The Navy Human Resource Officer community: assessment and action plan

Abstract

This research examines the Navy Human Resource Officer Community (NHROC) in the context of its formation and present makeup and lays out a plan for its immediate future. A thorough review of civilian human resource management and development as well as current initiatives in Navy Human Resources (HR) was examined. The research introduces concepts associated with virtual communities and Communities of Practice and presents lessons learned from the Information Professional Community's virtual community initiative. A survey of the NHROC was conducted to formulate ideas and analyze concepts important to building a virtual community that instill a learning culture indicative of a Community of Practice. The data makes the case for founding a NHROC virtual workplace continuum to foster knowledge sharing, organizational development through continuous learning, and community effectiveness. It provides concepts for a virtual workplace, reviews social considerations, and outlines resource requirements.