AHRD Digest: October 2026
AHRD Digest: October 2026
From the Board | |||||||
| Submitted by Ana Carolina Rodriguez, AHRD Board Member | ||||||
About six months ago, I became a new AHRD board member, and my experience over the past few months working with others on the Board and in our broader community has solidified perceptions I have felt since I joined AHRD. I know that other colleagues who wrote for this session before have emphasized and praised the AHRD community. Yet, I want to highlight two characteristics of this community that make it really special. The first one is openness to new perspectives, new people, and new ideas. Although I experienced a bit of this when I participated for the first time in an AHRD conference back in 2020, openness became concrete for me in the several Board meetings I have been part of, where ideas are shared, received, discussed, refined, and implemented, whether you have just arrived or have been part of it for a long time. In these six months, I have, in partnership with other members, developed ideas that were turned into action in our Members Wellbeing and Support Task Force and the new AHRD Learning Center. The second characteristic of this community is generosity. In my capacity on the board, I am leading our efforts to implement the AHRD Learning Center on our new website. As I hope you have seen, we shared calls for contributions to the Learning Center in recent weeks, and I cannot explain how amazed I am by our members’ interest and generosity in sharing their expertise and time. We received great ideas and offerings for collaboration, many of which are now being developed. If you have connected with us about sharing your work, thank you; we are grateful for your willingness to contribute. If you have not, but have some ideas in mind, please reach out to me, and I would be happy to talk and brainstorm possibilities. We want to make sure that members' contributions are recognized and that we can celebrate and share your work with others through our Learning Center, hopefully generating visibility for your area of research, teaching, and practice. If you are wondering what kind of content other scholars and practitioners have proposed, and why it can be mutually beneficial for you, AHRD, its members, and the extended community, I can share some examples. Ideas range from a series of short lectures on a specific topic in the form of recorded videos you can take at your own pace, to live webinar sessions we can record and make available on the platform. You can connect the content to a book you wrote, a research paper, or a program at your university, so learners can learn more or take the next step in their learning journey, generating visibility, exchange, and perhaps opportunities for future collaboration. As we have these conversations about sharing knowledge and help transform these ideas into content to be shared on our learning platform, I feel the same way I do at conference sessions: what a wealth of knowledge we have in this community! I hope you will soon be able to benefit from this extended knowledge sharing, keeping the exchange alive beyond our conferences. I also hope that, beyond sharing knowledge through webinars, micro courses, and learning cohorts, the Learning Center will serve as a launching pad for new collaboration and new ideas, strengthening our community even more. From my interactions with scholars from other fields and countries, I do not think openness and generosity are a given in all academic communities. Still, they are certainly attributes that we have in ours. So I invite you to keep coming to our events, to keep sharing your ideas, and to embrace the spirit of openness and generosity of our community because what you are receiving today, we hope you will give in the future, and vice versa. Thank you for all you do for this community! Especially in times when things are challenging, strengthening our community helps us keep moving forward. | |||||||
Important Reminders | |||||||
November WorkshopWho Are Your SPECS? Redefining Career Empowerment for the Future of WorkPresented by Dr. Brandi R. Muñoz Career advancement in the modern workplace — moving beyond hard work alone to build the strategic relationships, visibility, and advocacy that create sustainable success. HR professionals, talent development practitioners, early-to-mid career professionals, and leaders who want to support career growth — within themselves or their organizations. | |||||||
December WebinarCultivating a well-being mindsetTuesday, December 1, 2026 Stress and Well-being are connected. Learn how to recognize how we think about stress can change how it affects us with our presenter, Dr. Meera Alagaraja.
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Exhibitors
Hybrid Intelligence and Enhancing Performance Breakfast Workshop
In Partnership with atd Houston
Wednesday, February 10, 2027, 8:30–11:55 a.m.
Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briarpark Drive, Houston, Texas
Register by January 29th – $75 members, $95 non-members
Stay for the Keynote session for an additional $50!
The HR AI questions your organization is already facing, worked through with scholars and practitioners who are facing them too. Most HR teams are now being questioned about their plans regarding AI. This half-day session considers people and machines as a unified system that must be intentionally designed. It presents two key questions: how to structure the work effectively and what leaders need to do once a true team operates within that framework.
