In search of the critical in the concept of engagement: Implications for HRD professionals.

Ramdhony, Allan; Francis, Helen

Abstract

This paper elucidates the connections between the evolving concepts of Critical HRD (CHRD) and engagement to consider their implications for HRD professionals. To do this, we begin with a critical analysis of the evolution of CHRD since its emergence as a distinctive stream within the HRD field, leading to a distillation of its key tenets. We then turn our attention to the engagement literature to identify three key trends arising from it before registering the latest developments in the conceptualisation of the phenomenon. We proceed to ‘draw a line of sight’ between the concepts of CHRD and engagement, showing in the process how CHRD can cast a critical light on the concept of engagement and serve to both enlarge its conceptual dimensions and foreground its emancipatory potential. Finally, drawing on evidence from our recent research, we consider the implications of this exercise for HRD professionals, leading to the identification of a set of critical roles and responsibilities and to the development of a conceptual framework that can effectively guide critically-oriented lines of inquiry into the process of engagement and inform the deployment of effective CHRD-enabled engagement strategies. We conclude with some final remarks highlighting the contribution of this paper.

Citation

Ramdhony, A., & Francis, H. (2014, June). In search of the critical in the concept of engagement: Implications for HRD professionals. Paper presented at 15th International Conference on Human Resource Development Research and Practice Across Europe, Edinburgh

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 15th International Conference on Human Resource Development Research and Practice Across Europe
• Start Date: Jun 4, 2014
• End Date: Jun 6, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014
• Deposit Date: Oct 20, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 20, 2017
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Critical HRD, engagement, conceptual framework
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/7362
• Contract Date: Oct 20, 2017
• External URL: https://studylib.net/doc/9491414/book-of-abstracts-final