O Desenvolvimento de Recursos Humanos (DRH) é um tema que se destaca pelo estudo e fomento da aprendizagem em diferentes níveis, formatos e momentos. Seus componentes principais são treinamento e desenvolvimento, desenvolvimento de carreiras e desenvolvimento organizacional. Uma de suas abordagens é o Desenvolvimento Estratégico de Recursos Humanos (DERH), que busca alinhar a aprendizagem no contexto organizacional aos objetivos estratégicos da organização. O presente estudo adotou a abordagem de DERH e orientou-se pela perspectiva de desempenho, segundo a qual, o objetivo da aprendizagem nas organizações é ajudá-las a atingir seus objetivos. Desse modo, torna-se importante avaliar a contribuição das políticas e práticas de DRH para o alcance dos resultados organizacionais. Nesse sentido, avaliar a relação entre DRH e desempenho organizacional torna-se relevante. A partir dessa breve contextualização, depreende-se o objetivo deste estudo, que foi analisar a relação estabelecida entre adoção de políticas e práticas de DRH e desempenho organizacional, investigando a atuação dos fatores contingenciais nessa relação. Esses fatores foram investigados à luz da abordagem de DERH, que tem como uma de suas características a análise do ambiente e de sua influência no modelo de DRH. Para condução da etapa empírica, foi adotada a abordagem quantitativa, utilizando-se questionário estruturado direcionado ao principal responsável pelo RH de organizações que atuam no Brasil. A amostra da pesquisa contou com 354 casos válidos. Para a análise dos dados, foram empregadas as análises fatorial exploratória e confirmatória para a constituição do sistema de DRH e a regressão logística para avaliar a relação desse sistema com o desempenho das organizações. Como resultados principais, constatou-se que a adoção de políticas e práticas de DRH explica 42,1% da variação nos valores previstos de desempenho organizacional e que a regulação do setor, o porte e o alinhamento horizontal moderam a relação entre DRH e desempenho organizacional. / Human Resource Development (HRD) is a theme that stands out for the study and promotion of learning in different levels, formats and moments. Its main components are training and development, career development and organizational development. One of its approaches is the Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD), which seeks to align learning in the organizational context with the strategic objectives of the organization. The present study adopted the approach of SHRD and was guided by the perspective of performance, according to which, the purpose of learning in organizations is to help them achieve their goals. Thus, it is important to evaluate the contribution of HRD policies and practices to the achievement of organizational results. In this sense, evaluate the relationship between HRD and organizational performance becomes relevant. Based on this brief contextualization, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship established between the adoption of policies and practices of HRD and organizational performance, investigating the behavior of contingency factors in this relationship. These factors were investigated in light of the SHRD approach, which has as one of its characteristics the analysis of the environment and its influence on the HRD model. In order to conduct the empirical step, the quantitative approach was adopted, using a structured questionnaire directed to the main HR manager of organizations working in Brazil. The survey sample had 354 valid cases. For the analysis of the data, we used the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for the constitution of the HRD system and the logistic regression to evaluate the relationship of this system with the performance of the organizations. As a main result, it was found that the adoption of HRD policies and practices explains 42.1% of the change in predicted values of organizational performance and that sector regulation, size and horizontal alignment moderate the relationship between HRD and organizational performance.