News for Members
Call for Papers:
27th Annual University Forum for Human Resource Development (UFHRD) International Conference
Call for AHRD Board of Directors Nominations
The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) was founded on May 7, 1993, to encourage the systematic study of Human Resource Development (HRD) theories, processes, and practices; to disseminate information about HRD; to encourage the application of HRD research findings; and to provide opportunities for social interaction among individuals with scholarly and professional interests in HRD from multiple disciplines and from across the globe. This remains the mission today. The organization’s vision is "Leading Human Resource Development through Research.”
Fulfillment of this mission requires the contributions of leaders with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The strategic guidance of such leaders ensures the alignment of our four priorities (fundraising, research, member value proposition, and generating revenue) along with our commitment to antiracism. The work of these board members is done with the future direction of our organizational culture, research, and practice in mind.
The nomination committee seeks individuals who uphold these standards and are committed to a socially just and inclusive academy. There are six Board of Director openings including five General Board Members and one Graduate Student At-Large Director. All eligible AHRD members—scholars and scholar-practitioners--are encouraged to nominate and apply.
Responsibilities for the General Board of Directors
Board members are elected for a three-year term and are expected to attend the Board meetings during the annual conferences in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030 and monthly virtual board meetings each year of the three-year term. Board members are expected to cover their own expenses for attendance at scheduled Board meetings (the annual conference). The key roles of the Board of Directors are to:
- Ensure fiscal stewardship of AHRD.
- Set AHRD’s strategic direction.
- Serve as role models for research, practice, teaching, and service, as well as for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within AHRD and the field of HRD.
- Actively advance the work of AHRD.
- Contribute (Get or Give Policy) to AHRD (Board members are expected to raise or contribute to at least $500 each year)
Graduate Student At-large Director Responsibilities
The Graduate Student At-Large Director is a Board member and the liaison for Graduate Students. This position is for a three-year term and adheres to the same duties outlined for and relevant to other members of the AHRD Board of Directors, including attending and participating in board meetings and retreats. The key roles of Graduate Student At-large Director are to:
- Ensure Graduate Student representation.
- Create and sustain meaningful, transparent exchanges of information within and between AHRD Graduate Students and the AHRD Board of Directors.
- Focus on supporting Graduate Student issues and engagement at the conference(s) and other events hosted and sponsored by AHRD.
Nominations Procedure for the General Board of Directors
Nomination materials must include:
- A written statement that includes both (a) the candidate's biographical information and (b) vision for the Academy, including how they would like to contribute to their role as a Board member. Statements should not exceed 500 words. Note that the use of flyers or the AHRD listserv for the promotion of candidates is prohibited. Please include this in a Word document.
- A headshot (jpeg) to include on the AHRD candidate site.
- Send nomination materials to Dr. Shinhee Jeong (AHRD Nominations & Elections Committee Co-Chair) at sjeong@uttyler.edu. The deadline for nominations is midnight (CST) on or before Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
A reply email confirmation will be sent to you indicating that your nomination has been received. If you do not receive this confirmation within 48 hours, please re-send and contact office@ahrd.org. In mid-November, all AHRD members will receive instructions for completing their ballot. The AHRD election process will be completed by early-December, and new Board members will be announced in early 2027.
Nominations & Elections Committee
Shinhee Jeong, University of Texas at Tyler (Co-Chair)
Jeremy Bohonos, Texas State University (Co-Chair)
Laura Bierema, University of Georgia
Yuanlu Niu, University of Arkansas
Taylor Cavallo, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
SIG Spotlight: Korea SIG
Submitted by Suhyung Lee (redsky39@gmail.com)
The Korea SIG is a dynamic network of scholars, practitioners, and students who are passionate about advancing HRD research and practice in Korea and contributing Korean HRD perspectives to the international context. The SIG connects HRD researchers across cultures and fosters meaningful collaboration, ultimately contributing to International HRD.
The Korea SIG’s primary objectives are to:
- Advance scholarly work related to organizational and national HRD in Korea through publications on Korea-specific HRD research.
- Contribute to international HRD by enriching discourse with perspectives from East Asian culture in general and Korean culture in particular.
- Facilitate a robust network for those interested in HRD research and practice in Korea, thereby promoting collaborative research among scholars and practitioners.
- Develop partnerships with HRD researchers, practitioners, and universities offering HRD programs in Korea to provide opportunities for scholarly interactions, meetings, and educational ventures in HRD.
