Tom Short – författare

This book is the second in a series of two volumes that reviews a broad range of strategies and practices undertaken as workplace development activities in a post-global financial crisis period when organisational volatility and survival were foremost in the minds of leaders. Drawing mainly from a wide range of major research projects conducted Australia and with some contributions from international authors, this second book is a compilation of contemporary themes and applications that were developed from individual research projects. During the global financial crisis, the Australian economy out-performed many other developed countries, but it was not immune from international pressures such as global competition, market fluctuations and an increasingly mobile workforce. These issues are reflected in many of the chapters and the combined work will inform readers about the major workforce development challenges facing public and private sector organisations. The book blends relevant literature with rich empirical evidence gathered from large and small organisations and includes application tools developed by researchers who are experts in their field. This book will be of scholarly interest to a broad audience of academics, industry leaders, human resource practitioners and students in adult education, business, psychology and social science disciplines. Moreover, the book will be of interest to education and training professionals, management consultants, and more generally, people who follow the evolution of work and its impact on contemporary society.​

This book captures the essence of current workforce development perspectives and draws on extensive global research to uncover a range of issues confronting organisations. Taking primarily an Australian outlook after the global financial crisis and tracing the progress of a national industry sector, each chapter delves into a major area of interest for leaders. Overall, the authors make the case that workforce development is an amalgam of activities influenced by context, politics and economic development.

As the world becomes increasingly connected and mobile, workforce development is proving to be a major activity for organisations because it impacts their longer-term survival and growth. To stay ahead, successful organisations focus on attracting, building, engaging and retaining talented people. However, in a financially turbulent era where strategy changes quickly, workforce development must not only plan and build the capabilities of people at work, but also contribute to making employment more socially sustainable for a better world.

This book provides a thought-provoking collection of scholarly work for business leaders, human resource practitioners and academics working in adult education, business, psychology and social science disciplines. At the same time, it adopts an accessible style for students and others who want to know more about the development of people at work.