HRD and HRM are They the Same? A Qualitative Exploration

Running head: HRD AND HRM ARE THEY THE SAME? QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION

HRD and HRM are They the Same? A Qualitative Exploration

"Aggies do not lie cheat or steal, nor do they tolerate those who do."

Background

Upon graduating with a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Educational Human Resource Development, I began the journey of locating a job. Much to my astonishment the only prospective positions offered were for what I alleged to be HRM positions; i.e. Recruiter, Human Resource Generalist, Human Resource Analyst, and Human Resource Coordinator. This led me to question my educational background and beliefs that HRD and HRM were two different entities. I entertained an interview as a Human Resource (HR) Generalist. During this interview I ask the interviewers if the job incorporated any aspects of HRD. The interviewers were dumbfounded at first and did not comprehend what HRD entailed. I explained what I believed to be HRD foundational concepts and beliefs and the interviewers soon assured me that their Human Resources Department incorporated many if not all aspects of HRD.

201305145-OHRM-RBN-8054

20111031-OCIO-RBN-2174

English: HRD Network

I accepted the position of HR Generalist. Much to my dismay I was involved in recruiting, on-boarding, job termination process, benefits, and performance appraisals. For four months the aforesaid were my job duties and all facets of HRD were perceived to be absent. One could argue that the aforementioned encompass Career Development and indirectly Organizational Development. I left the position and started to question if Corporations, practitioners, and/or scholars are failing to see the differences and similarities of HRD and HRM? Did organizations, practitioners, and scholars fail to acknowledge both disciplines due to a lack of fully understanding them? Or is it so that HRD and HRM are so highly related that organizations mesh the two disciplines and use facets of both in...