Pernilla Derwik
Universitetslektor
Successful competence development for retail professionals : investigation of key mechanisms in informal learning
Författare
Summary, in English
Purpose – Competence development is a prerequisite for successfully meeting existing and future challenges in the retail sector. However, current human resource development practices are often limited in their scope and offerings. This study sets out to investigate and bring to light informal learning among retail professionals.
Design/methodology/approach – This research consists of two exploratory studies focused on store managers and procurement officers respectively. Based on a typology of learning mechanisms, we conducted eleven in-depth interviews, generating a rich body of empirical data centred on how informal learning takes place at work.
Findings – The research points out key learning mechanisms for each occupation and offers detailed narratives of how they are embedded in everyday learning. In addition, the findings provide a synthesis of the complex nature of learning mechanisms and their variations in form and orientation.
Practical implications – By generating tangible and explicit knowledge on the topic of informal learning, the results contribute to both professionals, who may actively engage in useful learning mechanisms, and managers, who may develop processes and structures based on key learning mechanisms.
Originality/value – This paper helps to demystify the tacit and often unnoticed learning that takes place at work. In doing so, it broadens the perspective on competence development and facilitates future discussions of human resource development practices in the retail industry and the research community.
Design/methodology/approach – This research consists of two exploratory studies focused on store managers and procurement officers respectively. Based on a typology of learning mechanisms, we conducted eleven in-depth interviews, generating a rich body of empirical data centred on how informal learning takes place at work.
Findings – The research points out key learning mechanisms for each occupation and offers detailed narratives of how they are embedded in everyday learning. In addition, the findings provide a synthesis of the complex nature of learning mechanisms and their variations in form and orientation.
Practical implications – By generating tangible and explicit knowledge on the topic of informal learning, the results contribute to both professionals, who may actively engage in useful learning mechanisms, and managers, who may develop processes and structures based on key learning mechanisms.
Originality/value – This paper helps to demystify the tacit and often unnoticed learning that takes place at work. In doing so, it broadens the perspective on competence development and facilitates future discussions of human resource development practices in the retail industry and the research community.
Avdelning/ar
- Förpackningslogistik
Publiceringsår
2023-03-30
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
33-46
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
Volym
51
Issue
13
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Ämne
- Pedagogy
- Business Administration
- Engineering and Technology
Status
Published
Projekt
- Framgångsrik kompetensutveckling på jobbet – informellt lärande i handeln
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 0959-0552