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The Problem Recent disruptive events introduced high volatility and uncertainty into the contemporary organizational environment whereby well-established organizations found scenario planning (SP) useful to craft strategy. However, because SP is typically a very costly endeavor, it is less accessible to new startups, small businesses, nonprofits, and large-scale organizations that could greatly benefit. The Solution We propose an initial conceptual model whereby sophisticated technologies that typically enable virtual events be utilized to facilitate virtual SP activities for real-time participation from geographically disbursed locations reducing expenses and providing access to one of human resource development’s (HRD’s) strategic learning tools. We posit that HRD professionals be involved in planning and implementation through the scope of technology development within the context of virtual HRD. The Stakeholders This article provides researchers and scholar-practitioners with a conceptualization of current thinking around the notion of utilizing technology to create an online environment conducive for SP. This article will be of particular interest to those involved in formulating organizational strategy including those where costs of face-to-face SP and other forms of strategic initiatives are either time or cost prohibitive.

Wang and Swanson (2008) have provided a critique of the current state of the research and theory of national human resource development (NHRD). In this article, the authors provide a critique based on the following issues: insistence on a single paradigm of truth or reality, theory development methodology, the bounding process, the definitional process, scope of NHRD efforts, and reliance on economics (and only development economics).

Documented scenario planning projects report a diverse cross section of organizational members. Yet most projects involve executive and senior management teams as their primary participants. Given the participation of higher-level organizational members, a question arises as to whether the scenario planning process is useful in developing leadership capability and capacity within an organization. The implied link between scenario planning and the development of leadership capability must first be described, understood, and substantiated before it can be assumed to be of strategic utility to organizations and fields of practice. This article presents the outcomes of an exploratory inquiry into the association between scenario planning and leadership. Initial discoveries suggest that the development of leadership capability and capacity are reasonable expected outcomes of scenario planning and tentatively positions scenario planning as a strategic tool in human resource development.

Career development (CD) has long been cited as a core area associated with human resource development (HRD). Despite this explicit connection, few publications focusing on CD are available in general HRD-related literature. This review outlines selected theories, examines selected definitions of CD, and analyzes the aims of career development in relation to HRD. The authors argue that there is much more opportunity to explore CD as a necessary component of HRD than has been undertaken to date. Furthermore, they make recommendations for multilevel integration and related theory-building approaches that may enhance the role of CD in HRD.

Literature on leadership indicates an absence of general, integrative theory. Much of existing theory focuses on effective leadership, and on leadership processes, at the individual, group, or organizational level. Little emphasis is placed on whole system effect, and less on concerns for both people and performance. The theoretical framework developed and discussed addresses this inadequacy, presenting an integrative and general perspective of leadership that focuses on leadership responsibility to both people and performance.

The problem and the solution. Synthesizing findings from five selected case studies reflective of high-transitioning countries in the developing world, this article proposes a number of comparative discoveries about the necessary role and nature of national human resource development in this context. One such discovery is the influence of the political, economic, and sociocultural environments on the necessary nature and role of national human resource development in each country. A second is that context and intent shape and inform what makes for responsible human resource development. Another is that discoveries from this and other studies suggest emerging models and necessary attributes, components, and dimensions useful for informing an integrative and collaborative theoretical and sense-making framework for future study and practice of national human resource development. These and other discoveries pose numerous challenges to the human resource development profession—challenges that will require fundamental reperceiving by its professionals.

The problem and the solution. Faced by the challenges of the past and by pressure to become increasingly competitive internationally, South Africa has recognized that the education, training, and development of its labor force and citizenry will be instrumental to its long-term economic growth and social well-being. Consequently, an integrated framework of policy and legislation is being implemented to ensure that human resource development is firmly placed on the national agenda.

As is true for human resource development (HRD), the field of organization development (OD) draws from numerous disciplines to inform its theory base. However, the identification and selection of theory to inform improved practice remains a challenge and begs the question of what can be used to inform and guide one in the identification and selection of practice-informing theory. This article considers the topic of OD for performance improvement and proposes that the selection of OD theory relevant to the topic can be informed from two perspectives: the theoretical foundations of HRD and multiple domains of performance improvement. When integrated, these two views inform the development of a heuristic and theory-for-practice (TFP) matrix useful to researchers and practitioners. The synthesis of this heuristic is presented, discussed, and applied to the topic of OD for performance improvement. Implications of the TFP matrix for further research and improved practice are briefly noted.

The problem and the solution. Human resource development (HRD) is influenced by trends in other disciplines, demographics, politics, technology, and a number of other domains. To gain insight about the future, those trends can be assessed and sorted into categories. The intent of this article is to present the trends that are deemed the most uncertain and have the highest potential impact on the discipline of HRD. Furthermore, this article examines what we can learn from considering the implications of such trends, how our thinking might change from what we learn, and what decisions we might make differently as a result of having considered them.

The problem and the solution. The future holds countless challenges. The future cannot be known, and it must not be ignored. Understanding trends and indicators emerging today helps us to proactively think about potential future developments and positions us to constructively shape them. This article reports on a survey of 55 human resource development (HRD) and HRD-related practitioners and academics who identified trends, variables, and challenges that they believe are affecting and will affect the profession during the next 15 to 20 years.

Scenario planning has been receiving increased attention as a tool for considering the future in the midst of a rapidly changing business environment. This article examines available definitions of scenario planning, analyzes the espoused dependent variables of the process, sets forth an integrative definition, and supports the further development of the process as a useful and relevant tool for strategic human resource development.

The problem and the solution. There are a number of strategies and methods that the theory builder can use to develop applied theory. Each strategy and method is informed by assumptions about what makes for knowledge and in turn good theory—and each is a way of seeing and understanding the phenomenon central to the theory. Dubin, a recognized scholar in applied theory building, advocates a theory-then-research strategy and quantitative hypothetico-deductive approach to applied theory building. This chapter focuses on Dubin’s quantitative method of theory building for applied disciplines, a two-part, eight-steptheory-building method as a specific variation of the general method of theory-building research in applied disciplines presented in chapter 1.

High-Performance Leadership. Leading and managing people and organizational systems to achieve and sustain high levels of effectiveness by optimizing goals, design, and management at the individual, process, and organization levels