This book examines human resource development (HRD) strategy as a learning process, connecting learning and adult development with organizational development and change, and talent development, with a particular focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides professionals and practitioners as well as students with processes and tools that will help them meet the needs of employees and the organization. It takes a scholar-practitioner perspective connecting theory with practice. HRD has evolved into a mature field of scholarship in recent decades. At the same time, practices of learning and development in organizations continues to evolve dramatically. At the individual, developmental, and organizational levels, workers, managers, and executives have to be continually learning from current and emerging trends in order to strategically reposition themselves for performance and future possibilities. This includes developing the competencies to navigate the complexities of a world in which people are interacting with 'smart' digital technologies that are broadly grouped together under the umbrella term artificial intelligence (AI). Featuring specific strategic learning methods and case studies from senior HRD professionals, this book is a valuable resource for managers, practitioners, students, scholars and others interested in strategic HRD practice.

During the past two decades, many organizations have sought to utilize a number of participative management techniques in order to both motivate their workforce and to make their operations more effective in terms of costs, quality, productivity, and customer service. This study examines one such technique that has gained widespread popularity: job enrichment or job redesign. Written for students and practitioners of human resource management and organizational development, the authors report on the experience with job enrichment and work restructuring in four firms and compare the experiences of two. Throughout, the authors focus particularly on the primary challenge confronted by job redesign advocates within the individual organization: how to diffuse the relevant concepts in such a way that they have a widespread and lasting impact on the performance of the organization.

Using detailed written documentation from the four companies as well as in-depth interviews, the authors describe how each company attempted to diffuse job redesign throughout the organization and identify the lessons for management that can be learned from each case. The reasons for the success or failure of diffusion in each company are examined in detail as are the particular steps taken by personnel within the organization. As the authors demonstrate, the successful spread of new management concepts throughout the organization requires skillful manipulation by internal advocates of the process. The most effective advocates, they argue, have detailed knowledge of the operations of an organization and use this knowledge to develop their innovations.

This book examines human resource development (HRD) strategy as a learning process, connecting learning and adult development with organizational development and change, and talent development, with a particular focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides professionals and practitioners as well as students with processes and tools that will help them meet the needs of employees and the organization. It takes a scholar-practitioner perspective connecting theory with practice.   HRD has evolved into a mature field of scholarship in recent decades. At the same time, practices of learning and development in organizations continues to evolve dramatically. At the individual, developmental, and organizational levels, workers, managers, and executives have to be continually learning from current and emerging trends in order to strategically reposition themselves for performance and future possibilities. This includes developing the competencies to navigate the complexities of a world in which people are interacting with ‘smart’ digital technologies that are broadly grouped together under the umbrella term artificial intelligence (AI).   Featuring specific strategic learning methods and case studies from senior HRD professionals, this book is a valuable resource for managers, practitioners, students, scholars and others interested in strategic HRD practice.

Collaborative Inquiry in Practice is an invitation and guide for people interested in pursuing a more imaginative and holistic approach to human inquiry. The reader is guided step-by-step through the theory and practice of collaborative inquiry:

• the key ideas from pragmatism and phenomenological traditions;
• the relationship of collaborative inquiry with other action-oriented methods of inquiry;
• the conduct of collaborative inquiry, from forming a group to constructing knowledge

The authors demonstrate how effective collaborative inquiry demystifies research and makes learning more accessible. The guidance provided is equally relevant to professional and academic settings. 

Collaborative Inquiry in Practice is an invitation and guide for people interested in pursuing a more imaginative and holistic approach to human inquiry. The reader is guided step-by-step through the theory and practice of collaborative inquiry:

• the key ideas from pragmatism and phenomenological traditions;
• the relationship of collaborative inquiry with other action-oriented methods of inquiry;
• the conduct of collaborative inquiry, from forming a group to constructing knowledge

The authors demonstrate how effective collaborative inquiry demystifies research and makes learning more accessible. The guidance provided is equally relevant to professional and academic settings.