Pertti Hietaranta

Looking outside the boundaries of our own field: how human resource development could benefit translator training and translation theory 

This paper essentially constitutes a proposal for widening the scope of translator training and, to some extent, of translation theory by examining in some detail – and ultimately by adopting the results of – some of the advances that have recently been made in the field of human resource development (HRD, i.e. training and development of employees) as described e.g. by Short et al. (2009). It is with special reference to this framework, then, that I argue that it makes good sense to look for ways of bridging translator training and translation practice with translation theory. 

The goal of the paper is also motivated by the observation made by Swanson and Holton III (2001, 3) that “human resource development (HRD) is a relatively young academic discipline but an old well-established field of practice”, which, it seems, is not unlike the situation prevailing in the field of translation, where practice similarly preceded systematic analysis or theory by several centuries. Thus, if an investigation of the relationships obtaining between theory and practice proves beneficial within the domain of human resource development, maybe some of the benefits reaped there can be applied to translation studies too, especially as regards the eventual links between translator training, translation practice, and translation theory.

Finally, since cost-effectiveness seems to be becoming an increasingly significant factor in all
university teaching and research, one may further argue that it may well be worthwhile to take a fresh look at questions related to translator training (and translation practice and theory) in the HRD perspective if Swanson (1998, 289) is correct to interpret the results of the studies he
considered as showing that “…HRD imbedded in a purposeful performance improvement
framework – and systematically implemented – yielded very high returns on investments…” since one such performance improvement framework might well be constituted by academic translator training.

References: 
Short, Darren C., Jeffrey Keefer & Sophia J. Stone. 2009. The Link between Research and Practice: Experiences of HRD and Other Professions. Advances in Developing Human Resources 11 (4), 420 –437.
Swanson, R.A. 1998. Demonstrating the Financial Benefit of Human Resource Development: Status and Update on the Theory and Practice. Human Resource Development Quarterly 9 (3), 285 – 295.
Swanson, Richard A. & Elwood F. Holton III. 2001. Foundations of Human Resource Development. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.