In the third edition of Human Resource Development, DeSimone, Werner, and Harris present a comprehensive overview of the theory, research, and practice of human resource development (HRD). The textbook is suitable for upperlevel undergraduate and graduate-level HRD courses, the HRD practitioner, and the novice line manager seeking a better understanding of HRD. As with any textbook, it is not without shortcomings, yet it does a commendable job of introducing the learner to important theories and issues of practice associated with human resource development.
The text is skillfully written; each new topic is offered clearly and logically. Key concepts are often presented as part of detailed conceptual models or summarized in tables. Learner understanding is further enhanced through in-depth exploration of such critical issues as employee motivation, training program design and implementation, and employee socialization. In an improvement from the second edition, each chapter effectively uses learning objectives and opening questions to arouse the learner' s curiosity, and to capture and sustain the learner' s interest in the chapter' s main points. Especially useful are the updated opening cases with accompanying questions, which serve to contextualize the chapter contents, as well as the end-of-chapter "return to the opening case" sections that discuss how the contents may be used to deal with the issues raised in the case. Other improvements over the second edition include boxed inserts to convey author insights concerning selected scholarly work as it relates to the chapter' s content, and useful concluding exercises to promote practical application of the chapter material.
The 712-page hardbound textbook consists of fifteen chapters organized into three unnamed sections. The first section gives the learner the foundation on which the remainder of the text relies. Chapter One, "Introduction to Human Resource Development," presents an overview of HRD: definition, evolution, and three major areas of emphasis (training and development, career development, and organizational development). Other major HRD topics are briefly discussed: HRD functions and roles, professional certification, and changing workforce demographics. Each topic is tied to subsequent chapters, where they are addressed more completely. Chapter One ends with a practical exercise where directions are supplied for interviewing an HRD professional.
Chapter Two, "Influences on Employee Behavior," begins with a conceptual model that presents the key external and internal influences on employee behavior and depicts how they are interconnected. The chapter is organized