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Unit 5 Training and Development

Learning
Learning is a continuous interaction between individual and the particular social environment in
which he/she function. In other words, learning is concerned with an increase in knowledge or
expansion of existing skills.
According to Robbins and DeCenzo, “Learning is concerned with bringing about relatively
permanent change as a result of experience”.
Factors that affect learning are:
a. Active participation.
b. Self efficacy.
c. Proper feedback.
d. Practice, practice and practice.
The principles of learning are:
a. Principle of motivation.
b. Principle of feedback.
c. Principle of reinforcement.
d. Principle of practice
e. Principle of Transfer.
Process of Learning (Cognitive Theory):
According to this theory, learning is a cognitive (the part of mental function that deals with logic,
as opposed to affective with deals with emotions) process. It includes the following steps:
a. Perceiving: perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their
sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment (Robbins 1997). So
when, individual encounter with the stimulus, he/she perceives it either positive or
negative as per his/her ability to evaluate the situation or things.
b. Imaging: Individual visualizes the positive and negative effect of the stimulus. He/ she
make an image about the work procedures, its environment and its execution etc.
c. Thinking: Thinking is a way of identifying the solution for a problem. In other words, it
is building the alternative for decision making.
d. Reasoning: Determining the cause and effect relation on those alternatives that has been
identified. It is the way of deduction interpretation from the areas. (Specifying from
general)
e. Decision making: Deciding the best alternative among others. This means, accepting the
situation and change the attitude and behavior as per the requirements.
Significance of learning:
a. To understand and predict behavior of people at work.

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b. To manage and work in diversity.

c. To adapt to the change in technology.
d. Total quality management.
e. To facilitate organizational change and development.
Human Resource Development
Concept: HRD is a mechanism of building competent, committed, and loyal human resource in
order to meet organizational challenges at present and in future. In other words, HRD is
concerned with transforming an individual into organizational resource, which can be utilized to
capitalize the opportunity and overall organizational development.
According to DeCenzo and Robbins, “Human resource development is concerned with preparing
employees to work effectively and efficiently in an organization”.
Thus, HRD is the process of energizing the human potential through training and development,
performance appraisal and career development program that can be used for organizational
enhancement.
Importance of HRD:
i. Develop skills and abilities.
ii. Facilitates career development.
iii. Increase employees’ commitment on the job.
iv. Improves decision making.
v. Manage change and conflicts.
vi. Environmental adaptation.
vii. Link business strategy and employees’ performance.
Training
Training is the process of providing the ideas, knowledge and methodology to the staffs to fit-in
in the job requirements. In other words, training is a learning experience, which relatively change
an individual behavior that will improve his/her ability to perform on the job.
According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills in an
employee for doing a particular job.”
Similarly, According to Casio: “Training consists of planned designed to improve performance
at the individual, group and organizational levels.”
Thus, training is a technique to upgrade employees’ skills and knowledge to work in a changed
work process and position and to fit-in in it.
Objectives of training:
The major objective of training is to bring positive change in employees’ knowledge, skills and
attitude towards the work. The general objectives of training are as follows:

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a. Update capabilities: Environment is dynamic. Change in environmental factors obsolete

the working methods, technology and also change the peoples’ behaviors. Thus, training
aims to update the knowledge and ideas needs to overcome these challenges by the
employees.
b. Develop healthy attitude: Work knowledge is must for any workers, who is responsible to
do it. Training provides the necessary skill and techniques to perform the job easily and
promptly. It not only develops the positive attitude toward the work but also facilitates
better co-operation, commitment and loyalty of employees.
c. Socialization: Training always aims to socialize employees towards organizational
setting. The skills and ideas learned from training is helpful for an individual to fit-in the
job and behave as per its requirement.
d. Develop future potential: An individual with skills and knowledge is a possible candidate
for promotion or getting the challenging job. This helps an individual to fulfill his career
goals. Thus, training is means for future growth of employees.
e. Improve Productivity: Training improves individual potentiality. It develops confidence
and positive attitude towards work. These bring less labor turnover, absenteeism,
operational errors, which enhances overall productivity of an organization.
Benefits of training:
The benefits of training programs are as follows:
a. It helps to make successful implementation of change program (change management).
b. Increases organizational performances.
c. Makes people committed to achieving organizational objectives.
d. Increase attraction in organization.
e. Maximize individual performance and minimizes complaints.
Determining Training Needs
Training needs can be determined by answering the following questions:
a. What are organizational goals?
b. What tasks are must to be completed to achieve these goals?
c. What behaviors are necessary for each incumbent to complete hi/her assigned tasks?
d. What deficiencies, if any do incumbents have in the skills, knowledge or attitude required
to perform the necessary behaviors?
Job requirements – Employee capabilities = Training Needs.
Training is required only when, three is a deviation or gap between the job requirement and
employee capabilities. Usually, due to the following reasons training is required.
a. Worsening of employees’ performance.
b. Change in current technology and work practices.
c. Employees’ promotion.
d. For increasing productivity and effectiveness of certain units of operation.

