ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
AUTHOR : RONIT THORAT
Training Undergraduates to Work in Organizational Teams
Stevens and Campion (1994: 521) stated, “If teamwork KSAs are important to job performance, then HR managers must consider whether such skills can be trained and, if so, how they can be trained.” To the best of our knowledge, the current research is the first to demonstrate that transportable (generic) teamwork KSAs can indeed be developed. Moreover, we described how learning principles could be used to systematically train teamwork KSAs in higher education settings. Such interventions in higher education settings are important, because they can assist universities in their ongoing efforts to prepare students for the challenges they will face in the workplace of both today and tomorrow.
A lifespan development perspective and meta‐analysis on the relationship between age and organizational training.
Lifespan development theories offer a useful framework for understanding training older learners.
Older learners may face disadvantages in mastery and time spent in training, along with potentially lower motivation like self-efficacy.
However, older learners are generally as positive about their training experiences as younger learners.
Certain training elements, like individual instruction, could help level the playing field between older and younger learners.
Organizations should not dismiss older workers as untrainable, especially considering the changing workplace and aging workforce.
While no single training feature can eliminate age differences in performance, innovative approaches could help older learners succeed.
Making Management Training More Effective and Credible through Organization Development: Results in One City
The authors have endeavored to suggest that managers tend to perceive their functions, roles, and norms differently, depending on their level in the organization. Senior managers and middle managers represent different subcultures within the organization. As a consequence, tension between these levels is “normal.” What factors perpetuate and exacerbate this friction and what may be done to mitigate the worst effects of cultural divergency among managers? This article has stipulated that senior executives have been socialized into behavior pattems that they may be unaware of and yet these behavior pattems are at the source of mediocre management. The authors readily admit that the great majority of senior and middle managers are decent, well-intentioned individuals who have the good of their organizations at heart. Unfortunately, good intentions do not always solve problems and can even blind people to the root causes of dysfunctions. Senior executives rely too heavily on top-down authority models which by implication connote distrust toward hierarchical subordinates. The employee is perceived as potentially irresponsible and likely to behave incompetently if not closely supervised. Supervisors are also led to believe they have better insights into rational £ind effective decision-making than their subordinates and, by implication, are smarter. This top-down (230) PAQ SUMMER 1989 perspective is grounded in a Machiavellian system of organizational behavior where just about anything can be rationedized as a means for further achieving managerially preferred ends. The Machiavellian format encourages managers to be strategic-thinking, manipulative, untrusting, cunning, and ruthless if the situation called for it. By behaving according to Machiavellian prescriptions, managers often inadvertantly lower organizational potential. In order to secure power and position, which Machiavelli recommends for personzd survival, the senior manager cultivates the cheuacteristics of a degenerative organization. Degenerative organizations can survive at the expense of low trust, high risk, low openness, and low owning. Because admitting mistakes or problems is so risky, most senior and middle managers nurture defensive routines which treat problems as though they do not exist. Defensive routines make the undiscussable even more undiscussable. Everyone acts as though all things are rosy although, just beneath the surface, tension, anger, and hostility simmer and smoulder. Defensive routines provide short- term solutions to threat and peiin, but do not solve the underlying causes of pain. For these reasons, senior managers often perceive human relations management training as a convenient tool for socializing lower-level managers into a higher degree of conformity with senior management behavioral preferences. Many middle managers find the human relations values unrealistic, contradictory, and hypocritical. These values are not rooted in the general organizational culture. Hence, canned management training programs have only a marginal impact on the behavior and belief systems of middle managers unless they are dovetailed with an OD training format because an OD format provides a feasible vehicle for restoring regenerative organizational norms which can break the Machiavellian behavior loop. Ultimately, the choice of which route to pursue must be made by the organization in question. The good news is that the gap can be closed to manageable proportions.
Age diversity and learning outcomes in organizational training groups: the role of knowledge sharing and psychological safety
This research addresses the need to manage the diversity of training groups in response to significant demographic shifts in Western industrialized countries.
Instead of focusing solely on managing diversity within training groups, the research advocates for managing the diversity of training groups themselves.
Drawing from social identity theory, the research offers initial insights into how perceived age diversity in training groups can impact participants’ evaluations of their learning outcomes.
The study suggests the need for more research on active learning strategies to understand how diversity in training groups affects learning outcomes.
The researchers hope that their study will inspire future research on the opportunities and challenges of diversity in the context of human resource development.
Using Outdoor Training to Develop and Accomplish Organizational Vision
The IPCO used outdoor training successfully to unite a new management group, transform them into a cohesive team, and help them develop a strategic organizational vision.
This vision became the focal point of outdoor training for the entire IPCO, giving employees a clear sense of purpose and understanding of the training’s importance.
The outdoor training was more than just a recreational activity; it was a transformative experience that helped align the organization toward a new vision for the future.
