Human resource development as a sociological challenge: looking at the problem of knowledge bases

The current paper aims to identify sociological challenges of knowledge-based human resources development (HRD) practices in terms of cultural dimensions. It is a developmental research, conducting a descriptive-exploratory design. For qualitative data collection, thematic analysis method is applied. The research sample consisted of managers and officials at the Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS), selected through the snowball sampling. To this end, a total of 20 interviews were conducted in 2022-2023. Based on the results of subtheme coding and theme categorization, the sociological challenges of knowledge-based human resources development practices are classified into four main categories; namely, individual, team, organizational, and environmental challenges. The individual category includes personality, behavioral, perceptual and value dimensions.  However, the team challenges consist of team conflicts, informal rules, structural asymmetry between teams and organizations, and the formation of subcultures. The organizational category includes evaluation, structure, process, and legal ownership. Finally, the environmental category includes dynamics of new technologies, changes in HRD approaches, environmental changes, organizational changes, and weaknesses in infrastructure of novel technologies.
 
Keywords: Knowledge Human Resource Development, Knowledge Workers, Sociology, Knowledge Culture, Knowledge Base, Knowledge Organizations.
 
The purpose of this study is to identify sociological challenges of knowledge-based human resources development (HRD) practices in terms of cultural dimensions. For the development of knowledge human resources, knowledge-based organizations such as The Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies (IHCS) have need of platforms and requirements to internalize this concept within their organization. One that the majority of knowledge-based organizations lack is the need of an organizational culture compatible with the knowledge environment. The development of knowledge human resources practices is defined as a novel approach in human resource management that designs and implements main HR management practices based on the improvement and progress of the organization's knowledge. To put it differently, the HR development and management cover those practices that are purposefully designed to promote knowledge processes in the organization. The approaches of knowledge HR development play a significant role in developing management processes through improving cultural contexts and strengthening skills and capabilities of employees. Changing employees' behaviors and attitudes, increasing their motivation, learning capacity and etc., can be achieved by the effective management of knowledge management systems. Further, the contribution of knowledge management in the HR development places at the top of the value chain; since from the beginning, it creates a culture that may increase innovation, creativity, learning and performance. Regarding the importance of organizational culture in the knowledge HR development practices in knowledge-based organizations, the current paper seeks to explore and analyze cultural obstacles and challenges in the development of knowledge human resources. Here, the major problem of the study is to identify sociological challenges of the development of knowledge human resources in knowledge-based organizations in terms of in cultural dimensions.
This paper is a developmental research, conducting a descriptive-exploratory design. However, this is an inductive research study with a qualitative approach. The research applies a qualitative approach, because qualitative data analysis is used to identify cultural challenges of human resource development. Moreover, in terms of theoretical foundations and experimental backgrounds, it can be considered a library research, and in terms of qualitative data, it is a field research study. Interview is used to collect qualitative data, while for qualitative data analysis, thematic analysis is applied. The research sample includes managers and officials at The Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies. The paper conducts snowball sampling. The sampling of data and number of interviews required until the model reached theoretical saturation. Based on the snowball sampling method, a total of 20 interviews were conducted in 2022-2023. According to the findings of subtheme coding and theme categorization, the sociological challenges of knowledge-based human resources development practices are classified into four main groups as individual, team, organizational, and environmental.The individual challenges include personality, behavioral, perceptual and value dimensions.  However, the team challenges consist of team conflicts, informal rules, structural asymmetry between teams and organizations, and the formation of subcultures. The organizational group includes evaluation, structure, process, and legal ownership. Finally, the environmental group covers dynamics of new technologies, changes in HRD approaches, environmental changes, organizational changes, and weaknesses in infrastructure of novel technologies.
For the individual category, the cultural challenges of the knowledge HR development practices refer to the dimensions and components that knowledge workers are personally dealing with regardless of the characteristics of the group or organization. However, the cultural challenges at the team level consider those dimensions and components that knowledge workers face in the form of groups and work teams. Also, at the organizational category, the cultural challenges of the knowledge HR development practices signify the dimensions and components that an organization and its characteristics may generate in the direction of the culture of knowledge HR development. Finally, the cultural challenges at the environmental category point to those dimensions and components that are outside the organization, while the organization is dealing with. These put an influence on the performance and decisions of the organization in line with the organization's cultural policies for the knowledge HR development practices.