FAQs

The Human Capital Lab is a virtual community of human capital practitioners and scholars. Our goal is to advance the practice of human capital management.

Four, really:  1) human capital management (what we used to call HR and, before that, personnel), 2) talent development (what we used to call human resource development and, before that, training), 3) leadership (both strategic and interpersonal leadership), and 4) distance education (because it’s not just the subject, it’s also the delivery of it).

Four ways. First, we’re starting a community of practice in talent development. For more information, see here. Second, we’re pairing our university’s doctoral students—who are accomplished, mid-career practitioners—with employers who might have research opportunities for the doctoral students to do their dissertations. (Click here for more info.) Third, we’ll be establishing our presence with several professional societies, including the Association for Talent Development (ATD), Chief Learning Officer (CLO) Magazine, and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Fourth, we’ll be interviewing interesting subjects in the industry and elsewhere in a twice-monthly podcast. (Check those out here.)  Finally, we’ll provide white papers, research, and other products for anyone in the community to download. They’re available here.

Nothing. Nobody in the Human Capital Lab community pays for anything. Ever. They pay for what they take with what they have to give. The capital we exchange in the Human Capital Lab is the knowledge and experiences we have to share with each other. As a community, we all benefit from everyone’s contributions, small and large alike.

Do what you’re doing – browse this website. When you want to know more or simply discuss the possibilities open to you, fill out the request form to let us know what you’re interested in. And most of all, join in!

It’s a gathering of practitioners in a particular discipline who come together to share ideas, get support and information, and improve each other’s capabilities and performance. Each community takes on its own identity.

The Human Capital Lab Community of Practice is facilitated by a professional who handles registrations, notices, and the meetings themselves.

Currently we meet virtually by Zoom. Should the group choose to meet up at a conference, event, or other location, that’s a group decision and one we will support with facilitation.

We are fortunate to be in company with professionals from across the country.

There are a couple of ways to get involved in the Community of Practice. Bring a solution you’ve provided as case study, bring a problem you’re working to solve and solicit solutions, (we call this a “Master Mind” presentation), share knowledge of a leading trend that we may not be aware of. Float your ideas by the facilitator here.

The Human Capital Lab is hosted by Bellevue University. The University offers several professional doctoral degree programs for people to advance their careers and their skills at the highest levels of their professions.

An embedded project is one conducted as part of the student’s regular job. Almost all mid-career professionals pursuing doctoral degrees have to find workplace-based research opportunities outside their regular employment.

Academic doctorates come in two flavors: scholarly and professional. Scholarly degrees (typically the PhD) are designed for students to advance scholarship by creating and testing theory. Professional doctorates often carry alternative titles (Doctor of Business Administration or DBA, Doctor of Science, etc.), and are designed to advance practice in one’s field. Where scholarly doctorates are designed to start an academic career, professional doctoral students are advancing performance in the field.

By using the workplace as a research laboratory, they identify “real world” challenges, then design and test solutions to them. In short, they solve problems and create new ways of doing things.

Bellevue University currently has two programs up and running and is planning two more. Currently, Bellevue University has doctoral students in our Human Capital Management PhD and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programs. We are also designing and getting approval for two others, which we’ll describe here once they’re announced.

Yes, very much so. Most are mid-career, looking to advance their careers and their professions to higher levels.

We’re like an online meet-up. We gather inquiries from employers seeking support from our students, and students wanting to put their research interests out there for employers to consider.

Because the University’s doctoral programs are offered by distance learning, students can come from all over the country…and the world.

Yes. However, many have research interests that cannot be pursued in their current jobs, so they’re seeking other opportunities to conduct workplace-based research. They stay in their current jobs while also conducting their studies.

Nothing. The Human Capital Lab does not charge anything to employers or students for their participation. If an employer chooses to offer a stipend or to cover some costs, that’s between the student and the employer.

Click here to get more information or to have your research opportunity listed.