Question

CHAPTER 9 CASE STUDY

GOLD STAR SHOES LTD.

Developing a Training Program

Gold Star Shoes Ltd. is a medium-sized manufacturer of leather and vinyl shoes located in Wilmington, Ontario. It was started in 1973 and currently employs about 500 persons in its Ontario plant and some 200 more in offices and warehouses throughout Canada.

“How can we develop a training program that will have a significant impact on our manufacturing staff?”

Jane Reynolds, special assistant in the personnel department, faced that challenge from a vice president of the largest division of Gold Star Shoes, manufacturing. Training had never been a high priority at Gold Star Shoes, having always been viewed as an expense item, not an investment. If skilled workers were needed, Gold Star Shoes preferred to raid other companies to save training costs. If raiding was not successful, a quick on-the-job training was provided by more experienced employees—limited to essential skills, since there was little incentive for the employees to be more involved.

However, when the vice president attended a convention of shoe manufacturers, he was surprised to learn how cost-efficient some other shoe producers were, especially in Italy and France. Although wages there were similar to the wages paid in Canada, the productivity of the Italian and French workers was significantly higher. The VP found that the Italian and French companies invested heavily in training, allowing them to use cross-trained, flexible staff.

The VP asked Reynolds to develop a training plan, suitable to improve the overall skill level of Gold Star Shoes’ employees. Reynolds vaguely remembered something about training from her few courses in human resource management quite some time ago, but she felt that it was not sufficient to develop a training program on her own. Besides, she knew nothing about the skill requirements in the manufacturing division.

She decided to ask Russ Summers, manager of the cutting operation, to chair a committee of first-line supervisors to assist her in the program development.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1.	You are Russ. Describe the steps you would recommend that Reynolds go through before actually designing the content of the training.
2.	What training methods would you suggest be used to train production workers? (First you might ask: What determines the methods?)
3.	How would you evaluate the training program to determine how effective it was? (What criteria would you use?)
4.	Do you think the first-line supervisors are the appropriate people to design the training program? Whom else would you add, if anyone, to this group?

Answer 1

1. You are Russ. Describe the steps you would recommend that Reynolds go through before actually designing the content of the training

Ideally, before a training program begins, it is useful to assess the qualifications of the present employees. Performance appraisals are excellent sources of information on whether the employee performs at the expected level or, if not, whether it is the lack of jobrelated skills that is causing the low performance. Supervisors then would indicate what type of training would benefit the employee. As the text suggests, the human resource department has to verify these suggestions to determine whether requested training is really needed. A look at the job description and job specification may also be helpful since these documents outline the job responsibilities and skill requirements for fulfilling these responsibilities. Trainers may also look at production costs, quality control reports, grievances, safety reports, absenteeism and turnover statistics, and exit interviews. A well done needs assessment would also determine the training objectives in behavioural terms, the conditions under which the behaviour is to occur, and the criteria for the evaluation of the training program.

To summarize the steps:
(a) conduct a performance appraisal
(b) allow supervisors to suggest the training needed
(c) look at the other potential data listed above
(d) determine training objectives based on the above data

2. What training methods would you suggest to be used to train production workers? (First you may ask: What determines the methods?)

Methods are determined by developing behaviour based training objectives, which describe in detail what the trainee should be able to accomplish, under what conditions, and any limitations (e.g. time). If the objective describes production type behaviours, a logical training method may be on-the-job training. Other methods could be apprenticeship (a longer term affair), coaching, simulation, or virtual training.

3. How would you evaluate the training program to determine how effective it was? (What criteria would you use?)

Ideally, a pre-test/post-test approach is used to determine the effectiveness of a training program. Since the evaluation criteria have been chosen through the training needs analysis and setting of training objectives, all that is needed is the application of the criteria. A reaction measure would indicate the degree of general satisfaction with the set-up and organization of the program. A written exam may be used to test improved knowledge. Changes in attitudes can be measured through attitude surveys. Improved jobrelated behaviour (skills) can be observed by superiors and colleagues (although this would have to be done on the job and some time after the completion of the training program). Finally, organizational results could be monitored to assess the long-range impact of the training program. Care would have to be taken to make sure that it was the training program that caused observed changes.

4. Do you think the first-line supervisors are the appropriate people to design the training program? Who else would you add, if anyone, to this group?

It probably would be a good idea to include one or more job incumbents, since they would know best what is required to do the job effectively. Even if the supervisors came through the ranks and did the job themselves, chances are that a number of changes have taken place since they did the work themselves, and they may no longer know the details

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