The second stage in the systematic process is the planning and design – the ‘how’ of HRD. Delahaye
(2000:230) suggested three important considerations in this second phase of the HRD process, namely the
learning strategies to be used, the learning outcomes to be achieved and the people or the learners who will
experience the learning episode. On the assumption that clear objectives have been set after the needs analysis
process, it was suggested that HRD professionals will subsequently plan in selecting the appropriate training
provider – to deploy internal expertise (Alzalabani, 2002; Desimone et al, 2002) or to outsource to external
training provider in the absence of such expertise (Church & McMahan, 1991; McMahan & Woodman, 1992;
Sadler-Smith et al, 1998; Gainey & Klaas, 2005)