In particular, the Korea HRD SIG has strongly advertised the AHRD conference to scholars in Korea and encouraged them to submit and present their studies at the AHRD conference. As a result, about 50-80 studies were submitted to the AHRD conferences from Korean scholars each year. The Korea HRD SIG has also played a bridge between AHRD and various Korean education institutions and private sector organizations.
Ongoing Activities
Since its establishment in 2016, one of the Korea SIG’s ongoing efforts to achieve its objectives has been the Team-Up Grant program, which has been proudly continued each year. The Korea SIG is now accepting proposals for the Team-Up Grant, which is open to all AHRD members. This year’s Team-Up Grant is sponsored by the Korean Academy of Human Resource Development in the Americas (KAHRDA) and will award up to $500 per team, with a maximum of two teams funded.
The Team-Up Grant program aims to provide opportunities:
- For AHRD members to conduct collaborative research by forming multi-institutional teams
- For AHRD members to draw attention to global or cross-cultural research
- For junior faculty, doctoral students, or practitioners to connect with research mentors
- For senior/experienced faculty to mentor emerging scholars
The initiative encourages early-career researchers, students, and practitioners to partner with senior mentors to explore global and cross-cultural research on diverse topics, including but not limited to technology-driven HRD, HR analytics, and innovative methodologies. Over the years, the Team-Up Grant has inspired scholarly collaboration and fostered meaningful partnerships across institutions and countries.
For the detailed information about Call for Proposals:
Continuing Commitment
As the Korea SIG continues to expand its reach, we remain committed to advancing HRD research and practice through cross-cultural inquiry, dialogue, and collaboration. By contributing to Korea-specific and international HRD scholarship, fostering collaborative networks, and supporting initiatives such as the Team-Up Grant, the SIG strives to serve as a hub for meaningful scholarly exchange and partnership. We invite AHRD members from all backgrounds to join us in strengthening this community and advancing international HRD research and practice together.
For questions or collaboration opportunities, please contact Dr. Suhyung Lee, Chair of the Korea SIG, redsky39@gmail.com.
The Continuing Mission of the Antiracism Committee
Submitted by Marilyn Y. Byrd
The Antiracism Committee continues to address racial ideology as a detriment to the principles of a professional development community. Since its inception in 2020, the Antiracism Committee, collectively and individually, has been actively involved in a variety of initiatives (e.g. Town Hall forums, webinars, book publications, etc.) that support this core mission.
An often-overlooked goal of anti-racism work is dispelling and countering the myths that feed into and support racial ideologies by highlighting the contributions and amplifying the voices of Black intellectuals. We adopted the term Black intellectuals during a 2026 Conference Focus Session in collaboration with the Black SIG. Black intellectuals are reflective, critical, and intentionally act to transmit, modify, and contribute experiential knowledge that is missing from mainstream discourse on people in organizations (Banks,1996). As a collective, Black intellectuals are empowered with collective influence to work together and actively impact rather than force change for the greater good (Singh, et al, 2022). Black intellectuals represent a predominantly Black/African American collective who resist universalistic thinking that devalues Black scholarship in research, teaching, and practice. But most significantly, a collective allows Black intellectuals to proactively define our own histories and realities rather than being forced to defend our right of presence or rely on external, often biased, interpretations of our work.
Recently, the Antiracism Committee collaborated with the Black SIG in a webinar that paid respect to ways that Black intellectuals have impacted and continue to impact the broad area of human resource development (research, teaching, and practice) as well as impacting the community of AHRD. For example, recognizing notable firsts such as Dr. Fred Nafukho, the 1st Black/African American to be elected to the AHRD Board of Directors, defines a historic moment in the AHRD. Since then, other defining moments have occurred, but without significant recognition. As such, these defining moments will be lost in AHRD historical records. Given that the annual AHRD conference has usually taken place in February, we support the continuation of recognizing Black History month, a tradition that was begun by former President Laura Bierema and has been continued by the current President Joshua Collins, as an opportunity to recognize Black intellectuals contributions to the AHRD.
Black intellectuals further support community educational projects that are on the ground initiatives for countering the harmful myths and stereotypes which have fueled flawed thinking about Black scholarship. For example, Minnesota’s Black Community Project is a community-based project that supports the mission of antiracism work. The mission of Minnesota’s Black Community Project is to highlight what professional African American success looks like in Minnesota in various media outlets (e. g. books, documentaries, articles, podcasts, and educational programming) (MBCP, n.d.). The goal is that the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans in Minnesota are included in Minnesota's historical records. Promoting community initiatives is an educational resource that could be used not only to inform academic classroom conversations, but to inform the community at large.
