Sustainability is an important issue that presents challenges in three areas—human resource development (HRD) practice, HRD research, and in the teaching of HRD. There is a need to develop multidisciplinary understandings.
The Solution
Organizational and HRD practices emerge from different perspectives and positions. Taking the triple bottom line as a starting point, this article develops a conceptual framework for thinking about and practicing HRD. Drawing on Habermas’s knowledge interests, this distinguishes three sustainability orientations: Compliance, Cooperation, and Coexistence. It argues for a critical focus and explores approaches to support deep learning and questioning, such as problem-posing education, dissensus, collaborative learning, and problematization in research.
The Stakeholders
HRD scholars, researchers, and practitioners. May also be of interest to others involved in environmental sustainability and critical management studies.
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