Human Resources Management Commons^™

Institutional Support Environments In Higher Education: Rethinking The Role Of Military-Affiliated Student Centers, Coby W. Dillard

Human Resource Development Student Publications and Presentations

Military-affiliated student centers have become common features of higher education institutions serving veterans, active-duty service members, and military-connected students. Despite their growing presence, these centers are often institutionally positioned and evaluated primarily through administrative and compliance functions related to federal education programs. This framing risks overlooking the broader developmental and engagement functions these environments can provide for adult learners transitioning from military to academic contexts. Drawing on organizational support theory, social exchange theory, and belonging frameworks in higher education, this Perspectives essay proposes a conceptual reframing of military-affiliated student centers as institutional support environments rather than transactional service units. Institutional …

Reliability Generalization Of The Learning Transfer System Inventory, Ashlee Tolliver

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation research was to examine variability in coefficient alpha estimates across the 16 Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) constructs and evaluate reliability-reporting practices within the literature using a reliability generalization meta-analysis. Studies published between 1997 and 2025 were identified through database searches and a review of Academy of Human Resource Development conference proceedings. Following screening and listwise deletion, 118 studies were included in the final analyses. Unweighted mean coefficient alpha estimates were calculated, and ordinary least squares regression and commonality analyses examined the influence of instrument version, translation status, and full or partial use. Reliability estimates …

Exploring The U.S. Public Service Employees’ Experiences With Gamified Cybersecurity Awareness Training, Bisola Adepoju

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the U.S. public service employees' experiences with gamified cybersecurity awareness training. The primary research question guiding this inquiry was: How do U.S. public service employees make sense of their lived experiences with gamified cybersecurity awareness training? Two secondary questions examined what aspects of the training employees perceive as meaningful or disengaging, and how they interpret their motivation, engagement, and cybersecurity awareness during training. I chose an interpretive qualitative research design grounded in a constructivist paradigm and purposefully selected 11 U.S. public service employees who had participated in gamified cybersecurity awareness training. …

A Therapy Dog Intervention For Elementary School Teachers' Well-Being: Using Action Research To Bridge The Research-Practice Gap In Hrd, Kelly F. Moore

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research (AR) study was to explore how AR can serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in Human Resource Development (HRD) by collaboratively designing, implementing, and evaluating a therapy dog intervention to enhance teacher well-being. One primary research question guided this study: How can action research serve as a participatory research design for bridging the research–practice gap in HRD through the collaborative design and implementation of a therapy dog intervention for elementary school teachers? I conducted a two-phase AR study consisting of a pilot study followed by a full-scale intervention. Data …

The Hidden Cost Of Performative Culture In Learning Organizations Introduction, Coby Dillard

Human Resource Development Student Publications and Presentations

Purpose

The aim of this article is to present a viewpoint that performative culture disrupts organizational learning by eroding alignment between espoused values, system design, and lived experience. Design/methodology/approach

This article adopts a conceptual and practitioner-oriented approach, drawing on foundational theories of organizational culture and learning to examine how misalignment between values and systems shapes organizational behavior. The discussion integrates insights from organizational culture and learning frameworks to reinterpret performative culture as a system design issue. Findings

The article identifies that performative culture undermines organizational learning in three key ways: by eroding trust through inconsistent signals, fragmenting systems and reducing …

Elucidating The Results Of Multiple Linear Regression: A Systematic Literature Review And Monte Carlo Comparative Simulation Study Of Relative Importance Methodologies, Oscar Gaytan

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Theory-supported multiple linear regression models are often formed to assess the impact of HR practices on organizational performance and other desired outcomes. Several methods are available to determine which predictors contribute most to said outcomes. However, researchers may make agential cuts in the method selection phase, with their histories, experiences, or perspectives on relative importance measures influencing their decisions. When multiple measures are employed, discordant results leave room for differing interpretations, potentially leading to suboptimal guidance. Correlation-Adjusted coRrelations (CAR) scores offer a unique alternative to established relative importance methodologies. However, a systematic literature review indicated that no large-scale comparison of …

