European Journal of Training and Development: Volume 40 Issue 8/9

Guest editorial: The quest for scientific discipline in HRD research: designs that support causal inference

Kim Nimon, Daniel H. Robinson

The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the special issue, “The Quest for Scientific Discipline in HRD Research: Designs that Support Causal Inference”.

The status of intervention research in HRD: Assessment of an applied discipline and potential for advancement

Lindsay Elizabeth Kalis, Natalie M. Garza, Thomas J. Chermack, Victor A. Dzirasa, Mark J. Hutt

The purpose of this study is to determine the quantity, nature and frequency of intervention research published in Human Resource Development (HRD) journals.

Contending claims to causality: a critical review of mediation research in HRD

Rajashi Ghosh, Seth Jacobson

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a critical review of the mediation studies published in the field of Human Resource Development (HRD) to discern if the study designs, the…

Regression discontinuity design: a guide for strengthening causal inference in HRD

Silvana Chambers

Regression discontinuity (RD) design is a sophisticated quasi-experimental approach used for inferring causal relationships and estimating treatment effects. This paper aims to…

Analyzing data from a pretest-posttest control group design: The importance of statistical assumptions

Linda Zientek, Kim Nimon, Bryn Hammack-Brown

Among the gold standards in human resource development (HRD) research are studies that test theoretically developed hypotheses and use experimental designs. A somewhat typical…

Propensity score analysis: an alternative statistical approach for HRD researchers

Greggory L. Keiffer, Forrest C. Lane

This paper aims to introduce matching in propensity score analysis (PSA) as an alternative statistical approach for researchers looking to make causal inferences using intact…

Nonexperimental research: strengths, weaknesses and issues of precision

Thomas G. Reio

Nonexperimental research, defined as any kind of quantitative or qualitative research that is not an experiment, is the predominate kind of research design used in the social…

Opening the black box and searching for smoking guns: Process causality in qualitative research

Elisabeth E. Bennett, Rochell R. McWhorter

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of qualitative research in causality, with particular emphasis on process causality. In one paper, it is not possible to discuss…