Seeking to understand how behavioural change is prompted and sustained

Allcock, PJ

Abstract

Behavioural change is the purpose of Human Resource Development (HRD), the researcher's chosen field of practice. This study describes the evolution of professional
practice and the research that, through critical study and analysis, has yielded a conceptual framework, fit to guide HRD practitioners, in pursuit of that purpose.
The study is predicated on two propositions, that behavioural change requires changed decisions and in order to facilitate such changes, HRD practitioners must first
understand that which we seek to change.
A single case study monitored the influence, over time, of an HRD intervention, on the decision making of a group of legal professionals. In doing so, it examined the credibility of the principles of decision making and behavioural change embodied in a literature inspired conceptual framework. The framework comprised a four phase decision making cycle, adapted from Stacey (1996), over which was mapped propositions regarding the availability and influence of schema, the role of identity, goal, context, emotion and conscious attention and the prompting, sustenance or inhibition of behavioural change.
In-depth longitudinal semi-structured interviews, conducted before, and one, three and six months after the HRD intervention, yielded data that was subsequently, guided by
principles proposed by Graneheim and Lundman (2004), analysed into themes drawn from the original conceptual framework.
The resulting contribution to original knowledge is a novel conception of how decision making occurs, and how it might be influenced in pursuit of behavioural change, that can
be drawn on to inform the design and delivery of set piece HRD interventions and to guide in-the-moment developmental interventions, such as coaching opportunities. In
particular, it proposes a broadening of the focus of HRD practice, beyond behavioural requirements and their implementation, to include the antecedents of choice and action, the discovery and exploration of relevant contexts.

Citation

Allcock, P. Seeking to understand how behavioural change is prompted and sustained. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2012
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2010