What Shapes Lifelong Development? A Capability Approach Framework for HRD

The lifelong development (LLD) of workers is gaining increasing attention owing to its benefits for individuals, organizations, and the society. However, not all workers participate, as various personal and contextual factors influence their LLD engagement. This study applies the Capability Approach (CA) of Amartya Sen to examine the multiple factors shaping individuals’ freedom to learn and develop and its implication for HRD. Based on a narrative review it categorizes 14 LLD capabilities (e.g., capability to aspire, capability of voice) and 6 conversion factors (institutional, economic, organizational, job characteristics, social, and personal) that either enable or constrain individuals’ abilities to realize these capabilities. The findings demonstrate that learning behavior is shaped by the interaction of dynamic personal, social, work-related, and institutional factors, rather than isolated variables. The resulting integrative framework advances HRD theory and research by providing a context-sensitive, dynamic, and social justice-informed perspective on freedom to learn and develop.