Richard Swanson

When facing important professional problems, practitioners regularly respond with the latest gimmick, or by throwing everything and anything at the problem. In contrast, scholars regularly slice problems into small segments to study and explain them, without directly addressing the practical problem itself. Both approaches miss the target of sound theory and practice.Most theory development methodologies are incomplete, inappropriate, or totally overwhelming. This book presents a complete, five-stop methodology for developing sound theory that can be employed with any applied discipline-it is not discipline-specific. This methodology engages input from practitioners and scholars. By fusing them, a complete and accurate understanding of the phenomena being investigated results an understanding that meets the standards of both scholarship and practice.

In Foundations of Human Resource Development, the leading scholars in the field present the essential guidebook for the human resource development (HRD) profession. Drawing on an extensive, rigorous knowledge base, Swanson and Holton update their classic single volume compilation of the foundational materials of the profession. Their work is supplemented with contributions from Richard W. Herling, Sharon S. Naquin, Wendy E. A. Ruona, Richard J. Torraco, and Karen E. Watkins.Written to be useful for both experts and novices, this new book provides a much-needed, up-to-date overview of the state of the profession as well as the terminology and processes required for sound HRD practice and study.Foundations of Human Resource Development establishes the contribution of HRD to contemporary organizations

This revised and expanded version of Analysis for Improving Performance provides the tools for doing the crucial - yet often overlooked - upfront analyses essential to the success of any performance improvement effort. Human resource development expert Richard A. Swanson's step-by-step method allows program developers and managers to: assess an organization's real business needs and the status of its supporting systems; analyze necessary worker skills, knowledge, and attitudes; specify performance requirements and evaluation standards; and produce a viable and comprehensive performance improvement design. This second edition is extensively revised throughout and contains many updated case studies and expanded concepts. It also contains a new chapter on Documenting and Improving Work Process. In the end, the tools and resources provided within Analysis for Improving Performance will help make sure that workplace performance improvement efforts really work.

While there are many other books on research methods, Research in Organizations differs from them in applying these methods to the study of organizations, supported by numerous case studies illustrating each process. A comprehensive beginner's research text, the book covers the foundations and methods relevant to doing Research in Organizations, as well as the identification of research questions and the ethical conduct of research. Research in Organizations offers a holistic perspective of the subject that embraces quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methodology research procedures. Written by two experts in the field who have authored over 300 articles and books on this subject, the book has won the endorsement of the Academy of Human Resources Development.

In this practical book, Richard A. Swanson offers a comprehensive approach to forecasting and analyzing the financial implications of any HRD initiative. Packed with step-by-step tools and worksheets, illustrated through a variety of case studies, and featuring the author's state-of-the-art insights, this book offers HRD professionals an essential resource for planning and budgeting, presenting recommendations to executives and department leaders, and keeping their organizations on the cutting edge.