Why humanistic approaches in HRD won't work

Abstract

Humanism has long been considered a cherished worldview underpinning human resource development. As such, it occupies a privileged status within the field, and in the main, its central tenets have gone unchallenged, despite massive changes in the economic, sociological, and technological structure of work and society. This article challenges the preeminence of humanism and argues that the rhetoric of humanistic approaches is not matched by organizational actions of compressed career progression pathways, tight budgetary constraints, and a market-driven economic philosophy.