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This paper explores the management of emotions and emotional challenges that human trainees face when interacting with a robot or a humanoid trainer.

This study draws on existing academic and grey literature on robot and humanoids-based training with algorithms, bots, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The study highlights the need for personalized feedback, clear communication, and the establishment of trust between the trainee and robotic trainer. The study discusses the strategies to manage emotions like anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise that are experienced by human trainees.

The research provides an accessible summary of setting realistic expectations for the emotional experience of working with a robotic trainer to help manage expectations and reduce disappointment.

The managers in charge of implementing robotic training programs can provide education and resources to help individuals effectively manage emotions when working with a robotic trainer.

The study proposes to empirically test a model that illustrates how identical elements (IEs), transfer design and trainer performance as training predictors affect trainees' motivation to improve work through learning (MTIWL) and training transfer (TT) in the Indian context.

An online survey was conducted to validate the study model. The quantitative data collected from 360 executives and managers were analyzed using the covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) technique.

The study finds that trainees' MTIWL has a full mediation impact between transfer design, trainer performance and TT. However, a partial mediating impact of MTIWL was found between IEs and TT.

This is the first study that empirically explores the mediating mechanism of MTIWL between IEs, transfer design, trainer performance and TT. This study extends the current understanding of trainees' MTIWL that links the cumulative influence of training predictors to TT.

Organizational diversity training is designed to enhance employees' skills and competencies regarding diversity and its management. The question of its effectiveness, and the conditions under which it thrives, remains a matter of debate. Unlike previous studies that have predominantly focused on the perspective of training participants, this study shifts the lens to the viewpoints of diversity training providers in Germany – a country where the formal requirement for diversity management was implemented relatively recently. The primary objective is to ascertain the critical factors influencing training effectiveness from the providers' perspective.

This research draws upon case studies based on document analysis and qualitative interviews with diversity training providers across Germany.

The investigation reveals that the effectiveness of diversity training, as perceived by providers, hinges on several key factors: the organizational environment (including the widespread recognition of diversity issues and the presence of an organizational diversity framework), the attributes of diversity trainers (notably their personal familiarity with diversity) and the setting and design of the training (such as venue, duration and a blend of instructional approaches). A notable barrier to achieving effective training outcomes is the lack of supportive conditions within client companies, exemplified by limited training budgets, which impedes the accurate assessment of training effectiveness.

This study marks a novel contribution to the field by explicitly focusing on the perspective of diversity training providers in Germany. It provides new insights into the importance of the organizational context surrounding diversity education within the private sector.

Children in majority world countries (MWC) have high rates of unmet mental health needs, with limited access to specialist resources. Integration of child mental health in existing psychosocial care can improve provision. Through a Train-the-Trainer (ToT) cascade approach, this study aimed to provide a framework for such integration in resource-constrained communities in Karachi, Pakistan and to establish hindering and enabling factors.

Eight practitioners attended a child mental health ToT program, including training on a five-domain service transformation framework. Trainers co-designed and implemented interventions that integrated child mental health knowledge and skills on each domain. These were attended by 136 end-users (youth, parents, teachers, managers), of whom a sub-sample of 47 stakeholders, as well as the trainers, attended focus groups on their experiences. Data were analysed through a thematic codebook.

Established themes reflected common ingredients across all domains/interventions that were deemed important for child mental health care integration. These included child-centric approaches, positive parenting, community mobilization and systemic changes.

Integrated child mental health care informed by the Train-of-Trainer approach can be a useful model for resource-constrained MWC contexts. Integrated interventions should be co-produced with communities.

The proliferation of lean principles in the construction industry is offset by the enduring uncertainty among industry stakeholders regarding their respective roles in lean implementation. This uncertainty is further compounded by the scarcity of empirical investigations in this area. Consequently, this study undertakes the task of bridging this knowledge gap by identifying the critical roles of lean learners and their indispensable contributions to achieving successful lean implementation.

A qualitative exploratory approach informed by an interpretivism perspective was adopted. The case study strategy was employed to gather data from three contracting organisations that had implemented lean practices. Empirical data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with fifteen industry experts and complemented by document reviews. To analyse the data, a code-based content analysis approach was employed using NVivo software, while Power BI software was utilised to develop a comprehensive force-directed graph visualisation.

The research findings substantiated nine lean learners and unveiled a set of seventy-three roles associated with them. The force-directed graph facilitated the identification of lean learners and their connections to the emerged roles. Notably, the graph highlighted the pivotal role played by project managers and internal lean trainers in ensuring the success of lean implementation, surpassing the contributions of other lean learners.

The implications of findings extend to industry professionals seeking to establish a robust lean learning framework to expedite lean implementation within the construction sector. This study not only provides a comprehensive definition of lean learners’ roles but also transcends specific construction types, making it a significant catalyst for global impact.

The purpose of this paper is to define the impact of training and development (T&D) in the Visegrad countries (V4) as impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, namely, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. These countries have some political, cultural, social and economic similarities and share some common ground in the human resource development (HRD) sectors.

The authors used the HRD theory and the human capital theory to analyse the context, operations and impact of T&D in the V4 countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The research was conducted in 400 companies, 100 from each of the four countries using the computer assisted web interviewing technique. The questionnaire was in a six-point Likert scale format and addressed 12 topics related to T&D: policy, expectations, procedures of diagnosis, preparation, implementation, monitoring, trainees, trainers, investment and expenditures, evaluation, results and controlling.

