Introduction
The relationship between Human Resource Development (HRD) and an organization’s environment plays a critical role in influencing the effectiveness of Human Resource (HR) activities. The ethical implication of implementing HRD initiatives at community and firm levels also has an effect on the realization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Sustainability (CS) goals (McGuire, 2010). This paper suggests that ethics plays a critical role in the implementation of HR activities at the societal and community levels.
HRD and the Environment
The relationship between human resource development and the environment has been a central point of discussion in understanding the relationship between organizations and the communities they serve. This is because HRD looks at the broader implications of adopting HR strategies beyond the narrow prism of organizational control. Instead, it examines the broader implications of HR activities on the environment and society as a whole (Lee, 2010). Therefore, finding a chapter discussing HRD and the environment was not surprising.
HRD at a Societal Level
The relationship between HRD and the environment plays a critical role in the development of communities and societies. This is because the process of optimizing HRD tools and capabilities can be done at the community level to address both organizational and societal goals (Kim, 2012). In this regard, the field of HRD has a moral responsibility to act beyond the short-term interests of a firm or an industry. This statement is accurate because HRD evaluates the broader implications of a firm’s HR strategy on the organization, employees, and its partners.
Relationship between HRD and Corporate Social Responsibility
The concept of CSR defines efforts by companies to leverage their competencies to improve society as opposed to contributing to its degradation. This relationship means that a firm has a fiduciary responsibility to meet the interests of its shareholders and others who are indirectly impacted by its activities (Lee, 2010). HRD complements this CSR function because it looks at the broader implications of organizational activities on its stakeholders (McGuire, 2010). Overall, HRD contributes to the development of CSR practice by nurturing a culture that promotes its goals, thereby making it an antecedent to the implementation of associated objectives.
Ethical Implications of HRD
The ethical implications of HRD play a critical role in legitimizing associated processes by moderating the relationship between organizations and their key stakeholders. McGuire (2014) argues for the acknowledgment of the ethical implications of HR strategies when implementing HRD processes. Additionally, Ardichvili (2013) says, “CSR and ethics are parts of the same organizational subsystem, shaped by a complex interaction between human capital, individual moral development, habitus, organizational practices and culture, and external situational factors” (p. 456). This statement was relevant to my understanding of the moderating role of ethics in HRD. However, acknowledging the ethical implications of HRD does not necessarily imply the realization of a firm’s performance management goals. In other words, a company’s ethical goals could clash with its performance objectives because the latter is fixated on showing results to shareholders while the former is focused on the methodologies surrounding this development (Ardichvili, 2013). Therefore, the quest by HRD practitioners to protect the rights and welfare of others through proper ethical conduct could create conflicts with performance paradigms.
Conclusion
In this document, ethics is the focal point for the realization of a firm’s HRD and performance goals. Given the intrinsic nature of its relationship and an organization’s performance goals, the above statement improved my understanding of the moderating role of ethics in HRD and its broader implications on communities. In this regard, ethics plays a critical role in moderating the relationship between a firm and its environment. However, what are the implications of this relationship in an industry characterized by differences in culture and ethics across firms and markets?
References
Ardichvili, A. (2013). The role of HRD in CSR, sustainability, and ethics: A relational model.Human Resource Development Review, 12(4), 456–473.
Kim, N. (2012). Toward the use of human resource development for societal development:
Issues, challenges, and opportunities.Advances in Developing Human Resources, 14(3), 345–354.
Lee, M. (2010). Shifting boundaries: The role of HRD in a changing world.Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(5), 524-535.
McGuire, D. (2010). Engaging organizations in environmental change: A green print for action. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(5), 508–523.