Question

Case Study: Evaluating the Training Effort

After trainees complete their training (or perhaps at planned intervals during the training), the program should be evaluated to see how well their objectives have been met. Thus, if assembler should be able to solder a junction in 30 seconds, or a Xerox technician repair a machine in 30 minutes, then the program`s effectiveness should be measured based on whether these objectives are met. For example, are your trainees learning as much as they can? Are they developing the preplanned skills? Is there a better way for managing the training process? These are some of the questions you can answer by properly evaluating you training effort. Many companies that invested heavily in workplace training have substantially improved their positions. While it may not be just the training, Xerox retained over 110,000 employees worldwide in the early 1980s and soon regained market share in its industry. General Motor is another firm that has used training to help recapture market share. A study conducted at General Electric`s in the early 2000s showed that the heavy investments in training between 1995 and 2000 resulted in noticeable improvements in employees` abilities and the quality of their products. Another study found that SG Bank has seen significant increases in its productivity growth after implementing new employee training program.

1. Consider the first bold statement in the text: (10 marks; 5 each)

a. To what type of training outcome does it refer? Justify your answer

b. Identify and discuss the theory of transfer of training applicable to this type of training outcome.

2. Consider the second bold statement in the text: (10 marks; 5 each)

a. To what kind of training evaluation does it refer? Justify your answer.

b. Discuss the effectiveness of this kind of training evaluation.

Answer 1

1(a) There are various types of training outcomes such as knowledge training leading to the trainees remembering the knowledge being imparted, comprehension training leading to understanding the concepts that are being discussed in the process of comprehension, application training leading to the trainees be able to apply the skills that they are given during the training process, evaluation training where candidates are trained to be able to evaluate the given situation as per the rules of evaluation and synthesis training where new trainees are able to create value synthesis based on the type of training they are given.

The example discussed above refers to application training where candidates are given skills which they can apply in real life and produce physically determinable results. In this type of training process based upon the preset standards of what is a candidate expected to do, an assembler is trained so as to be able to solder attention in 30 seconds to the desired standards of quality. Xerox technician is being trained to be able to repair Xerox machine in 30 minutes time. Thus this is an example of application training.

1 (b) The theory of transfer of training is the process of applying imparted skills and knowledge during the training process to be able to perform the desired work. Based upon the ability of the trainee individual and the measurable outcome one can see if the result of training has been successful for an successful. In both cases we can see that the application training given to these trainers gives physically determinable results. If you're trainees are able perform the tasks in the given specification of quality and time then they can be understood to have successfully applied the training skills that they were given. However if the trained person is not able to deliver the desired outcomes then the transfer of training can be understood to have a negative result. Transfer of training in this case is able to immediately the outcomes in positive neutral or negative direction which is physically determinable in real time.

2(a) The training evaluation referred to in the statement are outcome and impact based evaluation of training. The statement that “are the trainees developing the pre-planned skills” refers to the outcome evaluation process where the evaluators are trying to gauge whether the trainees are able to perform the desired job to specification in stipulated time. Thus outcome evaluation is being referred to through this statement. The statement about “if the train is are learning as much as they can and is there a better way of managing the training process” refers to the strategic outlook of the training program where it is being evaluated if the training program is maximizing the output potential of the trainees to the advantage of the organization. The long term objectives of the organization must always be inside of any activity including skill based training of employees. So this refers to the impact evaluation methodology.

2(b) This kind of training evaluation is effective in order to assess both immediate and long-term goals of the organization. Outcome evaluation helps the organization to understand if the tactical objectives of the organization are being achieved where we can assess whether the physical training given to the assembler is sufficient for the assembler to solder a joint in 30 seconds or is the training given to a Xerox machine technician sufficient for the technician to be able to repair the machine in under 30 minutes. Outcomes are immediately determinable as a result of evaluation process and thus outcome evaluation is effective.

The impact evaluation of this training program can be understood in terms of the long-term objectives of the organization however that cannot happen immediately. A comparative must be drawn between the performance of the trainees post training as well as of those people who have not been given the training under the design program. The overall comparative impact of these two teams the untrained and the trained has to be seen for a sufficient period of time to ascertain if the trained manpower is able to better fulfill the long-term goals of the organization. The impact evaluation methodology is a long-term assessment process but given its evaluation process it is effective.

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