Developing human resources

The main objectives of this chapter are:
- to locate the demand for skilled workers within a wider context of heightened competition and fluctuating economic conditions, to explore the changing nature of skill, and to outline key government initiatives in this area;
- to explore the ways in which training and development activities are typically structured, enacted and evaluated using the model of the systematic training cycle, offering a critique of its continued application;
- to assess the extent to which a shift is occurring from training to learning via an exploration of the learning organization, communities of practice, and knowledge management, looking at what the implications might be of such a change in focus for learners and for the training function where it exists;
- to illustrate the relationship that exists between HRM and learning, training, and development activities.