This is a study of human resource development practices (as perceived by employees) and their association with their attitudes in the context of new career theories. It uses two heterogeneous UK samples of employees from six companies in different industries. Both regression models (from the 1997 and 2000 cohorts) support the mediating role of satisfaction with development on the relationship between perceived significance of development practices and organizational commitment. There are trends in attitudes about the significance of various development factors between cohorts of employees (with respondents in 2000 more inclined to state that self-motivation has been a significant factor in improving their Job performance, and with lateral development also reported as more significant in 2000). A shift in development practices can be observed as a progression from knowledge acquisition via formalized training courses, towards development as a participation model based on challenging work and coaching by an immediate supervisor.
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