The Adoption and Diffusion of an NHRD Standard: A Conceptual Framework

Murphy, Aileen; Garavan, Thomas N.

Abstract

This article proposes a conceptual framework to explain the adoption and diffusion of a national human resource development (NHRD) standard. NHRD standards are used by governments to promote training and development in organizations and increase the professionalization of practices used by organizations. Institutional theory suggests that adoption and diffusion of HRD practices can be explained using a number of institutional concepts such as structural equivalence, social cohesion, and normative and mimetic isomorphism. Social cohesion and structural equivalence create normative and mimetic pressure, which results in increased adoption and diffusion. We highlight other organizational characteristics that explain adoption and diffusion, and also the implications for both theory and research.

Citation

Murphy, A., & Garavan, T. N. (2009). The Adoption and Diffusion of an NHRD Standard: A Conceptual Framework. Human Resource Development Review, 8(1), 3-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484308330019

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Feb 15, 2009
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2009
• Deposit Date: Aug 3, 2016
• Journal: Human Resource Development Review
• Print ISSN: 1534-4843
• Electronic ISSN: 1552-6712
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 3-21
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1534484308330019
• Keywords: national human resource development (NHRD) standards; institutional theory; adoption and diffusion
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/324264