There has been limited critical review and development of Human Resource Development (HRD) theory in the past two decades. It is change, and especially the rate at which change occurs, that largely influences the HRD hybrid that any organisation adopts. This paper will systematically consider the professional discussions in a number of countries to trace HRD through four key phases: the 'duet', the 'trio', the 'quartet' and concluding with the 'orchestra'.In the past, Human Resource Development (HRD) was often polarized as focusing primarily on either performance or learning -a 'duet'. The relationship between HRD and change was then developed once the integral nature of work to both performance and learning was recognised -a 'trio'. A significant addition to the exploration of learning at work then came about when authors tackled the issue of quality -a 'quartet' of learning, performance, work and quality. However, the future of HRD now lies squarely in the need for the profession to embrace fully the inextricably interrelated paradigms of movement (where people have developed from); change (and especially the rate of change); dynamism (provided from leadership); harmony and unity (resulting from cohesive partnerships) -the 'orchestra'. BACKGROUND
A decisive 2004 fourth term win for the Howard Government and control over the Senate provided the Australian government with a mandate to further deregulate the labour market in the name of ‘flexibility’. This paper uses a critical perspective to challenge the wisdom of neo-liberal market economics as the driving force behind the rapid expansion of non-traditional ‘flexible’ forms of work and the persistence of a deficit model/perspective that continues to devalue the human capital value of older workers. It is argued that these trends will contribute to ongoing under utilisation of ‘older’ labour and intensification of skill shortages, in part, as a result of lack of investment in maintaining human capital. In responding to Australia's rapidly ageing workforce the Howard Government has adopted modest measures designed to counter age based discrimination and encourage workforce participation. However, participation rates among older workers in Australia have remained one of the lowest among Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries. This paper argues that the Government's labour market deregulation policies are reducing the availability of jobs that provide sufficient working conditions and remuneration to make workforce participation attractive. The erosion of employment conditions associated with ‘flexible’ workforce reform leads to underemployment, an employment outcome that often fails to meet the needs of many older workers. More recently, however, the Government has embarked on reforms that appear to provide genuine incentives aimed specifically at attracting workforce participation by older workers, but unfortunately these are by and large confined to those aged 60 years and over.
A decisive 2004 fourth term win for the Howard Government and control over the Senate provided the Australian government with a mandate to further deregulate the labour market in the name of ‘flexibility’. This paper uses a critical perspective to challenge the wisdom of neo-liberal market economics as the driving force behind the rapid expansion of non-traditional ‘flexible’ forms of work and the persistence of a deficit model/perspective that continues to devalue the human capital value of older workers. It is argued that these trends will contribute to ongoing under utilisation of ‘older’ labour and intensification of skill shortages, in part, as a result of lack of investment in maintaining human capital. In responding to Australia's rapidly ageing workforce the Howard Government has adopted modest measures designed to counter age based discrimination and encourage workforce participation. However, participation rates among older workers in Australia have remained one of the lowest among Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries. This paper argues that the Government's labour market deregulation policies are reducing the availability of jobs that provide sufficient working conditions and remuneration to make workforce participation attractive. The erosion of employment conditions associated with ‘flexible’ workforce reform leads to underemployment, an employment outcome that often fails to meet the needs of many older workers. More recently, however, the Government has embarked on reforms that appear to provide genuine incentives aimed specifically at attracting workforce participation by older workers, but unfortunately these are by and large confined to those aged 60 years and over.
PurposeThis paper attempts to conceptually clarify and examine success factors for the establishment and subsequent sale of a successful small virtual organization, Millennium3, in the financial services sector in Australia. FindingsThe paper describes the concept of a virtual organization, outlines some distinct characteristics of virtual organizations and provides some historical and current background to Millennium3 (M3). It then provides a descriptive evaluation of outcomes from semi-structured interviews with all M3 executives and, based on those interviews and organizational structure, examines its overall performance. Practical implicationsIt concludes with some critical success factors for M3 and gives the reader an idea how a corporation successfully works as a virtual organization.
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