Communicating a vision for human resource development in Southeast Asia: a thematic analysis of the speeches of ASEAN secretaries-general

In 2008, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) enacted its charter, with one of its core purposes being human resource development (HRD). From 2008 to 2022, ASEAN had three Secretaries-General (Surin Pitsuwan, Le Luong Minh, and Lim Jock Hoi) who used their platform to set the tone for how people and their development are communicated. This study seeks to understand how these leaders of the regional organisation of ASEAN represented HRD in 132 speeches (~110,000 words). Using methodological foundations of thematic analysis and qualitative content analysis, this study synthesises the explicit representations of the development of adults in the Southeast Asian workforce. Findings reveal the representations of HRD in ASEAN, the motivations for HRD, the primary beneficiaries and actors associated with HRD, and the related programmes and institutions mentioned alongside HRD by these regional leaders in the Southeast Asian context. Findings regarding the influence of regional leader communication on HRD policy and practice are discussed, and implications for research and practice are provided.