The Antiracism Committee is co-chaired by Dr. Chaunda L. Scott and
Dr. Marilyn Y. Byrd.
References
Banks, W. M. (1996). Black intellectuals: Race and responsibility in American life. WW Norton & Company.
Minnesota’s Black Community Project (n.d.). Spotlight on Minnesota's triumphant African American Community. https://www.minnesotasblackcommunityproject.org/
Singh, S., Mahapatra, M., & Kumar, N. (2022). Empowering leadership and organizational culture: Collective influence on employee flourishing. International Journal of Health Sciences, (I), 2983-2993.
Journal News
Call for Papers
Special Issue: Human Capital Management, Development and Measurement in the Post-AI era: Reimagining the Value Proposition of HRM
International Journal of Human Resources Development, Practice, Policy, and Research (IJHRDPPR)
Guest Editors
Dr Wilson Wong (https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilson-wong1/)
Dr Prerna Tambay (https://www.linkedin.com/in/prernamoretambay/)
The Journal - IJHRDPPR
The International Journal of Human Resource Development Practice, Policy & Research is a peer-reviewed journal which seeks to bring together international practice and academic expertise to promote and support the understanding and practice of HRM and HRD.
It is a practice-centred journal, and it is aimed at synergising practice with theory and evidence to develop further insights. The journal is critically reflective and brings to light professional practitioners’ insight, ideas and understanding on the contemporary issues and challenges facing people management, its impact and influence.
The journal invites papers for peer review (approx. 7,500 words) AND perspectives articles (non-peer-reviewed) critically examining new and emergent practices in organisations and their impact on HRM, HCM and HRD. (approx. 3,500 words).
The latest issue can be found here: https://reference-global.com/issue/IJHRD/10/1
Aim of the Special Issue
Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, advanced analytics, and related digital technologies are reshaping the nature of work, organisational processes, and workforce capability. These developments have significant implications for how organisations manage, develop, and measure human capital and raise important questions concerning the future role of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Human Resource Development (HRD) in creating organisational and societal value.
Human Capital Theory has traditionally conceptualised employee knowledge, skills, and experience as critical drivers of economic productivity and organisational performance (Becker, 1964; Schultz, 1961). Similarly, Strategic HRM scholarship has long viewed human capital as a source of sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991; Wright & McMahan, 2011). However, the increasing integration of AI into knowledge-intensive activities, decision-making processes, learning systems, and performance management practices challenges established assumptions regarding capability development, expertise, value creation, and workforce contribution (Autor, 2015; Brynjolfsson et al., 2023).
At the same time, organisations are confronted with practical questions relating to workforce readiness, reskilling and upskilling, leadership, employee wellbeing, performance measurement, ethical governance, and responsible technology adoption. These developments create opportunities for both scholars and practitioners to re-examine existing frameworks and to develop new approaches to understanding, managing, and evaluating human capital in increasingly AI-enabled environments.
This special issue seeks contributions that advance theoretical, empirical, and practice-based understanding of human capital management, development, and measurement in the post-AI era. Consistent with the mission of IJHRDPPR, the special issue aims to foster dialogue between research, policy, and practice and welcomes contributions that demonstrate both scholarly rigour and practical relevance.
The special issue is guided by the following overarching question:
How should HRM and HRD rethink the management, development, and measurement of human capital to create sustainable organisational, social, and human value in the age of artificial intelligence?
