Human resource development (HRD) evaluation has often been criticized for its limited function in organizational decision making. This article reviews evaluation studies to uncover the current status of HRD evaluation literature. The authors further discuss general evaluation theories in terms of value, use, and evaluator role to extend the discussion to more comprehensive multiple views of evaluation. The comparison of this literature suggests that evaluation in human resource development has been limited by narrow perspectives. The authors attribute this narrow notion of evaluation to a lack of theoretical consideration of the roles, value, and use of evaluation and a lack of analysis of paradoxical dynamics around HRD evaluation. This analysis provides several implications and future directions for HRD evaluation in the field.

While the GI bill after WWII encouraged education for the older students, the combination of baby boomers and the rise of feminism have prompted a new wave of returning students to academia. The nontraditional student since the 1970s has often been an older female returning for a graduate degree. Making the decision to return has not been easy, and the older student can expect to encounter multiple barriers to her progress before attaining her desired degree. These barriers have been in place and have been the subject of studies for the past forty years, and they remain firmly in place in the new century. This study looks at the barriers through the lens of one older female student in her first summer of graduate school. Using data from diaries, narrative journals, class papers, and reflections, the student compares her experiences with the findings of current studies.

This study reports the result of literature review in regards to learning outcome studies and presents a framework that integrates content types with learning outcomes. Analysis of learning outcome studies between 1992 and 2006 using the ERIC database indicated that most empirical studies have assessed the learning outcome at lower levels of recall and competence. Only eight out of 113 cases in 59 empirical studies were identified as they were assessing learning outcomes at the performance level. Implications for HRD practices and research are also discussed.

Human Resource (HR) profession is moving toward being more aligned with business outcomes. To function constructively and to play critical roles more effectively, HR professionals must master the necessary competencies. The competencies that are examined in this study are business knowledge, strategy architect, HR delivery, credible activist and HR technology. The findings show that the top nine ranking HR competency factors are from the domain of credible activist and HR delivery. The respondents' self-rated competencies show that personal communication, legal compliance, effective relationship and performance management rank above all other factors. The study reveals that competencies such as strategy architect, business knowledge and HR technology have significant correlation with a firm performance. Furthermore, through difference of mean analysis, this study found that there is significant variation among respondents with respect to their business knowledge in terms of such success factors as HR experience, education level, salary and firm size.

The purpose of this study was to explore opportunity costs of postsecondary education in the U.S. in the past three decades (1975-2005), as a measure to support investment decisions at national levels and as experienced by individuals deciding on pursuing further education. Based on human capital theory and inspired by a set of studies aiming at investment decisions in education, official data from the U.S. Census (i.e., CPS), along with parameters for high education achievement, were fed into a forecasting model developed for this purpose. The model included parameters for degree completion rate, time for completion, expectation of working years, retirement age, inflation and interest rates for time value of money adjustments focusing on marginal annual income flows. Seven research hypotheses were tested under this ex post facto design employing elements of both descriptive and causal-comparative research methods. The primary finding is that the postsecondary education opportunity costs for both males and females have been increasing in the analyzed period, along with a significant correlation with enrollment rates. When considering opportunity costs of bachelor's degrees across gender, the trend is somewhat steady. However, in the case of advanced degrees, there appears to be an increase in the absolute gap based on gender in the second half of the analyzed period. Beyond descriptive statistics, trends, and prediction models of opportunity costs for bachelor's or advanced degrees, findings on college premiums and gender differences are discussed in light of the National HRD framework.

This paper presents a literature review on the concept of international cross-cultural mixed messages. Although there is limited literature on this topic, the review suggests that messages from one's home culture and a second culture can result in conflicting expectations for one's own behavior and for the behavior of others. Double bind theory is utilized as a theoretical framework. Application of double bind theory to the issue of international cross-cultural mixed messages suggests potential strategies for addressing such situations. Areas for further research on international cross-cultural mixed messages are presented, including qualitative examination of the experience of such mixed messages and quantitative research into the prevalence and significance of these situations. Implications for human resource development practice are suggested in the areas of informal conversations and formal training with future expatriates, host country employees who will work with expatriates, and employees who work in culturally diverse organizations and business environments.

This article provides essential strategies to be more successful in one of the major roles in academia: writing. Most academics struggle with roadblocks in their writing process. We are forever battling to complete research articles, manuscripts, grant proposals or other documents. The strategies and perspective shared here help overcome several roadblocks like Literary Laryngitis and First Paragraph Paralysis. These proven strategies offer relief, encouragement, and guidance.

Hispanics represent one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population. Recent census reports estimate that Hispanics comprise 16 percent of the U.S. population. By 2050, it is estimated that nearly one out of every three Americans will be Hispanic. Many researchers have begun earnestly studying their impact on U.S. economy, culture, education, business, and politics. But few studies have focused on Hispanic females and their quiet struggles for self-determination in the United States. This essay explores the experiences of Hispanic women in the U.S. workforce by giving voice to this silent minority.

The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) had a unique status among federally funded research and development center in education. Its funding was authorized by the federal legislation for career and technical and administered by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, not the Institute for Education Sciences. This paper reviews the origins of the NRCCTE and the process that led to its unique status. The National Center was originally authorized by the Education Amendments of 1976 and reauthorized by the four Perkins acts. The responsibilities of the Center set forth in each of these acts are presented. The paper concludes with an overview of the program of work conducted by the National Research Center at the University of Louisville.