HRD Perspectives on Developmental Relationships

1. Globalization and National Capacity Building Perspectives

   1. Cross-Cultural Styles of Relating and Connecting in Developmental Relationships

      • Consuelo Waight, Toby Egan

      Pages 367-394

   2. How Developmental Relationships Can Be Used by Organizations and Governments as Tools for National HRD Initiatives: India and Spain

      • Ashutosh Muduli, Aitana Gonzalez Ortiz de Zarate, Gary N. McLean

      Pages 395-417

2. Evaluation and Assessment Perspectives

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 419-419

      PDF

   2. Assessing the Impact of Developmental Relationships in a Humanitarian Context

      • Julie Haddock-Millar, Chandana Sanyal, Neil Kaye, Holly Bennett

      Pages 421-447

   3. Needs Assessment in Assessing, Building, and Supporting Developmental Relationships in Organizations

      • Darlene F. Russ-Eft

      Pages 449-466

   4. Seeking Support from Multiple Developers: Assessing Optimal Structure, Content, Antecedents, and Outcomes of Developmental Networks

      • Rajashi Ghosh, Wendy Murphy, Rick Cotton, Kathy E. Kram

      Pages 467-499

3. Conclusion

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 501-501

      PDF

   2. Connecting and Relating Through Developmental Relationships

      • Andrea D. Ellinger, Wendy E. A. Ruona

      Pages 503-525

4. Back Matter

   Pages 527-533

   PDF

Developmental relationships constitute interdependent, generative connections that promote growth and learning among individuals. While studies reporting the impact of developmental relationships on learning, performance, and career development leaves no doubt about its relevance to the human resource development (HRD) field, we lack an in-depth understanding of how developmental relationships apply to the myriad of topics relevant to contemporary HRD research and practice such as social justice, diversity and equity, leadership development, career transitions, knowledge sharing, organization development, employee engagement, organizational learning culture, globalization, national HRD, and technology at work.

This book presents a comprehensive collection of evidence-based studies and conceptual articles that explore how developmental relationships that are cultivated within and outside of the workplace apply to those clusters of topics in HRD. Organized around six themes, the chapters examine topics such as knowledge management, critical perspectives on gender, diversity, and equity, building a learning organization, talent development, and emotional closeness in the context of virtual workplaces. In doing so, the book highlight how research on developmental relationships can be the underlying thread connecting the otherwise disconnected varied topical foci of HRD research and practice, thus broadening our understanding of the relevance of developmental relationships within the HRD field.


This volume advances HRD scholarship and will appeal to researchers interested in exploring the nature and benefits of developmental relationships including mentoring and coaching.

• human resource development
• HRD
• developmental relationships
• mentoring
• coaching
• critical theory
• critical HRD
• social justice
• networking
• Organization Development
• Employee resource Groups
• Inter-generational Knowledge sharing
• National HRD
• Global and International HRD
• Assessment & Evaluation

• Drexel University, Media, USA

  Rajashi Ghosh

• University of North Texas, Denton, USA

  Holly M. Hutchins

Rajashi Ghosh is Associate Professor of Human Resource Development and Chair of the Policy, Organization, and Leadership department in the School of Education at Drexel University, USA. Her research aims to explore how different developmental initiatives (e.g., mentoring, coaching, leadership development) can facilitate workplace learning and development through building inclusive relational spaces and countering the prevalence of workplace incivility.


Holly M. Hutchins is Vice Provost of Faculty Success and Professor of Counseling and Higher Education at the University of North Texas, USA. Her research focuses on identifying how inclusive learning and development interventions can be designed and evaluated to support successful application to the work environment.