The Scholar-Practitioner Special Interest Group (SIG) is a network dedicated to strengthening the connection between research and practice. The SIG welcomes scholars, practitioners, and scholar-practitioners who serve as a link between evidence-based research and day-to-day practice, while also bringing practical insights to research and theory development.

Our Mission and Purpose
The Scholar-Practitioner SIG aims to support stronger connections between academic research and organizational practice in HRD. Through member engagement and shared dialogue, the SIG seeks to create opportunities for collaboration, encourage practice-informed research, and promote research that is relevant and useful to practitioners.

Leadership
The SIG is led by Co-Chairs Kyung Nam Kim​and​Yob Ha , with support from five steering committee members: Dr. Sumi Lee, Dr. Shyamal Pandya, Ning Zulauf, Viktoria Loidl, and Stefani Hanes .

2026 Highlights and Milestones

January | Virtual Coffee Chat
The SIG began the year with an informal virtual coffee chat, where members introduced themselves, shared their expertise, and discussed possible areas for connection and collaboration.

April | Webinar
The SIG hosted a webinar titled "Bridging the Research-Practice Gap: Insights from Scholars, Practitioners, and Scholar-Practitioners," featuring Dr. Yonjoo Cho and Kelly Moore. The session explored collaborative approaches, such as action research, and discussed ways to narrow the gap between researchers and practitioners.

Join the Conversation
The Scholar-Practitioner SIG continues to support conversations and activities that encourage stronger connections among scholars, practitioners, and scholar-practitioners in HRD. We welcome AHRD members who are interested in collaboration, shared learning, and the ongoing development of this community. 

For questions, please contact Kyung Nam Kim, at kkim@tamu.edu.

The International Human Resource Development (IHRD) Special Interest Group (SIG) brings together students, practitioners, and scholars who share a commitment to advancing research and practice related to international and cross-cultural human resource development. The group provides a collaborative space for individuals interested in how HRD theories, practices, and systems evolve across national, cultural, and institutional contexts.

As organizations and workforces become increasingly global, HRD professionals and scholars must address complex challenges, including cross-cultural leadership, global talent development, international workforce mobility, and learning in diverse cultural contexts. The IHRD SIG serves as a platform where members can exchange ideas, share research, and build international collaborations that advance both theory and practice in HRD.

Our vision is to:

• Foster a global scholarly and professional community focused on international and cross-cultural HRD.
• Promote research that advances understanding of HRD across cultures, nations, and institutional contexts.
• Encourage collaboration among scholars, practitioners, and students from diverse regions of the world.

To achieve this vision, we aim to:

• Promote international and cross-cultural HRD research within AHRD and related academic and professional communities.
• Facilitate collaborative research projects among scholars and practitioners across countries and regions.
• Exchange ideas, research resources, and international conference experiences.
• Support the development of emerging scholars and doctoral students interested in global HRD topics.
• Expand AHRD membership and engagement among scholars and practitioners working in international contexts.
• Provide a professional home within AHRD for those interested in international, comparative, and cross-cultural HRD.

SIG Activities

The IHRD SIG supports a variety of scholarly and professional activities, including:

• Research Exchange and Scholarly Dialogue: Members share ongoing research projects, theoretical ideas, methodological innovations, and literature reviews related to international HRD. These conversations provide opportunities for constructive feedback and collaboration across institutions and countries.
• AHRD Conference Engagement: The SIG maintains an active presence at the annual AHRD International Research Conference, organizing focus sessions, panels, and collaborative discussions that highlight international and cross-cultural HRD scholarship.
  • 2026 UFHRD Conference in York, U.K. (https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/events/26th-ufhrd-international-conference/)
  • 2026 Asian AHRD Conference in Tokyo, Japan (https://ahrdjapan.com/)
• Collaborative Research and Networking: The SIG encourages international research partnerships among scholars and practitioners. Members work together on joint publications, research proposals, conference symposia, and cross-national studies.
• Global Knowledge Exchange: The SIG promotes dialogue across regions and cultures, enabling members to share insights on HRD practices, leadership development, workforce learning systems, and organizational development in diverse international settings.

