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 dilemma of prostitution in Taiwan and Thailand from an NHRD perspective

Throughout the world, prostitution creates a societal dilemma; Taiwan and Thailand are especially affected by the prevalence of such sex workers. While much has been written about prostitution, it has seldom been addressed from a national HRD (NHRD) perspective. This paper addresses reasons why prostitution is so prevalent; the extent of prostitution in these two countries; past NHRD efforts in this arena; and recommendations for NHRD policy, practice and future research.     

Non-governmental organizations and the socio-economic development of low-income women in India

This literature review focuses on the socio-economic development of low-income women in India. The study describes how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India attempt to fill gaps in governmental support for marginalized women in the Indian workforce. Some scholars have recommended expanding the boundaries of human resource development (HRD) to include multiple topics in a variety of contexts to investigate the holistic development of individuals. Gaps exist in current HRD literature regarding the status of low-income women in India. This article argues that many Indian NGOs are capable of serving the needs of women in informal work sectors and in addition, they can provide a broad non-traditional context for investigating HRD processes and services at a national level.     

Postcolonialism and national HRD: understanding contemporary challenges to skills development in sub-Saharan Africa

This paper argues that national human resource development (NHRD) practices, policy imperatives and challenges in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are linked to colonial experiences and coloniality. In doing this, the essay provides a brief overview of the intersections between postcolonialism and NHRD theory and practice, arguing that postcolonial insights can help overcome the ahistorical nature that characterizes much NHRD theorizing and also its reification. By demonstrating how current challenges to education and skills development in SSA are linked to colonial heritage and coloniality, the paper seeks to stimulate HRD theorists and practitioners to think differently and work beyond dominant neoliberal constructs and taken-for-granted assumptions about NHRD in postcolonial contexts. The paper also argues for the decolonization of NHRD and proposes some ideas about how knowledge about NHRD theory and practices might be made global and inclusive, thereby contributing to a tradition of paradigmatic critique in HRD theorizing.     

National Human Resource Development in practice: an interview with M.V. Subbiah

Theory and research in National Human Resource Development (NHRD) to date has relied extensively on literature reviews or on the analysis of secondary sources of data. To address this perceived gap, I elected to interview an NHRD practitioner to advance the scholarly conversation using the case example of India. This article is an interview with the chairperson of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), India. The NSDC is the first private–public–government partnership or coalition, organized to support workforce education and development issues. Given the urgent demand for a skilled workforce, the Government of India has targeted skill development of 500 million people in the next decade (NSDC website). In terms of the state of the art in NHRD practice, the goals of the organization (NSDC) and the perspectives shared by the chairperson offer valuable insights in the implementation of one of the many evolving NHRD strategies in India. Interestingly, the chairperson of the NSDC, in a previous life, was the head of the Murugappa Group, one of the biggest industrial groups of companies in India. Thus, this interview offers unique perspectives of a successful chief executive officer turned NHRD practitioner on the challenges and opportunities facing India. Further, the interview highlights the contribution of NSDC and similar industry–government partnerships and suggests potential implications for other developing countries.     

The future of HRD research: Strengths,weaknesses, opportunities,threats and actions

This article clarifies the boundaries of human resource development (HRD) with respect to other concepts frequently used and misused in HRD literature. Through a proposition, a set of criteria for human resources is presented. A cross-culture literature comparison of the criteria demonstrates the consistency of the connotation in two contrasting cultures. This study has important implications for HRD research, practice and continued theory development effort. It relates to the identity and distinctiveness of HRD discipline, as well as the domain of HRD research and practice.     

Advancing national human resource development research: suggestions for multilevel investigations

National human resource development (NHRD) is now an important area of investigation within human resource development with significant growth in publications over 49 years. Scholars have, however, highlighted the need for multilevel approaches to NHRD. We reviewed 192 papers to identify gaps on multilevel theorizing, and we propose a multilevel framework incorporating macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis. We develop principles and guidelines around WHAT, HOW, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY questions to promote multilevel NHRD research. Finally, we discuss research and methodological implications of our review.