Title: Action learning for developing nurses in South Korea

Authors: Yonjoo Cho; Hyeon-Cheol Bong; Keum-Seong Jang

Addresses: Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, 201 N. Rose Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. ' Business Administration, Chonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do 561-756, South Korea. ' College of Nursing, Chonnam National University, Chonnam Research Institute of Nursing Science, 160 Backseo-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju, Jeollanam-do 501-746, South Korea

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to conduct a case study of two action learning programmes used for developing nurses in South Korea. A central focus of this study was to examine how action learning practitioners reflected distinctive features of an organisational context in improving the effectiveness of an action learning programme. Questions guiding this inquiry were: 1) What are the distinctive features of the nursing unit in a national university hospital?; 2) How are the two action learning programmes practiced in the nursing unit?; 3) How do practitioners reflect distinctive features of the nursing unit in improving the effectiveness of action learning?; 4) How are the two action learning programmes distinctive compared to other organisational settings? We discussed theoretical and practical implications of this study and also discussed implications for other organisational settings.

Keywords: nurses; South Korea; organisational contexts; effectiveness; nursing units; university hospitals; practitioners; distinctive features; organisational settings; health services; human resource development; HRD; human resource management; HRM; action learning; organisational practice.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRDM.2012.049785

International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management, 2012 Vol.12 No.4, pp.274 - 291

Published online: 31 Jul 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article