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Article
Publication date: 13 July 2010

Ardiana N. Gashi, Geoff Pugh and Nick Adnett

This paper sets out to examine the link between technological change and continuing training at a workplace level.

1615

Abstract

Purpose

This paper sets out to examine the link between technological change and continuing training at a workplace level.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper hypothesises that workplaces subject to technological change have an increased demand for skills, which induces an increased provision of training. UK data from two waves (1998 and 2004) of the Workplace Employment Relations Survey (WERS) are used to investigate this hypothesis.

Findings

Workplaces undertaking technological change are more likely to train their workers and also to provide more days of training per worker. Team working is also associated with a greater number of days spent on training, as are the setting of training targets and the keeping of training records. Training intensity decreases with an increasing share of part‐time and manual employees. Conversely, where workplaces face difficulties in filling skilled vacancies, they provide more days of training.

Research limitations/implications

The WERS training questions refer only to core experienced employees which, since this group may vary from one workplace to another, may not give a completely consistent measure of either absolute or relative training provision. Because the WERS panel (1998 and 2004) excludes both the dependent variable (training intensity) and the variable of interest (technical change), the analysis is restricted to cross‐section estimation. Causal implications of this analysis should be regarded as correspondingly tentative.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that one way to induce firms to provide more training is by enhanced incentives for firms to undertake more rapid technological change. In addition, if the current global economic downturn persists, evidence that operating in a declining market is associated with the provision of fewer training days may be of particular concern to training professionals and policy makers.

Originality/value

The paper provides empirical evidence concerning the interaction between technological change and training.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2015

Vinod Mishra and Russell Smyth

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which workplace policies and practices are related to participation in, and frequency and duration of, workplace training

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which workplace policies and practices are related to participation in, and frequency and duration of, workplace training, controlling for worker and workplace characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors regress variables depicting participation, frequency and duration of workplace training on workplace policies and control variables. In the case of participation in training, the dependent variable is binary; hence, the authors use a logit model. To examine the number of times which employees participate in training and the number of days they spend training the authors use a Tobit model. The Lewbel (2012) method is used to examine whether there is a causal relationship between workplace policies and the frequency, and duration, of training.

Findings

The findings suggest that about half of the workplace policies considered are positively correlated with the incidence and breadth of workplace training. There is also some support for the view that bundling of policies is positively correlated with the provision of workplace training. The Lewbel (2012) results suggest a causal relationship between a bundle of workplace policies and the frequency, and duration, of workplace training. There is, however, no evidence that workplace policies designed to devolve responsibilities to workers and incentivize staff polarizes skills through resulting in more training for professional staff over others.

Originality/value

The authors use matched employer and employee cross-sectional data for Shanghai in China. To this point most studies that have examined the determinants of training use data for Europe or the USA. There are few studies of this sort for countries in other regions and, in particular, developing or transition countries. There are no studies at all on the relationship between workplace policies and practices designed to promote organizational performance and training in developing or transitional countries. This study addresses this gap in the understanding of the factors related to on-the-job training in transitional countries, such as China.

Details

International Journal of Manpower, vol. 36 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7720

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 July 2021

Harun Sesen and Senay Sahil Ertan

This study aims to mediate the impact of workplace stress and job satisfaction on nurses’ perception of training. It sheds light on the links between job satisfaction, Certified…

2490

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to mediate the impact of workplace stress and job satisfaction on nurses’ perception of training. It sheds light on the links between job satisfaction, Certified Nursing Assistants’ perception of training and workplace stress in nursing homes.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed in 12 different elderly home care centres in Northern Cyprus during September to October 2017. The sampling frame consists of 317 full-time Certified Nursing Assistants who completed measures of perception of training, job satisfaction and workplace stress. This paper used structural equation modelling to test a theoretical model and hypothesis.

Findings

The findings emphasize that Certified Nursing Assistants’ perception of training has a positive impact on their job satisfaction and negative impact on workplace stress while workplace stress mediates the relationship between their perception of training and job satisfaction. The results indicate that while the motivation for training and support for training have an effect on job satisfaction, access to training and benefits for training do not yield any significant impact on it and workplace stress plays a mediating role.

Originality/value

This study confirms that the CNAs’ perception of training and job stress affect the emergence of job satisfaction, and workplace stress mediated the relation between training and satisfaction posited by social exchange theory.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 46 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 December 2016

Shauna Lee Smith and E. Kevin Kelloway

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of a short, online training program focused on respect in the workplace.

1082

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of a short, online training program focused on respect in the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a wait-list control design the authors collected measures of workplace behaviors prior to, immediately following and six weeks following the training from a sample of long-term care employees.

Findings

The training was associated with a small increase in reported civility. Post hoc subsample analyses suggested that the training was particularly effective in increasing civility and efficacy perceptions among those respondents who had themselves reported engaging in incivility.

Practical implications

The data offer support for the effectiveness of the training but suggest that more intensive interventions may be necessary. Results also suggest that the effects of training may vary across subgroups of employees.

