This document contains four papers from a symposium on research issues in human resource development (HRD). "Data for HRD Research and the 1997 Human Performance Practices Survey" (Laurie J. Bassi, George S. Benson), describes two research projects undertaken by American Society for Training and Development (ASTD): publication of the "ASTD Training Data Book" and initiation of an annual survey (the Human Performance Practices Survey) to provide reliable benchmarks for comparing training programs in business. "The Analysis of Conference Proceedings for the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) 1996: A Review" (Nathalie W. van Hooff, Martin Mulder) reports on a study that described the contents and characteristics of the research studies appearing in the 1996 proceedings. Plans for an annual report on HRD to facilitate linking HRD practice with theory and research are outlined in "A Survey of Surveys on Training" (Darlene Russ-Eft). "Training and the Decade of the 1980s: Did We Spend What We Said We Were Spending?" (Ross E. Azevedo, Miles M. Smayling) examines changes that have occurred in training budgets in the following U.S. industries between 1982 and 1992: wholesale and retail trade, health services, business services, and manufacturing. (MN)