During the past year, readers have told us what they need and value in terms of information that will help them in their jobs. They have told us very clearly that 2003 was a year where precious resources (time, people and budget) needed to be carefully allocated to develop and deliver valuable training content. The articles selected for this issue look to the future of the profession of training and discuss outlooks, predictions, trends and emerging technology that will shape training and HR management in 2004.

As we prepare to turn the page on the calendar and begin a new year, we wish to thank our subscribers for your ongoing support and encouragement. Have a safe and happy holiday! 

The Future of the Profession Formerly Known as Training
By Pat Galagan

There is no topic that inflames more passion at the moment than what to call the profession formerly known as training. Medieval theologians debating the number of angels that could dance on the head of a pin could not marshal more arguments than the defenders of competing nomenclatures. Is it performance? Is it intellectual capital development? Is it knowledge management? Is it learning facilitation? Is it human process engineering? Is it workforce development? Is it organizational stewardship and transformation?

What has happened to the term training? What is going on here? (LEARN MORE)



Training Analytics: The Next Big Wave in Learning Management Technology
By Josh Bersin

Learning management systems have become the mainstream technology underlying corporate training and the migration to e-learning. Today with PeopleSoft, Oracle, Siebel and IBM, as well as Saba, Docent and dozens of others in the market, companies have many choices of infrastructure to manage their enterprise training and e-learning needs.  But just as companies are getting their arms around learning management systems and implementations, another even more exciting application is just around the corner: training analytics.   (LEARN MORE)



The Online Rich Media Marketplace
By Geetesh Bajaj 

Look into the world of presentations and you'll find that there is a sort of evolution taking place. Not all presentations are shown in conference rooms or board meetings any more. In fact, you don't have to be physically present in a single geographic location to view presentations. There's more - it is now possible to view the same presentation in different time zones at different times and you are encouraged to collaborate in either real-time or otherwise. Enter the new world of online rich media!   (LEARN MORE)



Recruiting and Staffing Trends to Watch For in 2004
By Marc Pramuk

The U.S. economy has shown consistent improvement throughout the last half of 2003, after a sluggish first half. Corporate profits are strong, and many companies report beating financial analysts' expectations. As of mid-November 2003, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up about 15 percent for the year, while the Nasdaq Composite Index is up about 40 percent. Thus far, however, broad consumer confidence in the economic recovery has been tempered by the perception that it has been largely a jobless recovery. With a sizable demographic group entering the workforce, the U.S. economy has to create more than 50,000 jobs each month for unemployment to remain unchanged. This new economic reality is shaping how recruiting and staffing is managed by companies in a dramatic way. Look for this to become most evident in several key trends during 2004 and beyond. (LEARN MORE)



Handling Layoffs Properly Can Save Businesses From Legal and Financial Headaches
By Mary Massad

Perhaps the worst part of any human resources manager's job is informing employees that they've been laid off. Dismissed workers are suddenly faced with a traumatic, potentially life-changing event and as a result emotions can boil over. Although layoffs are a fact of business life (especially during difficult economic times), laid off employees often think otherwise and, worse yet, take the news as a personal bashing. HR managers must therefore take special care to thoroughly explain the business reasons for the layoff. Doing so validates to the employee that the process -- painful as it might be -- was conducted in an ethical, thorough manner.    (LEARN MORE)



What's New?

The 2003 ASTD State of the Industry Report, sponsored by SAP Education, HP, and Microsoft, finds investment in workplace learning and e-learning usage on the rise. The 2003 report covers data from 1999 to 2002, and it includes--for the first time--salary data, international comparisons, and data linking training investment to organizational outcomes. Click here for a FREE summary. Nonmembers may purchase a copy at the ASTD Store. There is a Webinar on the report on December 18 or January 8. Visit WorkplaceXpert's Webinar Page for details

ASTD Competency Study Update The landmark competency study that ASTD launched last Spring has resulted in: (1) a new competency model; and (2) a recent decision by ASTD to launch a pilot certification program in 2005. Here is a brief update on where we stand and what is still to come with the study, "Mapping the Future: Shaping New Workplace Learning and Performance Competencies."