Advancing Ethical Innovation In Human–Ai Collaboration: Trust And Legitimacy In Technology-Mediated Teams, Sanket Ramchandra Patole

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Human Resource Development (HRD) confronts a central paradox in the digital age. The technologies designed to broaden access to learning and collaboration often reproduce the same social hierarchies that HRD seeks to challenge. Artificial intelligence (AI), digital collaboration platforms, and algorithmic management are widespread features of organizational life. Yet these systems do not generate inclusive outcomes for all workers. Women of Color (WoC), situated at the intersection of racialized, gendered, and technological structures, experience digital transformation as both possibility and constraint. They encounter opaque decision systems, diminished authority in virtual teams, and digitally-mediated microaggressions, while also developing new capacities for …

Factors That Influence The Implementation Of Effective Succession Planning In Nonprofit Organizations, Sharon L. Cook

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors influencing the implementation of effective succession planning (SP) in nonprofit organizations within a specific traditional industry—the electric utility industry. This study adopted the concept of SP as a process or system, and systems theory was selected to examine the SP process. Rothwell’s (2016) seven- pointed star model for systematic SP and management provided the conceptual framework for this study. This study used an inductive, qualitative approach to collect information from participants, with semi-structured, open-ended interviews. Face-to-face interviews were preferred, but some online interviews via Zoom were necessary. Interviews were conducted …

Multigenerational Caregiving And Its Effect On Human Capital: Insights From A Human Resource Development Perspective, Rob E. Carpenter, Brandy Dial

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

A multigenerational caregiving crisis is emerging at the interface of family and work, and human resource development (HRD) should pay attention. This perspective considers the impact of multigenerational caregiving-induced responsibilities on human capital frameworks, and their implications for HRD. We believe traditional models often neglect the unique challenges multigenerational caregivers face—such as stress, absenteeism, and constrained opportunities for self-development—which contribute to the erosion of human capital. This paper uses quantitative models to show that multigenerational caregiving is a critical driver of human capital depreciation. Integrating multigenerational caregivers into human capital discourse foregrounds the need for adaptive HRD strategies. These strategies …

Developing A Typology Of Korean Women Leaders' Resistance To Their Token Status In The Workplace, Yonjoo Cho, Jiwon Park, Sumi Lee, Sokyum Yoon

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite remarkable economic development in South Korea (Korea), there are only a few women leaders, and they face challenges in the gendered workplace where organizational constraints and traditional values coexist. In a reanalysis of narratives of Korean women leaders (KWLs), using an ideal-type analysis as a novel qualitative research method, we identified five types of KWLs' resistance to their token status in the workplace: (1) Opportunity-Driven, (2) Pathfinding, (3) Self-Reflective, (4) Persevering, and (5) Changing the Way to Resist. The five types broaden the meaning of KWLs' resistance and highlight different ways they resist their token status in the workplace. …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Leaders In U.S. Higher Education Institutions: Challenges And Opportunities, Jacqueline S. Haire

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Black women leaders in U.S. higher education institutions from the lens of Black feminist theory and intersectionality and to provide implications for HRD research and practice. Given the limited empirical research on Black women leaders in higher education and the existing gap in the literature regarding their experiences, this study aimed to understand the challenges and opportunities that Black women leaders encounter in U.S. higher education institutions.

Using a basic qualitative research design (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), I conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Black women leaders holding executive …

Integrating Three-Dimensional Mentoring With Workforce Development Training: A Collaborative Autoethnographic Examination Of Skill Transfer, Danny L. Darden, Ramiro Pesina

Human Resource Development Student Publications and Presentations

The increasing demand for skilled professionals in technical fields necessitates innovative educational approaches that integrate skill development with effective mentoring frameworks. This paper presents an autoethnographic analysis of skill transfer within workforce development environments, emphasizing a three-dimensional mentoring model encompassing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral mentoring dimensions. The study examines applications in command-line learning, gamified instruction, and safety training within virtual environments. The research highlights best practices in mentoring sustainability, the role of technology in reinforcing skill acquisition, and the ways in which learning-community engagement enhances workforce readiness. Additionally, this study integrates research on student engagement, community experiences, and retention strategies, …

