CHAPTER 17

Accountability in

Human Resource

Development

Chapter 17 Accountability in Human Resource Development Chapter Outline

IntroductionProgram Evaluation Approach to Accountability SummaryMetrics Approach to AccountabilityMeeting the Accountability ChallengeConclusionReflection Questions

 

Program Evaluation Approach to Accountability • The Kirkpatrick Model • Criticisms of the Kirkpatrick Model• Program Evaluation in Practice• New Approaches to Program Evaluation

Performance Results• System—the units of mission-related outputs in the form of goods and services having value to the customer and that are related to core organizational outputs,

work processes, and group or individual contributors in the organization• Financial—the conversion of the output units of goods and/or services attributable to

the intervention into money and financial interpretation

Learning Results• Expertise—human behaviors having effective results and optimal efficiency, acquired

through study and experience within a specialized domain• Knowledge—mental achievement acquired through study and experience

Perception Results• Stakeholders—perceptions of leaders of systems and/or people with a vested interest

in the desired results and the means of achieving them• Participants—perceptions of people with firsthand experience with systems, processes, goods, and /or services

MetricsApproach toAccountability

-- Contributed by Elwood F. Holton III and Sharon Naquin

• ASTD Approach• Financial Approach• Intellectual Capital Approach• Human Resource Metrics Approach• New Horizons in Metrics

Meeting the Accountability Challenge

• Are employees developing the expertise necessary to achieve organizational goals?

• Are scarce resources being utilized most effectively?• Is HRD adding value to the organization?• Is the learning necessary to drive organizational

effectiveness readily available?

Chapter 17Reflection Questions

1. If the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation is flawed, why does it continue to have such a strong following in HRD?

2. Why do you think there is such resistance to evaluating performance results of HRD interventions?

3. Which metrics listed in this chapter could be used to build an effective balanced scorecard for HRD accountability?4. How can HRD professionals overcome what seems to be a persistent fear of accountability?5. In carrying out the work of HRD, explain when should

assessment and accountability be first considered.