Invitation to Join

• The IHRD SIG is currently seeking members who are interested in contributing to and leading SIG initiatives. If you are interested in, please contact Dae Seok Chai (Chair).
• We welcome students, practitioners, and scholars who are willing to support activities such as organizing conference sessions, facilitating scholarly exchanges, coordinating collaborative research, and strengthening the global network of the SIG. Individuals who are passionate about advancing international and cross-cultural HRD and who wish to take an active leadership role are encouraged to get involved.
• For questions or suggestions, please contact:
  Dae Seok Chai, Chair
  International HRD SIG, Academy of Human Resource Development
  daeseokchai@tamu.edu

The South Asian Special Interest Group (SIG), formerly known as the India SIG, is dedicated to fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and a deeper understanding of the South Asian region. The decision to rename the SIG from “India” to “South Asia” reflects a broader, more inclusive vision. This new identity encompasses the entire region, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and India. By adopting this inclusive name, the group aims to encourage participation from researchers and professionals across all these countries, fostering a sense of belonging and representation.

Impact and Vision

The South Asian SIG aims to be a beacon of unity and collaboration within the AHRD community. By embracing diversity and fostering meaningful dialogue, the group is well-positioned to lead impactful research, strengthen advocacy efforts, and build a community dedicated to addressing South Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities. With this renewed focus, the South Asian SIG invites researchers, practitioners, and scholars to join them in shaping a brighter future for the region.

Even if you are not from the region, all are welcome who wish to learn more about the South Asia SIG.

We organize bi-weekly co-writing sessions: Join us here.

To meet these goals, we are soon publishing a special issue with New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, titled - AI for All? Workforce Transformation and Skill Development in South Asia. The target date of publication is in 2027.

South Asia has long powered the global economy through offshore labor in sectors ranging from manufacturing and customer service to software and healthcare analytics. However, the rise of affordable and accessible Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is rapidly reshaping this ecosystem. By 2030, AI could both create 800 million jobs and eliminate 730 million, posing profound challenges for workforce development and employment stability.

This special issue explores how AI’s democratization—its falling cost and expanding accessibility—is transforming work in South Asia. It examines how organizations, governments, and educational institutions can build adaptive, resilient, and inclusive talent systems to prepare the region’s workforce for an AI-enabled future.

Objectives of this Special Issue are:

• Analyze how affordable AI is changing workforce dynamics in South Asia.

• Identify emerging skill gaps and strategies for upskilling/reskilling.

• Explore cross-sector and cross-country collaborations for AI readiness.

• Advance HRD theory by grounding AI transformation within South Asia’s socio-cultural realities.

We urge your participation and representation. We especially welcome the graduate students, if they wish to receive mentorship and insights into the publication process! Everyone is welcome to contribute. 

For more questions, contact the co-chairs:

Bhagyashree Barhate (barhate@txstate.edu)

Sami Jabarkhail (sami.jabarkhail@auib.edu.iq) 

We are group of students, practitioners, and scholars who are curious about the intersection of human resource development (HRD) with health professions education (HPE) including, but not limited to, medical education, nursing education, emergency medical technician training, veterinary medical education, hospital management, and other health-related workforce development research areas. 

Our vision is to:

• Create an interdisciplinary group that bridges HRD and HPE.
• Contribute to practice and research in both HRD and HPE.

We therefore aim to:

• Promote HPE research and practice agendas among AHRD members and members in related fields.
• Collaborate on HPE research projects with HRD and non-HRD practitioners.
• Exchange resources, ideas, conference experiences.
• Expand AHRD membership with HPE professionals.
• Become a professional home within AHRD for those in healthcare.

We meet monthly via Zoom:

• Every Second Tuesday at 8 am Central Time, USA
  Meeting ID: 895 0855 2410
  Passcode: 040548
  Join Zoom Meeting

All are welcome! This is a welcoming and inclusive space for those who wish to learn more about the HPE SIG

Highlights of SIG Activities:

• HPE SIG Monthly Series: We create space for students and scholars to share and present research projects, ideas, literature reviews, and other topics for collegial feedback. Formats include Show & Tell (15 min presentation), Ignite (5-8 min sharing of ideas), Conference Debrief (10 min sharing insights from a conference), and Others.
• Previous Recordings: Show & Tell YouTube Playlist.
• AHRD HPE Focus Session: We maintain a continued presence at our annual AHRD conference by submitting focus sessions that bridge HPE and HRD.
• 2026 Focus Session Title: “Intersecting HRD and HPE to promote clinician well-being at a systems level”
• Presenters:
• Benjamin Joose, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Yoona Kim, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Henriette Lundgren, University of Georgia
• Jennifer Jihae Park, University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Please join us on February 12, 2025 from 8:00-9:30am in Room Grand Prairie!
• Intentional Collaboration: We work together with other AHRD SIGs, such as the Qualitative SIG to provide a webinar spotlighting a scholar-practitioner in health professions. If you are a member of another SIG and have ideas on how we could collaborate, please get in touch! 

Students, practitioners, and scholars are all welcome to join our AHRD HPE SIG – We would love to learn from and with you! For questions or suggestions, please contact:

• Andrew Lee (slee26@siumed.edu), Chair
• Henriette Lundgren (lundgren@uga.edu), Chair-Elect

However, it has become clear that to realize social transformation as an outcome, moving the needle on DEI means recognizing it as more than an acronym for a strategy or initiative, but rather as a philosophy or a morally responsible way of thinking about difference (Byrd, 2018; 2024). Members of the WDI SIG continue a commitment to DEI despite the current backlash being directed toward this practice. One way we do this is through contributing to evidence-based research that upholds the need to persist toward social transformation. SIG members also contribute to DEI efforts through their roles as educators by building programs and creating educational opportunities to develop future scholars and practitioners.

An objective of the WDI SIG as reflected in our charter is developing partnerships with others in the field of HRD who are working in the area of workforce diversity and inclusion. In this spirit of collaboration, the WDI SIG is supportive of antiracism work. However, as a point of clarification, DEI work and antiracism work are not the same. While DEI rejects historical discrimination and all forms of social oppression, antiracism work is more narrowly focused and specifically targets power structures that maintain a dominant ideology. We are currently working on projects to engage with other SIGs and find common goals that will contribute to the greater AHRD antiracism mission. 

The WDI SIG is co-chaired by Marilyn Y. Byrd and Chaunda L. Scott. We invite you to consider joining the WDI SIG. Your feedback and suggestions about workforce diversity and inclusion efforts in the AHRD are welcome.

Reference:

Byrd, M. Y. (2018). Does HRD have a moral duty to respond to matters of social injustice?. Human Resource Development International, 21(1), 3-11.

Byrd, M. Y. (2024). Diversity, equity, and inclusion: creating learning interventions for social change. In Rocco, T. S., Morris, M. L., & Poell, R. F. (Eds.), the Sage Handbook of Human Resource Development (pp. 481-494). SAGE Publications. 

Scott, C. L. (2024). Historical perspectives for studying diversity in the workforce. In Byrd, M.. Y. & Scott, C. L. (Eds.), Diversity in the Workforce (pp. 1-26). Routledge.

As I write my message as President of the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD), I am reminded why our community continues to be so vital: we are a collective of scholars and scholar-practitioners dedicated to building healthy, fair, transparent, inclusive, and sustainable workplaces. AHRD’s many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) provide space for collaboration around these shared values (https://www.ahrd.org/page/special_interest_groups), and our Antiracism Committee leads initiatives, from webinars to conference programs, that elevate voices and perspectives across our global community.

As a scholar who began with a qualitative dissertation and now focuses on assessment, measurement, and analytics, I have witnessed HRD’s remarkable evolution. Our field has moved beyond traditional learning and performance paradigms to embrace diverse perspectives that foreground employee well-being, belonging, and meaningful work. The AHRD Masterclass Podcast Series (https://www.ahrd.org/page/HRD-Masterclass-Podcast-Series) illustrates this breadth, covering topics such as women’s leadership, compassion at work, workplace spirituality, positive deviance, organizational justice, and more. These conversations remind us that HRD is as much about the stories and lived experiences of people as it is about systems and functions.