Mentoring And Change Management: Integrating Organizational Mentorship With Change Initiatives, Ramiro Pesina, Danny Darden, David Silberman

Student Posters

Change is an inevitable and defining force in organizations. While structured change management frameworks provide critical guidance, they often overlook the human dimensions of change. We investigate mentoring and argue that it should not merely support change initiatives but serve as a strategic driver of successful transformations, serving as a multidimensional driver of cognitive alignment, emotional support, and behavioral adaptation, and introduce a mentoring framework that addresses these areas while bridging the gap between the procedural and human-centric change elements.

By interviewing participants who have been involved in mentoring programs yet experienced significant organizational change, we will identify their support …

The Jingle Jangle Fallacy Of Organizational Identification: An Exploration Of Its Meaning And Measurement Through Cluster And Meta-Analytic Methods, Leah Aiken Rossett

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the conceptual and operational definitions of organizational identification (OID) across primary studies included in meta-analyses, with a focus on identifying the prevalence and impact of jingle and jangle fallacies. Using a systematic literature review, definitions were analyzed and coded. Cluster analysis revealed significant inconsistencies between how OID is defined and measured, exposing widespread jingle fallacies—where distinct constructs are labeled the same—and jangle fallacies—where similar constructs are labeled differently. Meta-analytic techniques further demonstrated that conceptual and operational clusters labeled as “OID” vary in their relationships with three key outcomes of interest: specifically, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover …

The Lived Experiences Of Millennial Black Women Employed By Predominantly White Organizations: An Interpretative Phenomenological Exploration Of Identity Shifting, Natasha Ross

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Identity shifting is “the intentional process of altering one’s behavior and language based on feelings of exclusion, expectations, and perceptions from others” (Dickens et al., 2018, p. 5). Previous identity shifting research shows that many have used it as a coping mechanism to escape racial and/or gender discrimination or a tool for success. However, there are negative consequences, such as poor mental health, that questions the necessity of using this. Millennial Black women were used as participants because they would offer unique experiences since they experience being at the intersection of being Black, female, and being born within the same …

Artificial Intelligence In Human Resource Development: An Umbrella Review Protocol, Sangok Yoo, Kim Nimon, Sanket Ramchandra Patole

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The recent surge in artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed work dynamics, particularly in human resource development (HRD) and related domains. Scholars, recognizing the significant potential of AI in HRD functions and processes, have contributed to the growing body of literature reviews on AI in HRD and related domains. Despite the valuable insights provided by these individual reviews, the challenge of collectively interpreting them within the HRD domain remains unresolved. This protocol outlines the methodology for an umbrella review aiming to systematically synthesize existing reviews on AI in HRD. The review seeks to address key research questions regarding AI’s contributions …

Examining The Digital Literacy Competencies And Practices Of Generation Z Employees In Higher Education, Ashlea L. Wilson

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the digital literacy of Gen Z employees in higher education and provide implications for HRD research and practice and contribute to the HRD literature on Gen Z employees in the 21st century workforce. Three research questions guided my study: How do Gen Z employees in higher education experience digital literacy? What digital literacy skills gaps exist in Gen Z employees in higher education? And what can higher education institutions do to close the digital literacy gap for Gen Z employees entering the workforce? To examine the lived experiences of Gen Z employees’ …

(Semi)Automated Approaches To Data Extraction For Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analyses In Social Sciences: A Living Review, Amanda Legate, Kim Nimon, Ashlee Noblin

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

An abundance of rapidly accumulating scientific evidence presents novel opportunities for researchers and practitioners alike, yet such advantages are often overshadowed by resource demands associated with finding and aggregating a continually expanding body of scientific information. Data extraction activities associated with evidence synthesis have been described as time-consuming to the point of critically limiting the usefulness of research. Across social science disciplines, the use of automation technologies for timely and accurate knowledge synthesis can enhance research translation value, better inform key policy development, and expand the current understanding of human interactions, organizations, and systems. Ongoing developments surrounding automation are …