Originality/value

Training is one of the most frequently advocated solutions to incivility in the workplace. The findings offer support for a short, online training program.

Details

Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2051-6614

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 January 2023

Junmin Li and Matthias Pilz

This paper aims to investigate the in-company training according to the technologically demanding and safety-critical feature of the aircraft industry. This study addresses to the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the in-company training according to the technologically demanding and safety-critical feature of the aircraft industry. This study addresses to the tension between the structured and the more incidental part of in-company learning in their training and learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Against the background of concepts of workplace learning from vocational training research and concepts of the safety management system from safety research, aircraft companies from England and Germany were visited. Data from interviews with training managers and trainees as well as non-participant observations are analysed.

Findings

The findings show that workplace vocational learning in this industry is guided by different measures to design the learning environment to prevent purely incidental and informal knowledge acquisition. However, the formalisation of informal learning process leads to a high expenditure of material, personnel and time resources. The findings show that trainers and training managers working together internationally creatively manage different training systems. The training activities are designed to convey the values of safety culture like responsibility, accuracy, transparent communication and reporting. The requirements of the safety management system are also met through the training.

Research limitations/implications

Challenges and tensions in the actual implementation of the training activities could not be identified. The people interviewed were selected by the companies, so there is a risk that certain perceptions are over-represented.

Practical implications

The results show that the safety-critical industry needs its own pedagogical approach to workplace learning, which is not based on independent work processes in the workplace. Insights can be drawn for in-company training in other safety-critical industries too. However, to enable effective in-company learning, which at the same time strengthens the safety culture of the company, many resources must be used. The companies must consider all dimensions of work from the individual level to the work structure level.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the tension between formal and informal learning and shows the specific design of this tension on the basis of a concrete industry for the specific needs of this industry. The results lead to the realisation that the general discussion about workplace learning must be viewed in a differentiated way depending on the industry.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2019

Benno Koch, Samuel Muehlemann and Harald Pfeifer

Works councils have the legal right to participate in a firm’s training process and, where necessary, call for a replacement of training instructors. The purpose of this paper is…

Abstract

Purpose

Works councils have the legal right to participate in a firm’s training process and, where necessary, call for a replacement of training instructors. The purpose of this paper is to empirically test whether works councils are associated with a higher quality of apprenticeship training – or its inputs or outputs – in Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use two representative cross-sectional surveys of German workplaces in 2007 and 2012/2013 that were conducted by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in Germany. To account for selection on observables, the authors apply nearest neighbor matching models to estimate the extent to which works councils are associated with training quality.

Findings

The results shed light on the influence of works councils on the quality of apprenticeship training in Germany. Based on a quality model, the authors show that works councils are associated with a (moderately) higher output quality of apprenticeships, particularly with respect to the share of retained apprentices. However, the authors do not find empirical evidence for a positive association between works councils and input- and process-quality indicators.

Research limitations/implications

Although the identification of causal effects due to the existence of works councils is difficult and cannot be fully addressed in the analysis, the authors can use a number of important control variables at the workplace level. The results suggest that a works council only plays a moderate role in enhancing the quality of the German apprenticeship system.

Originality/value

The authors provide the first direct empirical evidence of how the existence of a works council is associated with the input-, process- and outcome-quality measures of the German apprenticeship system.

Details

Journal of Participation and Employee Ownership, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-7641

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2002

Heather Stonyer and Lex Marshall

New Zealand’s future has been linked to the growth of a “knowledge economy”, specifically the growth, development and integration of scientific and technological advancement in…

2385

Abstract

New Zealand’s future has been linked to the growth of a “knowledge economy”, specifically the growth, development and integration of scientific and technological advancement in our economy, through new and existing enterprises. Consequently, NZ must address how current and future generations of science, engineering and technology practitioners (at all levels) will have opportunities to develop the requisite skills and knowledge they need to contribute fully to “knowledge” enterprises. Reflecting on the current NZ industry‐based engineering training, an analysis of the factors contributing to the levels of training is presented. In response and with a view to improve the culture of training and learning in NZ enterprises, a shift from the standardised training approaches often associated with unit standards, to adopting a “problem based learning” model for workplace training is proposed. The implications for educating workplace trainers to deliver workplace training based on this model are also discussed.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 14 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2023

Xinlei Zhang, Hechao Wu, Xiaoshan Huang, Qin Wu and Yihua Wu

Online learning becomes a trendy format for workplace training, particularly during the pandemic. This study aims to examine the effects of a technology-assisted self-adaptive…

Abstract

Purpose

Online learning becomes a trendy format for workplace training, particularly during the pandemic. This study aims to examine the effects of a technology-assisted self-adaptive training camp on employees’ learning process and acquired knowledge, and the relationship between employees’ knowledge gained and organisational growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The participants were 213 pharmaceutical representatives from a global pharmaceutical business in the Asia-Pacific branch who enrolled in a 21-day professional training camp. Their knowledge gained was calculated by pre-tests and post-test scores captured from an online training system. The company’s profits gained by employees were indicated by individuals’ quarter-over-quarter growth rates. Specifically, the authors applied a series of quantitative analyses to examine the relationship between employees’ knowledge gained, learning quality and organizational growth brought by individuals.

