Intersectionality-In-Action: A Systematic Literature Review on Intersectional Praxis in HRD

Abstract

Although intersectionality has gained attention in organizational studies over the past 15 years, limited understanding exists of how Human Resource Development (HRD)’s three pillars—Training and Development (TD), Organization Development (OD), and Career Development (CD)—have been practiced from an intersectional lens. To address the gap, this study aims to investigate how the principles of intersectionality have been applied to the three pillars of HRD by pursuing two objectives: analyzing how intersectional praxis has been enacted and identifying opportunities for advancing critical HRD scholarship. Guided by these objectives, we asked: (a) How have organization studies examined intersectional HRD praxis? (b) How has intersectionality been enacted into the three pillars? (c) How can HRD professionals relate, learn, change, and organize HRD praxis in intersectional ways? Using PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed 108 empirical studies on intersectional HRD praxis and propose future directions to inform equitable and inclusive HRD research and practice.