Examining The Predictive Validity Of A Managerial Coaching Scale: A Longitudinal Study, Katherine Stone, Kim Nimon, Andrea D. Ellinger

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Managerial coaching remains a widespread and popular organizational development intervention applied across numerous industries to enhance critical workplace outcomes and employee attitudes, yet no studies to date have evaluated the temporal precedence within these relationships. This study sought to assess the predictive validity of the widely used Employee Perceptions of Supervisor/Line Manager Coaching Behavior Measure managerial coaching scale (CBI), employing a longitudinal design and following the testing of the causal hypothesized relationship framework. Three hypotheses were evaluated using three commonly associated variables with managerial coaching (role clarity, job satisfaction, and organization commitment), using longitudinal data collected over two waves from …

Measuring The Menu, Not The Food: “Psychometric” Data May Instead Measure “Lingometrics” (And Miss Its Greatest Potential), Jan Ketil Arnulf, Ulf Henning Olsson, Kim Nimon

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is a review of a range of empirical studies that use digital text algorithms to predict and model response patterns from humans to Likert-scale items, using texts only as inputs. The studies show that statistics used in construct validation is predictable on sample and individual levels, that this happens across languages and cultures, and that the relationship between variables are often semantic instead of empirical. That is, the relationships among variables are given a priori and evidently computable as such. We explain this by replacing the idea of “nomological networks” with “semantic networks” to designate computable relationships between abstract …

Managerial Coaches’ Enacted Behaviors And The Beliefs That Guide Them: Perspectives From Managers And Their Coachees, Beth Adele, Andrea D. Ellinger

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: Managerial coaching is considered a powerful developmental intervention in the workplace that has gained tremendous popularity in recent years. A growing base of scholarship examining the efficacy of this form of coaching has identified numerous benefits, primarily for employees receiving this form of coaching, and some limited attention has focused on benefits for managers who coach. However, an important topic related to managerial coaching that has gone under-explored is the beliefs that managers have about coaching. Since beliefs often guide behaviors, obtaining a more robust understanding of the beliefs that guide managers who serve as coaches is warranted and …

The Influence Of Leadership Communication On Employee Engagement During Transformational Change: A Case Study Of 123bank, Myrian Barron Garrett

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand employee perspectives on how leadership communication efforts impact employee engagement in an organization undergoing transformational change. Kotter’s change management model served as the framework and support for this study. One research question was developed to guide this study, and the qualitative case study approach was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 26 study participants. The researcher found that most participants had a negative perspective on their leader’s communication efforts during transformational change. Eight main categories were identified, with two to three coded themes each. The findings cannot be generalized to other organizations and …

Weaving Layers Of Learning: Multiplex Learning Networks In The Workplace, Sangok Yoo, John Turner, Kim Nimon, Bisola Adepoju

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The multidimensional characteristic of learning has received little attention in the network literature, resulting in fragmented empirical evidence on learning networks. To address this gap, we introduce a framework that allows a better understanding of the multidimensionality of learning networks by employing the concept of multiplexity in the network literature. Our proposed conceptual framework for multiplex learning networks includes a 3-E typology (exploration, exploitation, and exaptation), which serve as distinct layers within the multiplex networks. We also provide a hypothetical scenario to demonstrate the potential of our multiplex learning networks framework for HRD scholars and practitioners. Moreover, we extend our …

Leadership Behaviors, Practices, And Sytles In Mergers And Acquisitions In The U.S. Technology-Based Organizations: A Qualitative Study, Susan E. Glover