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Training need analysis is a systematic process of understanding training requirements. It is

conducted as three stages. They are:
a. Organizational need analysis: The organizations’ need analysis is aimed at short listing
the focus area for training within the organization and the factors that may affect the
same .The study of organizational mission, goals, people inventories etc. gives idea about
the kind of learning environment required for the training. Besides, the financial ability to
conduct training programs can also be ascertained by organizational analysis.
b. Job need analysis: The job analysis is the need assessment the job to be performed to
achieve an organizational goal. It is done to get information on the task to be performed
on each job and the skill required to do it.
c. Individual analysis: Individual performance is a major factor for goal achievement.
His/her abilities and attitude towards the job is crucial for success of organization. So
individual ability is measured and evaluated to find out deficiencies that restrict to meet
the standard performance of the job.
Another view of training need is that, it is the deviation between what is and what should be. The
assessment gives insight into what kind of intervention is required, knowledge or skill or both. In
certain cases when both of these are present and the performance is still missing then the
problem may be motivational in nature. It thus, highlights the need and appropriate intervention
which is essential to make the training effective.
Training Methods
a. On-the-job training.
b. Off-the-job training.

a. On-the –job training: A training which is given to the employees while they are conducting
their regular work at their own job place is known as on-the-job training. It includes,
i. Apprenticeship training: It is a structured process by which people become skilled workers
through a combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. It is widely used to
train individual for many occupations like electrician, plumber, iron-workers etc. Under
this method of training the trainee is put under the guidance of the master worker. Usually,
the apprenticeship period is for two to four years as per the work complexity and under this
period, the trainee is paid less than fully qualified workers.

ii. Job instruction training (JIT): JIT is a step by step training program, under which each job
basic task along with key point is listed. The steps show what is to be done, and the key
points show how it is to be done and why. The four basic steps of JIT are:

• Preparing the trainees by telling them about the job and overcoming uncertainties.
• Presenting the instruction, giving essential information in a clear manner.
• Having the trainees’ tryout the job to demonstrate their understanding.
• Placing the workers into the job, on their own, with a designated resource person to
call upon when they need assistance.

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Advantages of on-the –Job training:

i. It is relatively inexpensive than off the job training.
ii. Trainees learn by doing and get quick feedback on their performance.
iii. Employees can begin to contribute to the production process while undergoing the
training.
iv. It is a very simple method and employees experience the real job situation.
Disadvantages of on the job training:
i. Chances of damage to equipment during the training period.
ii. Scrap rate and reject rate of the products may high.
iii. Service quality to customer may be affected when a new employee in the training period
provides services.(e.g. In restaurant and in banking work)

b. Off-the-job training: The training organize outside the worksite is known as off the job
training. Usually it is classroom based and assumes to remove the work-stress and achieve
effective learning. The most commonly used off the job training methods are :
i. Class room Lecture or conference: It is the method of delivering the information through
oral means. It is quick and simple way to provide knowledge and information to large
group of trainees.Under this method, a trainer discusses theoretical aspects of
information related to the job.
ii. Films: Motion picture can also be used for providing training to the workers. Usually it
is used with conference discussion to clarify and enlarge those points that are basic
requirement and key point (activities) for job performance.
iii. Simulation exercise: Any training activity that explicitly places the trainees in an
artificial environment that closely mirrors actual working condition can be considered a
simulation. It includes, computer modeling, experiential exercises and vestibule training.
• Experiential exercises: It is usually short, structured learning experiences where
individual learn by doing. E.g. managing conflict in an organization: An artificial
conflict situation is created and employees have to deal with it, and develop a
resolution for it. After completing the exercise, the facilitator discusses what happen
and introduce theoretical concept to help explain the members’ behavior during the
exercise.
• Computer modeling: Complex computer modeling stimulates the work environment
by programming a computer to imitate some of the realities of the job. It is widely
used by airlines in the training of pilots. An error during a simulation offers an
opportunity to learn through one’s mistake.
• Vestibule training: In vestibule training, employee learns their job on the equipment
they will be using, but the training is conducted away from the actual work-floor.
Usually, the vestibule lab that stimulated the actual workplace environment is
created, under which, the trainees train. It allows employees to get a full feel for
doing task without “real world” pressure.

