Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intellectual ...
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Eric K<strong>on</strong>g<br />
accuracy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> predicti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a c<strong>on</strong>cept or model and whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r that c<strong>on</strong>cept or model can guide <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>m for<br />
daily decisi<strong>on</strong> making.<br />
Despite that NLP has endured across several fields for decades, very little research today has been<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ducted to <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fer a better understanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP in knowledge management and<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>al learning. The study c<strong>on</strong>ducted by Tosey et al. (2005), for example, examined <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
relati<strong>on</strong>ships between NLP and management learning. However, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir approach was primarily using<br />
NLP as an analytical method to identify linguistic differences in interviews through a l<strong>on</strong>gitudinal case<br />
study. Never<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>less, Tosey et al. (2005) have dem<strong>on</strong>strated that NLP is a structured and systematic<br />
means <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> mapping subjective experience and c<strong>on</strong>structed reality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> people experiencing<br />
transformative learning or coaching (Linder-Pelz and Hall, 2007). Despite that NLP has much<br />
potential relevance for, and applicati<strong>on</strong> to, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> practices <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> management learning, it would need more<br />
space to explore fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r (Tosey and Mathis<strong>on</strong>, 2003). This paper argues that <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> VAK representati<strong>on</strong><br />
systems primarily focus <strong>on</strong> individual internal learning (Yemm, 2006) and thus NLP may be used as a<br />
practical approach to develop HC in organisati<strong>on</strong>s. The paper looks how <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP approach,<br />
particularly <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> three representati<strong>on</strong> systems, may be applied as a set <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> strategies in organisati<strong>on</strong>s to<br />
assist in developing HC in organisati<strong>on</strong>s. In o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r words, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> paper is to identify what<br />
NLP is in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>text, how <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> representati<strong>on</strong> systems might be useful for individual to<br />
enhance learning and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>n develop knowledge in organisati<strong>on</strong>s, and to explore <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP<br />
as a c<strong>on</strong>ceptual framework to develop HC in organisati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
As very little reliable data <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> subject <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing HC through NLP has been made available for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current investigati<strong>on</strong>, a critical analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> relevant literature is adopted which can provide a<br />
cogent and comprehensive perspective <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>oretical and practical aspects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r NLP can<br />
help to develop HC in organisati<strong>on</strong>s. Bourguign<strong>on</strong> et al. (2004) argue that a literature-based analysis<br />
helps to increase <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> clarity and precisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a c<strong>on</strong>cept, which is a necessity if we are to<br />
understand <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>stitutive use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP in developing HC in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>text. Since <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
findings revealed from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> analysis are representative for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> current state and progress <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> field,<br />
this study provides insights to human resource strategy scholars and practiti<strong>on</strong>ers <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
appropriateness and usefulness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> developing HC through NLP in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>al c<strong>on</strong>text. This<br />
literature-based analysis is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first step towards understanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> applicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP in enhancing<br />
HC in organisati<strong>on</strong>s. This is essential because it helps to present a call for fur<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r c<strong>on</strong>ceptualisati<strong>on</strong><br />
and future empirical examinati<strong>on</strong> to gain more validity (Serenko et al., 2009).<br />
The paper aims to provide a better understanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> NLP, and its applicati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> both individuality in<br />
learning and organisati<strong>on</strong>al learning. Also, it aims to extend <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> academic literature <strong>on</strong> NLP and dispel<br />
some myths about NLP and c<strong>on</strong>notati<strong>on</strong>s individuals may already have with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> approach. After<br />
critically reviewing <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> literature, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> paper argues that since NLP primarily focuses <strong>on</strong> individual<br />
internal learning, it may be used as a c<strong>on</strong>ceptual framework to develop and nurture HC in<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s. Examples will be used in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> paper to illustrate <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> possible benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> utilising NLP in<br />
developing knowledge in organisati<strong>on</strong>s. Future research directi<strong>on</strong> and limitati<strong>on</strong>s will also be<br />
discussed.<br />
2. Human capital and neuro-linguistic programming<br />
2.1 Human capital<br />
Human capital (HC) subsumes various human resource elements, including competencies,<br />
experience and skills, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> innovativeness and talents <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> people (B<strong>on</strong>tis, 2002, Guerrero, 2003,<br />
Fletcher et al., 2003). It represents <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> cumulative tacit knowledge that is embedded in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> minds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
people in an organisati<strong>on</strong> (B<strong>on</strong>tis, 1999, B<strong>on</strong>tis et al., 2002). Thus, even though an individual carries<br />
tacit knowledge which may have significant c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>s to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>, it is <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten HC<br />
(cumulative tacit knowledge al<strong>on</strong>g with all o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r human resource elements) that creates most value to<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Knowledge, particularly tacit knowledge, can <strong>on</strong>ly be created by humans but not by organisati<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
thus HC cannot be owned, but <strong>on</strong>ly rented (K<strong>on</strong>g and Thoms<strong>on</strong>, 2009). Individuals bring in HC when<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>y join an organisati<strong>on</strong>, though <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>oretically increases with time in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong><br />
(Grasenick and Low, 2004). A higher level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> HC within <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong> is <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten associated with<br />
greater productivity and higher incomes or compensati<strong>on</strong> (Wils<strong>on</strong> and Lars<strong>on</strong>, 2002). On <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
hand, a loss <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>al memory due to individuals’ departure may be a threat to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
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