Management training: benefits and lost opportunities (part II)

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore why organizations often focus little attention and resources on management training and provides a useful checklist of ways to close the managerial skills gap through training.

Design/methodology/approach

Seasoned managers (278) in rapidly changing organizations were surveyed on their experiences with management training.

Findings

A content analysis revealed the most frequently cited causes of why organizations fail to properly train their managers.

Research limitations/implications

Generalization of these findings to non‐rapidly changing organizations may be limited.

Practical implications

Results indicate that organizations fail to properly train managers for a host of reasons. Many of failures to train are caused by misconceptions about training needs, the ability of managers to handle their own training or the value of training to the organization compared with other efforts. Lack of accountability and poor implementation are other key reasons cited for training failures.

Originality/value

The findings provide a useful list of the causes for ineffective training and the discussion focuses on ways to close the managerial skills gap.

Citation

Longenecker, C.O. and Fink, L.S. (2005), "Management training: benefits and lost opportunities (part II)", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 73-79. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850510584214