Sustaining critically reflective practitioners: competing with the dominant discourse

Abstract

This article argues that discourse analysis can be utilized in conjunction with other forms of analysis to develop a more critical teaching and research agenda for Human Resource Development (HRD); in particular this article suggests that the introduction of a discourse analysis perspective can support and facilitate the development of critically reflective practitioners. The article highlights the tensions inherent within competing definitions of HRD and calls attention to the power of dominant discourse and argues that HRD needs to become more critical, opening up alternative discourses in order to support learning and critically reflective practice.

Professional learning in human resource management: problematising the teaching of reflective practice

“…This raises an avenue for further exploration: the extent to which our exhortations to develop reflective practice skills are doomed to fail because a level of routinised and highly prescriptive HR practice may remove the legitimacy of our teaching aspirations. Corley and Eades (2006) suggest the language of critical education challenges other discourses in management and management learning, and this, we suggest, is a factor of some real significance here. The findings highlight competing discourses of performance based reflection and critical management reflection.…”

“…The teaching and learning strategies adopted may need to nurture a relationship which is 'mutual, open, challenging, contextually aware and characterised by dialogue' (Brockbank and McGill 2007, p.209). Furthermore, that reflective learning requires time and space is a consistent implication in the literature (Corley and Eades 2006;Forneris and Peden-McAlpine 2006;Warhurst 2008).…”

“…This has implications for the way we develop and support learning to encourage transfer from the classroom to the workplace. In upholding the need to challenge the performance and managerial standpoint we need to look for ways to facilitate the flow of learning and develop a common language within the workplace (Corley and Eades 2006 …”

Through the looking glass: challenges for human resource development (HRD) post the global financial crisis – business as usual?

“…The shift from operational and tactical HRD to strategic HRD has witnessed a metamorphosis for HRD practitioners increasingly becoming partners in the business tasked with aligning people, strategy and performance rather than simply promoting learning and development. The proposition that HRD is expected to balance a competing set of stakeholder demands is not a new one and forms a central issue in discussions of HRD (Corley and Eades 2006;Rigg, Stewart, and Trehan 2007;Sambrook 2009) as well as the wider HRD literature (Garavan 2007;Peterson 2008). Subsequently, the impact and inherent conflict of serving two masters (employees/employer) has now become clear and questions about the dichotomous HRD role in the organization requires re-evaluation.…”

Insider research as part of a master's programme: opportunities lost and found within action learning sets

“…Elaine and Aileen are aware of this criticism and having previously worked in the same institution, teaching on this masters' programme, we have had the opportunity to write about some of our concerns (Corley & Eades, 2006). We have also tried to practice what we preach and within the programme design we included a final 'cathartic' set meeting for students when they submit the dissertation.…”