Managers’ personal values as predictors of importance attached to training and development: a cross-country exploratory study
The research aims to understand how personal values of line managers affect their support for training and development in organizations.
Limited research has focused on the impact of personal values on human resource decision-making, particularly regarding commitment to training and development.
Values strongly influence behavior and decision-making, providing norms and standards applicable across various situations.
Training and development are critical for improving self-awareness, skills, and motivation, especially in knowledge-driven organizations.
Line managers play a crucial role in training and development but may not always align with top management values, reflecting the organization’s informal culture or personal preferences.
Line managers’ support for training and development may be driven by self-interest or a need to enhance employability, often taking a short-term, functionalist perspective.
Personal values of line managers can shape their decisions regarding training and development, influencing their actions, behavior, and evaluations.
The paper aims to empirically examine the relationship between line managers’ personal values and their support for training and development, reviewing empirical studies on personal values and discussing the implications for research and practice.
Designing Management Training and Development for Competitive Advantage: Lessons from the Best.
The article highlights the shift towards viewing a skilled workforce as a primary source of sustainable competitive advantage.
It emphasizes the importance of strategically focused training and development over traditional selection methods.
The study focuses on “best-in-class” organizations that use training and development to sustain competitive advantage through continuous learning.
The research aims to understand how these organizations link their training and development systems to their strategic agendas.
Despite significant investment in training and development, there is a lack of guidance for executives on how to align T&D with strategic goals.
The study seeks to provide insights into how organizations with exemplary T&D systems design and utilize training to achieve and maintain competitive advantage.
Integration of project management, human resource development, and business teams: a partnership, planning model for organizational training and development initiatives
The research proposes the PMHRDB partnership model as an extension of the MBTP model for aligning strategic initiatives with project execution.
The model was demonstrated through a case study involving the development of an online training program for an oil and gas organization in Houston, TX.
The PMHRDB model aims to align HRD activities with organizational goals through skilled, cross-functional team members using project management processes in a partnership structure.
Previous research emphasizes the importance of such alignment (Werner and DeSimone 2012; Contacos-Sawyer, Revels, and Ciampa 2010; Yamnill and McLean 2001).
The proposed model includes best practices and tools to guide project activities, identified as important considerations for training and development initiatives in previous studies (Sheffield and Lemétayer 2013; Project Management Institute 2013; Sudhakar 2012).
The research also suggests implications for HRD practitioners, encourages cross-functional collaboration, and discusses limitations and ideas for future research.
Formal and informal learning as deterrents of turnover intentions: Evidence from frontline workers during a crisis
Employee learning and development are crucial for organizational success, especially during times of crisis.
A study involving frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic found that increased organizational support for training and employee engagement in both formal and informal learning activities is linked to reduced turnover intentions.
The results highlight the importance of organizations in supporting continuous learning among employees, which can influence their decisions to stay despite crisis-induced challenges.
Organizational ethics education and training: a review of best practices and their application
The research aimed to understand how ethics education and training are conducted in various organizations, rather than validate best practices.
The study used input from in-house ethics program experts, which may not provide precise measurements but offers insight into the presence and value of ethics practices.
The research had limitations, including a small sample size from one region and industry type, which limits the generalizability of the findings.
Results suggest that a focus on ethical content alone is not enough; organizations should also create environments that support ethical reflection, dialogue, and action.
Some participants believed that ethics cannot be taught to adults and that hiring ethical people eliminates the need for ethics training, highlighting the importance of organizational contexts in fostering ethical behavior.The research emphasizes the importance of ethics as a habit that needs to be continually practiced and supported by leadership and evaluation mechanisms.
Overall, the study suggests that ethics education and training should aim to develop ethical thinking and behavior at both individual and organizational levels.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the collection of studies presented in this research covers a wide array of topics related to training, development, organizational culture, and ethics. The findings underscore the importance of continually evolving training methods to meet the needs of diverse learners, including older individuals, frontline workers during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and line managers whose personal values influence their support for training initiatives.
The research also explores into the complexities of organizational culture, managerial behavior, and the implications for training and development practices. It highlights the necessity of aligning training programs with strategic goals and fostering a culture of continuous learning to maintain a competitive edge in today’s dynamic business environment.
Ethics education and training emerge as crucial components of organizational development, with an emphasis on creating environments that support ethical reflection, dialogue, and action. The research advocates for a holistic approach to ethics training, focusing not only on ethical content but also on fostering ethical behavior through organizational support and leadership.
Overall, the findings underscore the importance of investing in training and development initiatives that cater to the diverse needs of employees while aligning with organizational goals and values. By prioritizing continuous learning, fostering ethical cultures, and embracing innovative training methods, organizations can cultivate a skilled workforce capable of navigating the complexities of the modern business landscape.
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