Building on what we have learned and continue to learn from these narratives and from qualitative research, I see tremendous opportunities for deeper collaboration across SIGs and broader integration of our diverse approaches. As we look ahead, my question for all of us is: what is the next step? My hope is that AHRD continues to advance rigorous and empirical scholarship through scale development, measurement innovation, and integration with emerging practices such as people analytics and AI in the workplace. These approaches help us bridge, connect, and synergize research and practice while reinforcing HRD’s unique value. For example, one of my recent projects applied machine learning to study the influence of multiple HRD interventions, including learning, growth opportunities, leadership, team climate, and colleague/supervisor relationships, on employee turnover. Although these data-driven approaches are very useful for convincing leaders and managers, they are only the beginning. It is trust, storytelling, and lived experiences that allow HRD to truly shine in the analytics space, bringing transparency, empathy, and humanity to organizational decision-making.

Our external environments remain volatile, and the landscape of higher education and AHRD reflects that reality. In our upcoming AHRD podcast episode for Season 5 this November, featuring current and incoming presidents, we discuss these dynamics and their implications for HRD. As AI continues to transform how we live and work, this is the time for us to revisit and re-strategize our theories, models, and interventions as more people will be asking what the role and true value of the human will be. AHRD remains the best collective intelligence and support community for human development in work contexts, and I warmly invite you to join us and the SIGs that align with your passions and interests.

Thank you for being part of this extraordinary community of learning and care. Together, we can continue to make HRD a growing discipline of connecting and synergizing research and practice for meaningful human, organizational, and societal advancement.

The Korea SIG’s primary objectives are to:

• Advance scholarly work related to organizational and national HRD in Korea through publications on Korea-specific HRD research.
• Contribute to international HRD by enriching discourse with perspectives from East Asian culture in general and Korean culture in particular.
• Facilitate a robust network for those interested in HRD research and practice in Korea, thereby promoting collaborative research among scholars and practitioners.
• Develop partnerships with HRD researchers, practitioners, and universities offering HRD programs in Korea to provide opportunities for scholarly interactions, meetings, and educational ventures in HRD.

Ongoing Activities 

Since its establishment in 2016, one of the Korea SIG’s ongoing efforts to achieve its objectives has been the Team-Up Grant program, which has been proudly continued each year. The 2026 AHRD Korea SIG Team-Up Grant Call for Proposals is now open to all AHRD members. The SIG is currently accepting research idea submissions through October 31, 2025, followed by member sign-ups for collaborative research teams through November 16, 2025. We warmly encourage all AHRD members to join this initiative and collaborate with colleagues from multiple institutions. For detailed information, please refer to the full call for proposal. 

The team-up grant program aims to provide opportunities:

• For AHRD members to conduct collaborative research by forming multi-institutional teams
• For AHRD members to draw attention to global or cross-cultural research
• For junior faculty, doctoral students, or practitioners to connect with research mentors
• For senior/experienced faculty to mentor emerging scholars

The initiative encourages early-career researchers, students, and practitioners to partner with senior mentors to explore global and cross-cultural research on diverse topics, including but not limited to technology-driven HRD, HR analytics, and innovative methodologies. Over the years, the Team-Up Grant has inspired scholarly collaboration and fostered meaningful partnerships across institutions and countries. The 2025 Team-Up Grant awardees showcase how this initiative continues to strengthen research collaboration and promote scholarly growth:

“Receiving the Korea SIG Team-Up Grant was a meaningful opportunity to strengthen our collaborative research with Dr. Sumi Lee and Dr. Shinhee Jeong. This grant allowed us to conduct our survey smoothly and effectively, which became the foundation of our comparative outplacement study. Through this collaboration, we deepened our scholarly exchange and shared a common vision for producing research with social responsibility. We sincerely appreciate the Korea SIG’s support, which has encouraged us to continue pursuing research that contributes to both academia and society.”
- Jinwoo Hwang, Korea University

“Our team is deeply grateful to the AHRD Korea SIG for the Team-Up Grant, which provided valuable support for our collaborative research journey. Comprising five HRD scholars, including three doctoral researchers (Yob Ha, Kyung Nam Kim, and Viktoria Loidl) and two Ph.D.s (Leressa Suber and Shinhee Jeong), we conducted an integrative literature review on generative AI prompt engineering and its relevance to HRD. Through weekly one-hour meetings, our cross-institutional collaboration enabled us to gather, review, and synthesize a broad range of literature, deepening our shared understanding and fostering meaningful academic connections. The grant not only facilitated rigorous scholarly inquiry but also strengthened our mentoring relationships and collaborative research capacity. This support ultimately empowered us to produce a fully developed manuscript, which we proudly submitted to the 2026 AHRD Conference. We sincerely thank the AHRD Korea SIG for this meaningful opportunity and continued encouragement of emerging HRD scholars.”

