Page 187 - DMGT406_HUMAN_RESOURCE_MANAGEMENT

Human Resource Management

Notes 11.2 Scope of HRD

Human resources can be viewed as the sum of knowledge, skills, attitudes, commitment, values
and the like of the people of an organisation. Development is acquisition of capabilities that are
needed to do the present job, or the future expected job. Human Resource Development is a
positive concept in human resources management. The purpose of Human Resource Development
is to enhance an employee's capacity to successfully handle greater responsibilities, through
formal or informal means. Any effective HRD programme must satisfy the needs of an
organisation. To this end, management must outline the needs of the organisation and convert
them into objectives with a view to formulate a workable programme.
HRD is mainly concerned with developing the competencies of people. When we call it as a
people-oriented concept then several questions come to mind like should the people be developed
in the larger and national context or in the smaller institutional context? Is it different at the
macro level and micro level? As things stand now, HRD applies to both institutional (micro) as
well as national (macro) issues. The main objective, however, is to develop the newer capabilities
in people so as to enable them to tackle both present and future challenges while realising
organisational goals. However, it is useful both at macro and micro levels.
Macro Level: At the macro level HRD is concerned with the development of people for the
nation's well being. It takes health, capabilities, skills, attitudes of people which are more useful
to the development of the nation as a whole. While calculating the national income and economic
growth, the prospective HRD concept examines the individuals' potentialities, their attitudes,
aspirations, skills, knowledge, etc. and establishes a concrete base for economic planning.
However, HRD's contribution at macro level has not gained popularity as yet.

Micro Level: HRD has concern for grass root development in the organisations. Small wonder,
then, that HRD was well received by companies' managements as they realised its importance
and foresaw its future contribution for the individual and organisational development. Generally,
HRD at micro level talks of the organisations' manpower planning, selection, training,
performance appraisal, development, potential appraisal, compensation, organisational
development, etc. HRD's involvement in all these areas is mainly with an objective to develop
certain new capabilities in people concerned to equip them to meet the present job challenges
and to accept future job requirements.

Reviewing the definition, role, significance, purpose and objectives of HRD it is evident that
HRD department of an organisation focuses on the following important areas:
1. Increasing the 'enabling' capabilities by developing human resources, organisational health,
team spirit and increasing employee motivation and productivity.
2. Focus on balanced organisational culture by conducting periodic surveys, workshops,
discussions stimulating openness, mutual trust, team spirit, creativity, initiative, mutuality,
collaboration, delegation, autonomy, respect, management of mistake, management of
conflict, etc.
3. Focus on learning contextual factors from different professional bodies like NIPM, ISTD,
HRD Network, AIMA, etc. These professional bodies, through their publications, seminars
and workshops, share the experiences of the corporate world.
4. Focus on periodic reviewing of HRD system which may call for redesigning performance
appraisal, job-rotation, reward systems, career planning, promotion, selection, induction,
training and development programme, etc.
5. Focus on integrating HRD with other corporate functions like production, marketing,
finance, material, corporate planning, etc. Such integration will strengthen the development
of an 'enabling' organisation.

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