Findings

During the online training session, employees obtained increased professional knowledge significantly. The quality of employees’ learning process was a significant predictor of their learning outcomes. In addition, a positive correlation was found between the knowledge obtained by employees and the company’s quarterly growth rates. A followed-up regression analysis indicated that the greater knowledge improvement an individual achieved, the higher quarter-to-quarter growth rate brought by the individual to the organization.

Originality/value

The study provides educational insights for organisations to effectively train employees’ professional competency through online learning. The investigation on the 21-day camp shows that employees received higher-quality training, resulting in increased revenues and greater workplace flexibility. The findings have implications for supporting the integration of educational technology into workplace training to boost the competency development of employees.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 55 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2017

Khahan Na-nan, Kanokporn Chaiprasit and Peerapong Pukkeeree

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct and indirect influences of workplace environment factors on the motivation to transfer the acquired training (MT) and the…

2644

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct and indirect influences of workplace environment factors on the motivation to transfer the acquired training (MT) and the transfer of training. The workplace environment factors under study encompass the organizational support, supervisor support, peer support, technological support and the opportunity to use the acquired training.

Design/methodology/approach

In the study, the empirical data were garnered from a sample of 220 business school students, using a 52-question questionnaire. A research framework was first proposed and the structural equation modeling subsequently utilized to test the research framework and determine the direct influence of the workplace environment factors on the transfer of training and also their indirect influence on TT through the MT variable.

Findings

The structural equation modeling model is congruent with the empirical data, with the χ2 statistic of 24.414, the degree of freedom of 21, the p-value of 0.273, the goodness of fit index of 0.977 and the root mean square error of approximation of 0.027. The findings revealed that the workplace environment factors directly influenced the training transfer behavior of the participants and indirectly through the MT of the individuals. Most importantly, the proposed model could achieve the coefficient of prediction (R2) as high as 82 percent.

Originality/value

Workplace environment is important to motivation to transfer and transfer of training. To enhance the training transfer effectiveness, businesses should take into account the contributions associated with each environment factor in the design and implementation of training programs.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 49 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 May 2017

Fredrick Muyia Nafukho, Mary Alfred, Misha Chakraborty, Michelle Johnson and Catherine A. Cherrstrom

The primary purpose of this study was to predict transfer of learning to workplace among adult learners enrolled in a continuing professional education (CPE) training program…

3704

Abstract

Purpose

The primary purpose of this study was to predict transfer of learning to workplace among adult learners enrolled in a continuing professional education (CPE) training program, specifically training courses offered through face-to-face, blended and online instruction formats. The study examined the predictive capacity of trainee characteristics, training design and work environment on transfer of learning among the study respondents.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional online survey design was used to collect data from the study respondents, three months after CPE training. Two hundred ninety-seven trainees participated in this study. Data from 46 participants were incomplete and therefore excluded in the preliminary analysis, resulting in 251 valid responses and participants for the data analysis, 43 males (17.1 per cent), 201 females (80.1 per cent) and 7 (2.8 per cent) who did not indicate their gender. To answer the study’s research questions, factor analysis and multiple hierarchical regressions were performed.

Findings

The results of the study revealed training efficiency and relevance were critical in the transfer of learning among the study participants. The findings of the study showed combined training efficiency and training relevance enabled training participants to acquire knowledge and skills for application in the workplace and had significantly positive influence in transfer of learning. The work environment, measured by work variability (or flexibility) and work complexity, and the trainee motivation to participate, measured by learning-conducive workplace features, had a positive influence in transfer of learning.

Research limitations/implications

Because the majority of participants were females (80.1 per cent), this could be one of the limitations to this study. Research has identified that, because of the broad expectations based on sex and different family and occupational roles, men and women differ in their social network communication, participation in CPE, personality traits, gender-related occupational preferences, learning preference and methods of handling workplace conflict. The second limitation is related to the study design. The researchers did not have a control group because of practicality issues. This being a cross-sectional online survey study, all extraneous variables were not controlled such as in the case of a true randomized control study. This study is relying on the information obtained from a self-report training transfer instrument completed by the study participants. The accuracy of the obtained data is dependent on the honesty of the participants and their commitment in providing correct responses.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence pertaining to the transfer of learning among adult learners engaged in a continuing professional development training program. The study examines factors related to training design, training delivery, trainee motivation and the workplace environment and how these factors determine transfer of learning among trainee respondents who participated in the study. The findings of the study have practical implications for the design and successful delivery of continuing professional training among adult learners. The study could be replicated at a national level and in international settings.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 41 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

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