The authors concluded that in the Visegrad countries, Covid-19 raised expectations on T&D. This was followed by increased levels of action in diagnosis, preparation, monitoring and implementation, following pre-existing and adjusted policies. Evaluation and control were complicated. Investment and results and the human side of the T&D (trainees and trainers) were the ones for which there were more uncertainties and perplexities.

The study has the limitation of using only a small sample in four countries. For further research, the authors suggest a larger study extended to all the European Union countries, an in-depth analysis of the current data and the kurtosis on Policy of T&D.

The results of the research can be used to improve T&D programs after the Covid-19 pandemic. They could also provide information to external trainers to improve and adjust their services according to the opinions of the respondents of the study. The research findings can also serve institutions responsible for policy provision of HRD at a national level by providing possibilities to apply for funding either within national or regional funds like the National Training Fund in Poland or within European Union money at a national level.

The study is original because even if the T&D in V4 countries during the Covid-19 pandemic had already been studied separately (e.g. Mikołajczyk, 2021; Vrabcová, Urbancová 2021; Vinichenko et al., 2021), no empirical, cross-national research analysing specifically the T&D in those countries has been carried out so far. The authors use an innovative methodology, addressing 12 topics and the people involved together with the stages in which a T&D policy is divided. That makes it innovative and very relevant.

This commentary discusses the paper by Reardon et al. (2024; this issue) entitled, “Overcoming implementation challenges through using a train-the-trainer approach to teach numeracy in a special school setting.” This commentary outlines the necessary contribution this paper adds to the substantive area of research it is couched within while also identifying potential areas of future research to expand the understanding of this phenomenon and its impact upon practice.

What is fidelity of implementation, how do we measure it and how does it impact our interpretations of experimental findings? This commentary focuses specifically on the nebulous construct of fidelity in experimental studies and how this impacts experimental findings’ internal and external validity.

Although fidelity is frequently referenced as an important aspect to consider, the measurement of the construct has been critiqued in experimental studies. To understand if an intervention was “implemented as intended,” the core dimensions of the intervention must be considered in the measurement process, as well as potential confounding variables.

With an increased need for experimental work to inform what works, for whom and under what conditions, there becomes a need to better investigate the implementation of the intervention in these contexts – thus, fidelity must be reconceptualized. This commentary provides an overview of this dilemma with potential ideas to investigate moving forward.

In the realm of construction education, the investigation of immersive learning and extended reality (XR) technologies has experienced a surge in recent times. Nevertheless, there remains a notable lack of comprehension surrounding the most efficient ways to integrate these technologies into tailored teaching approaches for vocational construction training. This research study aims to pinpoint the key factors that construction vocational education and training (VET) providers must consider when introducing XR technologies into their training schemes.

This study conducted an in-depth literature review to develop an initial framework to summarise training, technology and institutional factors influencing the educational-technology integration of XR technologies in VET. In addition, this study utilised a Delphi technique, including semi-structured group discussions and two rounds of online follow-up questionnaires, to capture VET experts’ judgements on the importance of decision-making criteria.

This study has identified the critical factors to be considered in the VET sector when adopting XR technologies. Findings revealed institutional factors were the most important criteria for participants, followed by training and technology factors.

The current decision-making process focuses on selecting XR technologies rather than evaluating their performance after implementation. Therefore, more research is needed to monitor the implementation of this technology in curricula from a senior management perspective. This will help to understand the cost and value factors related to the value proposition of XR technologies in courses.

To ensure the success and long-term viability of the technology-curriculum interface, it is important to consider factors such as the availability of technical and educational support, data security and cost-effectiveness. It is also crucial to focus on ease of use and content development that emphasises instruction to create engaging content for learners.

The potential impact of this study is underpinned by two facts: (1) it constitutes the first effort made in the field to comprehensively elicit VET expert judgements in relation to XR technologies, and (2) it offers decision-making criteria that are at play in seeking to take advantage of high-cost technologies that are rapidly evolving. While there is no simple checklist for XR implementation, this study takes a step further to identify significant factors influencing XR integration in vocational construction training.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Aversion to training in the workplace by trainees stems from a complex web of psychological responses and poor feedback acceptance by trainers. Improving this feedback loop and reducing the psychological pressure can yield significant results for an organization.

The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

The lack of knowledge has hindered the successful implementation of lean in the construction industry. This has alarmed the need for lean learning practices. Out of numerous models, the learning-to-learn sand cone model received a wider acknowledgment for learning practices. Thus, this study aims to propose a learning-to-learn sand cone model integrated lean learning framework for the construction industry.

The research adopted an interpretivism stance. A qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Consequently, fifteen (15) semi-structured interviews and document reviews were carried out to collect data in three (3) cases selected through purposive sampling. Code-based content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Fifty-two (52) sub-activities pertaining to nine lean learners at each stage of the lean learning procedure were identified. The most significant practices in the lean learning procedure to continuously improve lean learning in the organisation were maintaining records, providing a performance update to senior management and preparing and distributing several hierarchical manuals for all levels of staff to aid in the implementation of lean approaches.

The findings of the research can be aided to successfully implement lean by following the identified sub-activities via various parties within the organisation. The proposed lean learning framework opens several research areas on lean learning in the construction industry. This is the first research to uncover a lean learning framework in the construction industry rather than at the educational institute level.