O Desenvolvimento de Recursos Humanos (DRH) é um tema que se destaca pelo estudo e fomento da aprendizagem em diferentes níveis, formatos e momentos. Seus componentes principais são treinamento e desenvolvimento, desenvolvimento de carreiras e desenvolvimento organizacional. Uma de suas abordagens é o Desenvolvimento Estratégico de Recursos Humanos (DERH), que busca alinhar a aprendizagem no contexto organizacional aos objetivos estratégicos da organização. O presente estudo adotou a abordagem de DERH e orientou-se pela perspectiva de desempenho, segundo a qual, o objetivo da aprendizagem nas organizações é ajudá-las a atingir seus objetivos. Desse modo, torna-se importante avaliar a contribuição das políticas e práticas de DRH para o alcance dos resultados organizacionais. Nesse sentido, avaliar a relação entre DRH e desempenho organizacional torna-se relevante. A partir dessa breve contextualização, depreende-se o objetivo deste estudo, que foi analisar a relação estabelecida entre adoção de políticas e práticas de DRH e desempenho organizacional, investigando a atuação dos fatores contingenciais nessa relação. Esses fatores foram investigados à luz da abordagem de DERH, que tem como uma de suas características a análise do ambiente e de sua influência no modelo de DRH. Para condução da etapa empírica, foi adotada a abordagem quantitativa, utilizando-se questionário estruturado direcionado ao principal responsável pelo RH de organizações que atuam no Brasil. A amostra da pesquisa contou com 354 casos válidos. Para a análise dos dados, foram empregadas as análises fatorial exploratória e confirmatória para a constituição do sistema de DRH e a regressão logística para avaliar a relação desse sistema com o desempenho das organizações. Como resultados principais, constatou-se que a adoção de políticas e práticas de DRH explica 42,1% da variação nos valores previstos de desempenho organizacional e que a regulação do setor, o porte e o alinhamento horizontal moderam a relação entre DRH e desempenho organizacional. / Human Resource Development (HRD) is a theme that stands out for the study and promotion of learning in different levels, formats and moments. Its main components are training and development, career development and organizational development. One of its approaches is the Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD), which seeks to align learning in the organizational context with the strategic objectives of the organization. The present study adopted the approach of SHRD and was guided by the perspective of performance, according to which, the purpose of learning in organizations is to help them achieve their goals. Thus, it is important to evaluate the contribution of HRD policies and practices to the achievement of organizational results. In this sense, evaluate the relationship between HRD and organizational performance becomes relevant. Based on this brief contextualization, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship established between the adoption of policies and practices of HRD and organizational performance, investigating the behavior of contingency factors in this relationship. These factors were investigated in light of the SHRD approach, which has as one of its characteristics the analysis of the environment and its influence on the HRD model. In order to conduct the empirical step, the quantitative approach was adopted, using a structured questionnaire directed to the main HR manager of organizations working in Brazil. The survey sample had 354 valid cases. For the analysis of the data, we used the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for the constitution of the HRD system and the logistic regression to evaluate the relationship of this system with the performance of the organizations. As a main result, it was found that the adoption of HRD policies and practices explains 42.1% of the change in predicted values of organizational performance and that sector regulation, size and horizontal alignment moderate the relationship between HRD and organizational performance.

The strategic environment of companies is divided in four domains. These domains are the known, knowable, complex and chaos domains. The known and knowable domains are characterised by order while the chaos and complex domains are characterised by unorder. The factors present in the chaos and complex domains are emergent in nature and are regarded as un-ordered. Executives and managers need to be prepared to manage in all four these domains in order to ensure the long-term competitiveness of companies. This implies that the training needs of executives and managers need to be identified and addressed in order to prepare them to manage in the four domains in the strategic environment of companies. Executives and managers are trained by means of traditional and/or strategic training. Traditional training prepares executives and managers to manage in the ordered domains while strategic training prepare executives and managers to manage in the domains characterised by un-order which are emergent in nature. Strategic training is “based on predictions of future job requirements” (Rothwell&Kazanas, 1994:425). Traditional training addresses the training needs of executives and managers as it flows from the current strategic orientation of the company while strategic training addresses the training needs of executives and managers as it flows from the emergent strategic orientation of the company. Knowledge management entails the establishment of an environment within which knowledge processes (creation, codification, sharing, organisation and use of knowledge) are performed through a variety of tools and techniques to the benefit of the company. Knowledge processes regarding the emergent strategic orientation of companies are performed during a strategic training process and therefore strategic training is regarded as a knowledge management technique. Strategic training enables executives and managers to learn as regards the emergent strategic orientation of the company. Ahmed, Kok and Loh (2002:23) state: “The objective of organizational learning and knowledge management is to create a motivated and energized work environment that supports the continuous creation, collection, use and reuse of both personal and organization knowledge in the pursuit of business success.” Furthermore, Ahmed, Kok and Loh (2002:23) explain that the ability of companies to capitalise on their knowledge assets defines their competitiveness. Knowledge management techniques such as strategic training should be used to ensure that the knowledge assets of companies contribute to the long-term competitiveness of companies. The literature on strategic training was studied and empirical research was conducted in a selection of 24 large South African companies in order to ascertain the nature and scope of training offered to executives and managers. The nature and scope of training in large South African companies were studied to ascertain whether these companies use a strategic training process to identify and address the strategic training needs of executives and managers and thus if companies perform knowledge processes regarding their emergent strategic orientation. It was ascertained that only a few of the 24 large South African companies which participated in the study use a strategic training process to identify and address the strategic training needs of executives and managers. A framework for the implementation of a cyclical strategic training process is therefore proposed as a guideline for companies that want to use a strategic training process. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Information Science / unrestricted