Social Capital and HRD: Provocative Insights from Critical Management Studies

Advances in Developing Human Resources, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 413-435, 2007

Posted: 6 Oct 2007

See all articles by David O'Donnell

David O'Donnell

Intellectual Capital Research Institute of Ireland

Claire Gubbins

affiliation not provided to SSRN

David McGuire

Napier University Business School

Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Lars Bo Henriksen

Aalborg University - Department of Development & Planning

Thomas N. Garavan

University of Limerick - Kemmy Business School

Abstract

This paper initiates a critical management studies (CMS) evaluation of social capital in an HRD context by drawing on insights from both Foucault and Habermas. Alternative interpretations of three seminal social capital concepts - weak ties, structural holes and social resources - are presented. Pragmatic, albeit critical, insights for HRD theory and practice are illustrated to counter-balance the managerialist appropriation of social capital in pursuit of largely economic ends. It is argued here that social well-being is as relevant to HRD practice as economic well-being. Ethical dimensions are noted and avenues of reflexivity for HRD practitioners are suggested.

Keywords: critical management studies (CMS), Foucault, Habermas, human resource development (HRD), social capital

JEL Classification: D20, M12, M50

Suggested Citation

O'Donnell, David and Gubbins, Claire and McGuire, David and Mølbjerg Jørgensen, Kenneth and Henriksen, Lars Bo and Garavan, Thomas N., Social Capital and HRD: Provocative Insights from Critical Management Studies. Advances in Developing Human Resources, Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 413-435, 2007, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1019687

David O'Donnell (Contact Author)

Intellectual Capital Research Institute of Ireland ( email )

Clonee Road
Ballyagran
Limerick County
Ireland

Claire Gubbins

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

David McGuire

Napier University Business School ( email )

219 Colinton Road
Edinburgh, Lothian EH14 1DJ
United Kingdom

Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Lars Bo Henriksen

Aalborg University - Department of Development & Planning ( email )

Fredrik Bajers Vej 7E
Aalborg, DK-9220
Denmark

Thomas N. Garavan

University of Limerick - Kemmy Business School ( email )

Limerick
Ireland

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