Exploring the Social Foundations of Human Resource Development: A Theoretical Framework for Research and Practice

摘要

An important area of continuing development in human resource development (HRD) concerns the foundational theories that underpin research and practice in the field.This article explores some of the philosophical and theoretical foundations of the social realm related to HRD. As such, it provides a perspective for framing HRD research and practice from the view that social forces arbitrate the thoughts and behaviors of people.This perspective begins with philosophical questions on the nature of social science and continues with an overview of key concepts and theories drawn from sociology and social psychology. For some, social science is qualitatively different from natural science and therefore requires different methods for study, as well as different theoretical frames. The intent here is to offer a framework for approaching HRD from the perspective of the social realm.