- Yob Ha, Texas A&M University

Continuing Commitment

As the Korea SIG continues to expand its reach, we remain committed to advancing HRD research and practice through cross-cultural inquiry, dialogue, and collaboration. By contributing to Korea-specific and international HRD scholarship, fostering collaborative networks, and supporting initiatives such as the Team-Up Grant, the SIG strives to serve as a hub for meaningful scholarly exchange and partnership. We invite AHRD members from all backgrounds to join us in strengthening this community and advancing international HRD research and practice together.

For questions or collaboration opportunities, please contact Cho Hyun Park, Chair of the Korea SIG, at park1576@purdue.edu

Objectives of the Team-Up Grant Program

The Team-Up Grant program is to provide opportunities:

• For AHRD members to conduct collaborative research by forming multi-institutional teams
• For AHRD members to draw attention to global or cross-cultural research
• For junior faculty, doctoral students, or practitioners to connect with research mentors
• For senior/experienced faculty to mentor emerging scholars

Research Topics

We welcome global or cross-cultural research across a broad range of topics, with a preference for:

• Technology related to HRD
• HR/People analytics
• Advanced or innovative research methodologies

Eligibility and Team Composition

• All AHRD members are eligible to apply by submitting a research proposal.
• Each project team should be formed with at least four members.
• Each project team should include one faculty member who will serve as a mentor and junior faculty, graduate students, or practitioners from multiple institutions.

Selection Process

• Initial Submission: AHRD members interested in this grant should submit their research ideas via the following link by Friday, October 31, 2025: Submission Form .
• Sign-Up: The Korea Sig Chair will compile all submitted ideas and share a sign-up link with AHRD members. Those interested in research collaboration must sign up by Sunday, November 16, 2025. This will be on a first-come, first-served basis. An individual may sign up for a maximum of two research ideas/projects. 
• Team Formation: Project leaders will contact and confirm their team members, with assistance from the Korea SIG leadership.
• Proposal Development: Each team must work collaboratively, develop a full proposal , and submit it to the Korea HRD SIG Chair via email. Detailed guidelines for the proposal development will be provided. Submit by Sunday, December 21, 2025
• Review: Proposals will undergo a blind peer-review process conducted by the Korea SIG Leadership. Evaluation will be based on the following set of criteria:
  1. Team composition: The team includes at least four members, consisting of one faculty member who will serve as a mentor and junior faculty, graduate students, or practitioners from multiple institutions.
  2. Global and cross-cultural relevance: The research clearly focuses on global or cross-cultural context.
  3. Research design quality: The project is well designed, coherent, and theoretically grounded.
  4. Potential impact: The project has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to the field of HRD.
  5. Team roles and timeline: The proposal clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of all team members and presents a timeline that aligns with the proposed activities and expected outcomes.
  6. Budget justification: The proposal clearly specifies how the requested funds will be used. Eligible expenses may include items and services directly related to conducting research, mentoring activities, or manuscript preparation, including but not limited to participants gifts during data collection, software, data analysis assistance (e.g., transcription or translation services), and professional proofreading or editing services. Expenses related to conference registration, travel, or attendance do not fall within the scope of eligible expenses.
  7. Clarity of writing: The proposal is well written and clearly articulated.
• Notification: The final decision will be announced at the 2026 AHRD in the Americas annual meeting.
• Presentation: Award recipients are required to present a 10-15 minute overview of their project at the 2027 AHRD conference’s Korea SIG meeting.

For questions or further clarification, please contact Cho Hyun Park, Chair of the Korea SIG, at park1576@purdue.edu.

The HRD Theory Special Interest Group (SIG) is an active consortium of academics and professionals dedicated to the theoretical underpinnings of Human Resource Development (HRD). This group investigates many theories, encompassing their evolution, critical analysis, and philosophical foundations within the social sciences. Primary activities encompass contributing to HRD scholarship, enhancing interest and comprehension of HRD theory, and cultivating leaders from varied theoretical and philosophical perspectives. The group seeks to foster a supportive environment for the discussion, debate, and dissemination of knowledge regarding HRD theory and study.

