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Human resource development (HRD) is an important field within management. Developing employees is often regarded as an instrument to improve the internal labor market and support organizational change. Organizing HRD to these ends, however, is frequently a problematic affair, in terms of training effectiveness, participant motivation and added value. This study, which consists of two parts, aims to investigate the question of why this is the case. In this first part, the problem is stated and the backgrounds and basic tenets of learning-network theory are addressed.

The paper first describes three approaches to organizing HRD, namely, as a training issue: customization by HRD practitioners; as a learning issue: didactic self-direction by employees; and as a strategic issue for employees and managers: micro-politics. The learning-network theory is then introduced as an integration of these three approaches. It presents a number of key organizational actors that organize four HRD processes, each operating strategically in their own way.

Organizing HRD is mostly viewed as designing training courses and instruction sessions for employees; it is also predominantly understood as a tool of management. A network perspective on organizing HRD is better able to guide organizational actors than other approaches can.

The study argues that organizing HRD needs to take into account learning experiences that employees can gain from participating in work and career development as well (besides formal training); moreover, that employees’ HRD strategies are at least as important as those used by line managers and HR practitioners.

Human resource development (HRD) is an important field within management. Developing employees is often regarded as an instrument to improve the internal labor market and support organizational change. Organizing HRD to these ends, however, is frequently a problematic affair, in terms of training effectiveness, participant motivation and added value. This study, which consists of two parts, aims to investigate the question of why this is the case. In this second part, two specific aspects of the learning-network theory are elaborated: multiple experiences in organizations forming the basis of employee learning and development, and different actor strategies for organizing HRD.

The paper presents a conceptual framework to argue that one of the main reasons why organizing HRD is problematic lies in the limited and one-sided conceptualization of organizing HRD that is often used.

Organizing HRD is mostly viewed as designing training courses and instruction sessions for employees; it is also predominantly understood as a tool of management. The paper proposes a network perspective on organizing HRD, which is better able to guide organizational actors than other approaches can, by taking into account a broader set of HRD practices and viewing employees (besides managers) as key stakeholders.

The study argues that organizing HRD needs to take into account learning experiences that employees can gain from participating in work and career development as well (besides formal training); moreover, that employees’ HRD strategies are at least as important as those used by line managers and HR practitioners.

This article introduces a methodology for employees in organizations to set up and carry out their own group learning projects. It is argued that employees can use project‐based learning to make their everyday learning more systematic at times, without necessarily formalizing it. The article emphasizes the specific characteristics that distinguish learning projects from other projects: a focus on the learner rather than the leader, on execution rather than planning, on continuation rather than output, on diversity rather than optimal‐solution thinking. Three phases in the creation of a learning project are described: orientation, learning and optimizing, and continuation. Four ideal types of learning project are distinguished: a liberal‐contractual, vertical‐regulated, horizontal‐organic, and external‐collegiate type. The various phases and types can be used by employees (plus managers and educators) to create learning projects that fit their specific work situation.

This study aims to explore how current HRD strategies are put into practice and to what extent they are in line with theoretical ideas espoused in HRD literature. Two research questions are framed within the theoretical framework of learning‐network theory. First, what strategies do HRD practitioners employ to organise learning programmes? Second, what problems and barriers do HRD practitioners encounter in organisational reality? The study is based on data collected from 20 Dutch HRD practitioners using a semi‐structured interview questionnaire. A qualitative analysis was conducted on interview summaries authorised by the respondents. Results indicate a rather broad range of different HRD strategies employed and many problems and barriers encountered in putting preferred HRD strategies into practice. Explanations, implications, and limitations of the findings are discussed.