Chapter 1: Future of HRD: Disruption through Digitalization
Setting, motivation, scope and objectives of the book. Discussion and debate of the role of HRD in a world characterized by volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguity. Summary of each chapter and its role contribution to the book's objectives.
Chapter 2: Role of HRD in developing capabilities for creativity & innovation at work
Human Resource Development (HRD) plays a significant role in the development of individual, team and organizational capabilities for creativity and innovation at work. This chapter positions creativity and innovation as multilevel phenomena, and discusses how organizations can develop these capabilities through recruitment, training, and reward. We argue that by focusing on these areas, organizations will also foster a culture of innovation. Furthermore, this chapter positions creativity as an essential part of a multi-stage innovation process, and therefore when this chapter refers to innovation it is inclusive of creativity.
A multilevel focus - early innovation research focused at the individual level, turning later to the team and organizational levels. Advances in statistical analysis allow innovation to be modelled simultaneously at the individual, team and organizational levels (Walker & Batey, 2014), which gives a more holistic understanding of complex organizational phenomena that cannot be achieved through single level research (Nielsen, 2010). Innovation is often overlooked during recruitment. When innovation is considered, it is usually assessed at interview and usually only in candidates for senior roles (Searle & Ball, 2003). However, innovation can be an integral part of the recruitment process at both the individual and team levels.
The role of recruitment in building innovation capabilities
At the individual level, recruitment should integrate reliable and valid forms of assessment such as psychometrics. Specifically, assessing the traits and preferences known to correlate with innovation, such as the personality trait Openness to Experience (Hammond, Neff, Farr, Schwall & Zhao, 2011). At the team level, there is a valuable but under-utilized opportunity during recruitment to assess team fit in relation to innovation. Not assessing this could result in a homogenous - and therefore less innovative - team in which a new team member is a poor fit.
Ongoing training and development of innovation capabilities can occur at both the individual and team levels. At the individual level, training is important to build confidence and provide a consistent understanding of innovation (debunking the many myths about innovation), and communicate the organization's expectations around innovation. Subsequent coaching continues to build confidence, given that confidence is one of the strongest predictors of creative performance (Luthans, Youssef & Avolio, 2007). Given that innovation is a team activity, we argue that team coaching is then required to translate the individual learning into team learning. Team coaching has been found to correlate positively with innovation: Rousseau, Aube and Tremblay (2013) analyzed teams in a public safety organization and found a positive relationship between team coaching and innovation, for example.
Reward - giving something to recognize effort and achievement (Armstrong, 2006) - can be used to encourage and reinforce innovative behaviours within individuals and teams. When developing a reward strategy for innovation, there are four main considerations: (1) reward timing, (2) reward type, (3) which behaviours to reward, and (4) whether the reward is at the individual or team level.
About the Author: Mark Loon is Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at Bath Spa University, UK. He is a co-Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Human Resource Development: Practice, Policy and Research and an incoming Vice Chair in the British Academy of Management, co-leading the Management Knowledge and Education Committee.
Jim Stewart is Professor of Human Resource Development in Liverpool Business School, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, where his role is to provide mentoring support and research leadership for colleagues teaching and researching Human Resource Management. He has authored and co-edited over 20 books on HRD as well as of numerous articles in academic and professional journals.
Stefanos Nachmias is Principal Lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Business School, UK. His research interests include an assessment of line managers' diversity needs, gender in the workplace and employment practices. He has co-edited several books, including Inequality and Organizational Practice, Volumes I and II, and Hidden Inequalities in the Workplace (Palgrave Macmillan).