Current Endeavors and New Initiatives

Previous efforts of the HRD Theory SIG included an introduction, to the academy, of theories that have been developed and implemented in other domains. Each article formulated theory application and investigation for further advancement in HRD. An endeavor to advance the research of interdisciplinary ideas in HRD will persist next year, with plans for focused discussions at the AHRD 2026 Conference in the Americas.

We are advancing our examination of the adaptation of previously established theories from related disciplines to HRD, topics concerning self-efficacy, research in novel contexts, development of new theories, and historical progression of theories and their applications in other domains. Discussions occur when a group of engaged professionals expressed interest to convene to deliberate on these matters.

Enhancing Member Involvement

The HRD Theory SIG is persistently working to reconcile the perspectives of HRD academy members with those of other professional societies and organizations. If you wish to contribute to the progression of HRD theories and SIG initiatives, please reach out to the HRD Theory SIG leadership. The HRD Theory SIG has plans to offer events to promote discourse and develop academic proposals, utilizing technologies such as AHRD.org Groups, Microsoft Teams, and LinkedIn to improve involvement and collaboration.

Contact us to learn more or to engage with us:
Rose Baker – University of North Texas
Oleksander Tkachenko – University of New Mexico
John Turner – Texas A&M University

Who we are and our purpose

The Virtual HRD, Technology & eLearning (VHRD) SIG is a network of Human Resource Development scholars and practitioners who seek to enhance their research, knowledge and expertise in the area of technology-related development at all individual and group levels. This means the SIG addresses personal learning environments, organizational intranets, artificial intelligence, instructional design, online learning, mobile and social technologies, thriving in a time of job displacement, and ethical use of technology, to name a few among various Virtual HRD elements.

The purpose of the Virtual HRD, Technology & eLearning (VHRD) SIG is to facilitate interaction and collaboration and to organize activities that support the development of technology-related skills and the design of technology-enabled learning and workplace environments at the individual, group/team, and organization levels in the field of Human Resource Development.

Ongoing Activities and New Initiatives

The Virtual HRD, Technology & eLearning (VHRD) SIG is working to contribute to the body of Virtual HRD, Technology and eLearning knowledge work through research and publications that will provide resources for fellow scholars and practitioners. This includes new initiatives within the scope of providing webinars, exchanging ideas and supporting our network of learners in the emergence of Industry 4.0 technology and enhancing research development of this technology in organizations.

The SIG is all things technology! As AI burgeons, we will be engaged in some exciting work to help the field transform while preserving core HRD values. Please feel free to reach out to the Chairs for more information:

Rochell McWhorter
Elisabeth E Bennett

The Quantitative Research Methods Special Interest Group (Quant SIG) brings together individuals dedicated to advancing quantitative research methods in Human Resource Development. As a learning community, we support the development and application of rigorous and innovative quantitative methods. We welcome researchers, practitioners, and students who are eager to learn and apply quantitative methods in HRD. Whether you are new to quantitative research or have years of experience, there is a place for you in the Quant SIG.

Ongoing Activities and New Initiatives

Since Fall 2022, the HRD (Quant) Book Club has offered a space for HRD scholars and practitioners to engage with quantitative research. We meet bi-weekly via Zoom, and the current theme is Advanced Quantitative Methods for the Modern Workplace. Each session is led by a facilitator who selects an academic article using an advanced method and guides a group discussion. Participants include both facilitators and general members, and expertise in the method is not required. Members learn together in a collaborative environment. Please find details of the Book Club here: https://sites.google.com/view/hrdbookclub/

We are also planning to launch empirical article discussion sessions (working title) bi-monthly. These events will focus on recently published studies in HRD that employ quantitative methods, with a particular emphasis on methodological design and interpretation. For each session, we will invite the author(s) of the featured article to join the discussion and share insights into their research.

Strengthening Member Engagement

The Quant SIG is working to strengthen its structure for continued sustainability. This includes developing a leadership team and encouraging more members to take active roles in shaping SIG activities. If you are interested in contributing, either by facilitating a Book Club session, organizing a discussion, or supporting other SIG efforts, we would love to hear from you. We look forward to continuing to grow and learn together as a SIG.