Scope of the Special Issue
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Human Capital and Organisational Capability
- The continuing relevance of Human Capital Theory in AI-enabled organisations
- Human-AI collaboration, augmentation, and capability development
- Strategic HRM and competitive advantage in digitally enabled contexts
- Interactions between human, social, organisational, and technological capital
- New perspectives on organisational value creation
Human Resource Development and Future Workforce Capability
- AI literacy and workforce preparedness
- Reskilling, upskilling, and lifelong learning
- Development of creativity, judgement, critical thinking, and adaptability
- Learning ecosystems and capability development
- Future directions for HRD theory and practice
Human Capital Measurement and Analytics
- Human capital analytics and people analytics
- Measuring workforce value and organisational capability
- Performance measurement in AI-enabled workplaces
- Metrics of innovation, resilience, learning, and adaptability
- Evaluation of (return on) investments in human and technological resources
Leadership and Organisational Transformation
- Leadership in AI-enabled organisations
- Talent management and workforce planning
- Organisational agility and dynamic capabilities
- Human-AI decision-making
- Organisational transformation and change
Responsible AI and Sustainable Work
- Ethical and responsible AI in HRM and HRD
- Employee wellbeing and meaningful work
- Fairness, transparency, and accountability
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Sustainable workforce development and human flourishing
Types of Contributions
The special issue welcomes a broad range of contributions, including:
- Conceptual and theory-building papers
- Empirical studies employing qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods approaches
- Systematic literature reviews and evidence syntheses
- Practice-informed research
- Organisational case studies
- Policy-focused contributions
- Academic-practitioner collaborative submissions
In keeping with the journal's commitment to integrating scholarship and practice, practitioner-oriented contributions should extend beyond description and provide critical analysis, evidence-based reflection, and implications for wider organisational practice and policy.
Submission Expectations
Submitted papers should clearly articulate:
- The significance of the research, organisational, or policy issue being addressed.
- The theoretical, empirical, or conceptual contribution of the work.
- The practical implications for HRM, HRD, organisational leaders, practitioners, or policymakers.
- The relevance of the contribution to understanding human capital management, development, or measurement in AI-enabled contexts.
Authors are encouraged to demonstrate explicitly how their work contributes to both academic knowledge and practical application.
Intended Audience
This special issue is intended for:
- HRM and HRD scholars
- Organisation and management researchers
- Human resource and learning and development professionals
- People analytics specialists
- Organisational development practitioners
- Consultants and advisers
- Business leaders and managers
- Policymakers and public-sector professionals
Submissions that bridge disciplinary, sectoral, or professional boundaries and contribute to ongoing dialogue between research and practice are particularly encouraged.
Submission Information
Manuscript submission deadline: April 30, 2027
Expected publication: September/October 2027
Submission guidelines: Authors should follow the journal's standard submission requirements and indicate that their manuscript is intended for the Special Issue on Human Capital Management, Development and Measurement in the Post-AI Era.
Selected References
Autor, D. H. (2015). Why are there still so many jobs? The history and future of workplace automation. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(3), 3-30.
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. University of Chicago Press.
Boxall, P., & Purcell, J. (2016). Strategy and human resource management (4th ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
Brynjolfsson, E., Li, D., & Raymond, L. R. (2025). Generative AI at work. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 140(2), 889-942.
Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W. W. Norton & Company.
Floridi, L., & Cowls, J. (2019). A unified framework of five principles for AI in society. Harvard Data Science Review, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1162/99608f92.8cd550d1
Grant, R. M. (1996). Toward a knowledge-based theory of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, 17(Winter Special Issue), 109-122. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250171110
Marler, J. H., & Boudreau, J. W. (2017). An evidence-based review of HR analytics. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 28(1), 3-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2016.1244699
Minbaeva, D. (2018). Building credible human capital analytics for organizational competitive advantage. Human Resource Management, 57(3), 701-713. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21848
Raisch, S., & Krakowski, S. (2021). Artificial intelligence and management: The automation-augmentation paradox. Academy of Management Review, 46(1), 192-210. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0072
Schultz, T. W. (1961). Investment in human capital. American Economic Review, 51(1), 1-17.
Stahl, B. C. (2021). Artificial intelligence for a better future: An ecosystem perspective on the ethics of AI and emerging digital technologies. Springer.
Wright, P. M., & McMahan, G. C. (2011). Exploring human capital: Putting "human" back into strategic human resource management. Human Resource Management Journal, 21(2), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-8583.2010.00165.x
AAACE Membership Discount Code
AHRD members are eligible for a 10% discount off AAACE membership with this Promo Code: "AHRDMemberPartner"
Visit the AAACE membership page here: https://www.aaace.org/page/Membership
Job Postings
Western Michigan University - Assistant Professor of Organizational Change Leadership
Associate/Assistant Professor of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning
University of Texas at Tyler - Assistant or Associate Professor of Human Resource Development
University of Georgia - Assistant Professor
Director, School of Education at Colorado State University
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AHRD Digest Editor
By Shinhee Jeong, Digest Editor
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Academy of Human Resource Development or its affiliates.