This document contains three papers from a symposium on core directions in human resource development (HRD). In "Expertise: The Development of an Operational Definition for Human Resource Development" (Richard W. Herling), expertise is defined as consistent demonstrated actions that are efficient in their execution and effective in their results. "A Methodology for a Cross-disciplinary Critique of Research" (Richard J. Torraco) includes the following phases: problem formulation, population selection, study selection, data analysis, cross-disciplinary synthesis, and reporting of results. "Economics of Human Resource Development--Literature Review" (Eunsang Cho) examines the implications of the following for HRD: human capital theory, screening theory, efficient wage model, internal labor market, agency theory, and transaction cost. (KC)