To learn more or get involved, please contact Sangok Yoo

The South Asian Special Interest Group (SIG), formerly known as the India SIG, is dedicated to fostering collaboration, inclusivity, and a deeper understanding of the South Asian region. The decision to rename the SIG from “India” to “South Asia” reflects a broader, more inclusive vision. This new identity encompasses the entire region, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, and India. By adopting this inclusive name, the group aims to encourage participation from researchers and professionals across all these countries, fostering a sense of belonging and representation.

Why South Asia Matters

The region is dynamic and diverse, with shared histories, interconnected economies, and global significance. By focusing on South Asia as a whole, the SIG aligns its efforts with growing research needs in the region's evolving dynamics, supporting initiatives that resonate with global perspectives.

Key Objectives of the South Asian SIG

1. Diversity and Representation
   The group seeks to highlight the unique contributions of each South Asian country, promoting a comprehensive understanding of the region’s shared opportunities and challenges.
2. Broader Research Scope
   With the expanded scope, the SIG addresses a broader range of topics relevant to the entire region. This enhances the group’s capacity to undertake impactful initiatives, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Addressing Interconnected Issues
   South Asia’s socio-economic and cultural dynamics are deeply interconnected. The group’s inclusive approach remains relevant in addressing emerging regional and global challenges.

Impact and Vision

The South Asian SIG aims to be a beacon of unity and collaboration within the AHRD community. By embracing diversity and fostering meaningful dialogue, the group is well-positioned to lead impactful research, strengthen advocacy efforts, and build a community dedicated to addressing South Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities. With this renewed focus, the South Asian SIG invites researchers, practitioners, and scholars to join them in shaping a brighter future for the region.

Submitted by Marilyn Y. Byrd (marilyn.byrd-1@ou.edu) & Chaunda L. Scott (drclscott@gmail.com) 

The Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Special Interest Group (WDI SIG) is a network of scholars, educators, practitioners, and graduate students who are interested in advancing the practice of workforce diversity and engaging in research that promotes equitable and inclusive workplace environments. The WDI SIG has a long-term history with the AHRD. The SIG was initially a standing committee named the Cultural Diversity Committee and was grandfathered into the SIG model in 2012. Realizing the need to reflect a more contemporary view of the workforce, SIG leaders proposed a change to the current name in 2013. 

Workforce diversity is commonly viewed as an organizational goal for seeing and appreciating the multiple forms of difference that exist in work settings and ensuring an inclusive environment. Marques (2010) wrote that, until practiced, expressions and credos of workforce diversity are simply colorful window dressings. While the WDI SIG strategically adopted action plan objectives in its organizing charter that supports the practice of workforce diversity and inclusion, the new challenge is navigating the choppy waters of DEI. This means that action plans should be purposeful acts of “interhuman respect and equal opportunities” (p. 444) and not merely a window dressing.

 For example, the WDI SIG members who are practitioners and work in positions affiliated with diversity and inclusion are well positioned to partner with organizational groups (e.g. employee resource groups) or other employee-led advocacy groups. Employee resource groups (ERGs) have re-emerged with renewed emphasis on an organization’s mission to serve the interests of under-represented workforce populations. Second, the WDI SIG members contribute to the human resource development literature with cutting edge research that is an available resource for practitioners. Third, the WDI SIG members who are instructors of human resource development education programs are well positioned to create programs and curricula that prepare the future workforce for a variety of diversity and inclusion roles. Finally, the WDI SIG contributes to the professional development of its members through collaboration, information sharing, and informal social interaction. This includes serving as a forum and offering informal mentoring for graduate students in their specific fields of study. 

The WDI SIG is currently co-chaired by Dr. Marilyn Y. Byrd and Dr. Chaunda L. Scott. Visit the SIG webpage for information on member research and other SIG activities. Your feedback and suggestions about current practices in workforce diversity and inclusion are welcome.

Reference:

Marques, J. F. (2010). Colorful window dressing: A critical review on workplace diversity in three major American corporations. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(4), 435-446.

Thank you for being a member of AHRD! To foster more connection and collaboration with our community, we have new features and offerings to enhance the value of your membership. Members can now join any and as many Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that you would like to join. You are not limited to only four.