included more than 40,000 executives, mid-level managers and non-managerial employees from business organizations in six countries: Brazil, China, Germany, India, the UK and the US. We found that executives provided the most positive assessment of ethical business culture within their respective organizations. Employees’ assessments were less positive, and mid-level managers’ assessments fell in the middle. Organizational size and respondents’ age were not related to differences in responses. Statistically significant differences among hierarchical levels were found in Brazil, the US, Germany, the UK and China. Differences were not significant in India. Executives with longer tenure at the same organization tended to provide higher ratings of organizations’ ethical cultures, while managers’ and employees’ ratings tended to decrease with time.     

专用性人力资本投资激励研究

研究委托人如何激励代理人对专用性人力资本进行投资 .代理人对人力资本投资的激励来自对未来报酬或职业发展的考虑 .但当投资是代理人的隐藏行动 ,而产出是委托人的私有信息时 ,由于出现双边败德行为 ,基于产出的报酬契约不能诱导代理人对专用性人力资本的投资 .职位提升机制能在一定程度上激励代理人的投资 ,但当委托人不提升从效率角度而言该被提升的代理人时 ,仍未能走出双边败德之困境 .当产出低时解聘代理人的解聘机制能消除委托方的机会主义行为 ,当人力资本的专用性较大 ,或投资的边际成本较小时 ,能诱导 Pareto有效的投资     

Brain drain in Venezuela: the scope of the human capital crisis

ABSTRACT

Brain drain, the exodus of highly skilled professionals, has a strong connection with Human Resource Development (HRD), as these experts are human capital for organizations, communities, and nations. In today’s global economy, HRD practitioners and scholars need to keep abreast of what circumstances trigger the migration of talented workers around the world and the implications for HRD. This article describes the brain drain in Venezuela. The magnitude of the talent crisis is the result of a complex combination of poor policy implementation, mismanagement, corruption, and socio-economic and political conflict. This article exposes the current realities and the repercussions the exodus of talent has had on Venezuela and the decline of a country that was once among the world’s richest, but is now an impoverished nation.     

The cross-cultural adjustment process of expatriate families in a multinational organization: a family system theory perspective

This case study examined the relationship between the family flexibility of expatriates in a multinational corporation and their cross-cultural adjustment, as well as the stressors experienced by the expatriate, spouse, and children during the international transition. Family flexibility was negatively correlated with cross-cultural adjustment as perceived by the participating expatriates. All five cross-cultural adjustment dimensions (cultural, psychological, organizational, personal and relational) had a statistically significant relationship with family flexibility. Expatriate families identified cultural, relational, and psychological stressors as having the greatest impact on their cross-cultural adjustment. The components of family flexibility (roles, rules, assertiveness and leadership) played a key role in the cross-cultural adjustment of the expatriate, spouse and children. These findings provide insights to organizations and their human resource development professionals as well as to expatriates and their families on how family flexibility impacts cross-cultural adjustment – insights that could lead to the development of appropriate support and development mechanisms.     

The role of tourism in national human resource development: a Jamaican perspective

Research in the national human resource development (NHRD) field is increasingly considering unique cultural and economic conditions and the influence this may have on a number of employment-related indicators. To date, the NHRD literature has largely ignored issues related to skills training and workforce development in the tourism industry, despite the expanding nature of this dynamic service sector in many nations. This literature review study of NHRD in Jamaica examined ongoing national-level human resource development (HRD) initiatives with specific attention to the current and future impact of NHRD on the tourism industry. The results showed that governmental development plans clearly identified tourism as a key sector for economic growth to support larger economic and social development goals. Furthermore, the development of human resources in the tourism sector was seen as being of vital importance for tourism organizations and for the continued development of Jamaica. The existing NHRD literature has largely overlooked the potential influence and future role of the tourism industry to assist in education, training and development goals at the national level. Recommendations are made for additional research exploring connections between NHRD and tourism employment.     

战略人力资源管理与组织绩效关系研究的新框架：理论整合的视角

人力资本理论、行为理论和资源理论是研究者们研究战略人力资源管理和组织绩效之间关系的常用理论基础,但单一的理论基础不能完全揭示战略人力资源管理对组织绩效的作用机制。为此,首先分析比较了3种理论基础各自的研究框架及研究现状;然后,基于理论整合的视角构建了战略人力资源管理与组织绩效关系研究的新框架;最后,对该领域研究的未来发展趋势进行了展望。     

创业投资利益分割模型研究:基于创业企业家视角的分析

创业企业对创业企业家的激励是否有效决定着创新的成败。为了研究创业投资中的利益分割问题,从创业过程的特征出发,本文首先分析创业企业家的角色特征,应用间接定价理论和交易效率比较,结合委托-代理模型,构造了基于对创业企业家间接定价的创业企业利益分割的两部动态规划模型,并进一步探讨了债权型和股权型利益分割合约的使用条件和创业企业管理团队的选择问题。研究表明:创业企业家和创业资本家的利益分割合约是基于两部动态规划的优化问题;债权型与股权型合约作为利益分割机制对于创业企业家和资本家的效用取决于各自对未来的预期;只有满足一定条件下,创业企业才倾向于选择能力较高的第三方团队充当企业管理者;在能力同等条件下,创业企业倾向于选择创业企业家充当创业企业的管理者。     

An action research methodology for manufacturing technology selection: a supply chain perspective

This paper presents an empirical research approach to developing and implementing a manufacturing technology-selection framework. In this paper, the selection of action research as an empirical research methodology is preferred because it provides the researcher with the necessary flexibility to actively participate in the research activity and to analyse the situation in detail by being part of the research system under investigation. The main objective of this paper is to use action research as an empirical research tool in order to provide a methodology for technology selection in the context of extended supply chains considering intra- and inter-organisational (supply chain) perspective while promoting active collaboration between industry and academia.     

Learners' educational orientation as a design tool for human resource development professionals in law enforcement: a Caribbean context

The training academy of any law enforcement agency serves as the educational platform for personal, professional and academic development of law enforcement officers. It is essential that the training provided is reflective of best practices to enhance learning, curriculum design, educational policies and instructional techniques compatible with the educational orientation of their learners. To this end, it is proposed within this study that the learners' educational orientation be incorporated in the design phase of the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation) model. In an effort to determine the educational orientation of the participants, the study utilized the Student Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ) to analyse the educational orientation of law enforcement officers and its implication for training.     

Preparing the transnational teacher: a textual analysis of pre-departure orientation manuals for teaching overseas

The purpose of this article is to critically analyse pre-departure manuals for transnational teachers and to suggest changes to human resource development (HRD) professionals when producing future manuals. Drawing on the principles of critical human resource development theory, the study employs textual analysis to analyse manuals from nine different international agencies or schools that employ transnational teachers. The textual analysis identified three dominant themes in the data: information not education, ‘good’ work habits as self-regulation, and the (dis)connection of professional and personal backgrounds. Study findings suggest that agencies narrowly rely on instrumentalist material to the detriment of personal and cultural knowledge and human agency of transnational teachers. HRD personnel in international educational agencies may wish to create future manuals that problematize taken-for-granted knowledge and promote teacher agency.