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

Leaders guide and shape the success of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to meet an organization’s goals and objectives. In this study, I explored the role of leadership during M&A and the effect of different leadership behaviors, practices, and styles (BPS) on different organizational cultures during M&A. This study explored the contribution of leadership BPS on M&A outcomes within an organization with a robust and innovative culture. I focused on the human capital investment strategies of M&A integration concerning different leadership BPS utilized to improve the success rate of M&A goals and objectives. I concentrated on technology-based organizations because they are …

Lean Six Sigma Body Of Knowledge For Healthcare Industry Administrators: Implementation Of Lessons Learned In Applied Engineering, Mohammed Ali

Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this paper is to propose a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) course curriculum for healthcare administration and management majors. It identifies the relevant opportunities and challenges for the application of LSS within the healthcare industry. The paper also discusses the cultural changes necessary to provide an appropriate climate for its long-term success. This work contains a comprehensive description of the body of knowledge in LSS, which were successful in applied engineering. Additionally, the paper describes how LSS may be applied in the hospital setting to improve processes in patient-care services. Upon successful completion of the course, the healthcare …

Human Resource Development Professionals’ Competencies And Career Success In The Service Industry: A Qualitative Study, Cheryl Deponte

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore HRD professionals’ competencies leading to career success through an examination of their lived experiences of working in the service industry and to provide implications for HRD research and practice. Two research questions guiding this inquiry included: How do HRD professionals in the service industry experience career success? And how do HRD professionals in the service industry define and experience competencies leading to career success? To answer the two research questions, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 HRD professionals in the service industry. I then transcribed and coded the interview data and identified …

Using Classification Of Instructional Program Codes In Hrd: Invited Reaction, Paul B. Roberts

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

This reaction begins by highlighting four strengths of the article: (a) the clear introduction of CIP codes and how they are utilized; (b) where the discipline of HRD fits with the CIP code system; (c) the illustration of how CIP data can be utilized in HRD research; (d) the call for faculty to become more aware or CIP codes and impacts of this system upon programs. This reaction will also present some challenges and highlight an important use of CIP codes that was not discussed in the article. This reaction will then present a case that demonstrates why we as …

The Ideal Review Process Is A Three-Way Street, Andrea D. Ellinger, Patrik Johnson, Karen Chapman, Alexander E. Ellinger

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

In response to the increasing difficulty of obtaining high quality peer reviews, our invited paper describes the concept of review avoidance and why this phenomenon occurs. In reaffirming the professional responsibilities and potential benefits of reviewing, we also emphasize the interdependent nature of the ideal peer review process. We suggest that the review process is a three-way street where the respective roles and responsibilities of authors, editors and editorial teams, and reviewers are inextricably linked. We present thematic illustrations of undesirable reviewer comments, and a brief synthesis of broad themes in the literature on high-quality reviewing. The synthesis is complemented …

Campus-Level Teacher Turnover In Texas Public Elementary Schools: An Examination Of The Impact Of Leadership Factors And School Demographics Using Heirarchical Linear Modeling, Amy Welch Baskin

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The 2022 Texas Teacher Survey conducted by the Charles Butt Foundation reported that in the past year 77% of public school teachers in Texas considered leaving their positions or the teaching profession, an increase of 19% since 2020. A secondary finding was that the presence or absence of administrative support was a key factor in the decision making about whether to leave. Teachers are the backbone of the U.S. education system which exists to educate future generations of citizens and leaders, and the teacher–student relationship is one of the most important school-related factors to student learning and success (Ronfeldt et …

The Risks And Rewards Of Collegiate Esports: A Multi-Case Study Of Gamers In The United States And Italy, Julie A. Delello, Rochell Mcwhorter, Paul B. Roberts, Tonia De Giuseppe, Felice Corona

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

As participation in electronic sports (esports) continues to expand globally, colleges and universities are considering how such competitive video gaming might impact recruitment, retention, and the overall student engagement experience. This mixed-methods study focuses on the perceptions of college students in both the United States and Italy regarding the esports phenomenon. A compilation of the research findings from two case studies compared and contrasted themes associated with the benefits and risks to college students participating in esports. The findings highlighted the notion that even during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the college students in this study were still …