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iv. Programmed Instruction: Under this technique, the program to be learned is highly
organized with logical sequences that require the trainee to response and giving the
learner immediate feedback on the accuracy of his/her answers. It is the step by step
process that follows the following steps.
• Presenting questions, facts or problems to the learners.
• Allowing the person to respond.
• Providing feedback on the accuracy of the answers
Advantages of off the job training:
• Large number of employees can be trained through this method.
• The trainee will learn without the work-pressure of the job.
• Costly errors and injuries can be avoided during training.
• Relatively less time is required as in on the job training.
Disadvantages of off the job training:
• Due to large number of trainee, specific job need of the trainee may not be fulfilled.
• Due to lack of real working places, there may be low degree of involvement by
employees, both mentally and physically.
• It is not useful for developing interpersonal skills.
• It is relatively costly than on the job training.
Management Development
Management development is any attempt to improve managerial performance by imparting
knowledge, changing attitude or increasing skills. In other words, it is a systematic process
which prepares managers to handle present and future responsibilities.
According to DeCenzo and Robbins, “Management development is more future oriented and
more concerned with education, than is employee training or assisting a person to become a
better performer.”
Thus, management development is the process of enhancing one’s ability to overcome the
environmental managerial challenges that is encountered by an organizational setting.
Objectives of management development program
a. Increase the productivity and effectiveness of managers.
b. Assist the organization to identify its future leaders and accelerate their upward mobility.
c. Enable organization to produce the number of competent manger to anticipate growth
needs.
d. Encourage self-development and increases ability of managers to take greater
responsibility.
e. Enhancing managerial job satisfaction.
f. Encourages the climate of participative management where individual and the
organization can mutually set performance goals and measurement techniques.

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Techniques of management development:

a. On the job management development: On the job management development includes the
following development methods.
i. Job rotation: It means moving management trainees from department to
department to broaden their understanding of all parts of the business and to test
their abilities. The advantages of this method are: It develops the links between
departments, develops employee’s flexibility to undertake different types of
activities.
ii. Coaching: Under this method, the trainee is guided actively by senior managers.
The coach gives guidance through direction, advice criticism and suggestion in an
attempt to aid the growth of an employee (trainee).The disadvantages of this
method are there is a possibility of continuing the current management style and
practices in an organization, heavy reliance on coach’s ability etc.
iii. Under study assignment: Under this technique, the potential managers are given
opportunity to relieve (ease) an experienced manager of his/her job and act as
his/her substitute during the period. Through this method, an individual get
opportunity to see the job in total in short period.
iv. Committee learning/action learning: Under this technique, a group of people or
team is assigned and gives an opportunity share in managerial decision making, to
learn by watching other and to investigate specific organizational problems. This
is temporary in nature, however, it increases trainees’ exposure to other members,
broadens his /her understanding and provides an opportunity to grow and make
recommendation under the scrutiny of other committee members.
b. Off the job management development: It includes the following methods.
i. Lecture courses: Different universities and colleges are providing training and
development to suit particular organizational needs. This formal lecture courses
offer an opportunity for manger or potential mangers to acquire knowledge and
develop their conceptual and analytical abilities. This is a popular method of
bringing all participants up to a common level knowledge.
ii. Transactional analysis: It is both an approach for defining and analyzing
communication interaction between people and theory of personality. The basic
foundation of this analysis is that personality consists of three egos state they are
the parent ego, the child ego and the adult ego.
• Parent ego: It is an ego state of authority and superiority. A person acting
in a parent state is usually dominant, scolding and authoritative. The
parent state act what he/she was taught so the attitude and behavior is
incorporated from external sources.
• Child ego: The child consists of tall the forces and emotion that are
natural. The person at this state can be obedient or manipulative, charming
at one moment and repulsive the next. The child is emotional and act
according to how he/she feels at the moment.

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• Adult ego: The adult ego state is objective and rational. It always seeks for
information, analyze it and then only show its behavior .It deals with
reality and think before acting.
iii. Simulation: Simulation includes role play, case studies and decision
(management) games.
• Role play: Role playing is acting on a specific situation. The aim of role playing is to
create a realistic situation and then have the trainees assumed the part of specific
person in that situation.
• Case studies: Under this technique, trainees study the cases of determined problems
(taken from the actual experiences of organizations) analyze the causes, develop
alternative solutions, select what they believe to be the best solution and implement it.
It encourages discussion among participants as well as excellent opportunities for
individual to defend their analytical and judgmental abilities.
• Decision (management) games: Under this technique, the computer management
games are used, which creates the real business situation. The team of member or
trainee makes decision by analyzing such situation. Management games can be a
good development tools.People learns best by being involved. The trainees develop
their problem-solving skills as well as to focus attention on planning rather than just
executing activities.
iv. Sensitivity training: Under this method, members are brought together in a free
and open environment in which participants discuss themselves. They express
their ideas, beliefs and attitudes. The objective of sensitivity training is to provide
manger s with increased awareness of their own behaviors and of how others
perceive them greater sensitivity to the behavior of others and increased of group
process.(It helps to increase the ability to understand other’s behaviors, improved
listening skills, greater openness, increase tolerance for individual differences and
improved conflict resolution skills.)
Evaluating training effectiveness:
Evaluation involves the assessment of the effectiveness of the training program. Evaluating
training effectiveness is one of the major functions of training and development program. It acts
as a check to ensure that the training is able to fill the competency gaps within the organization
in a cost effective way. The reasons behind evaluation of training program effectiveness are:
i. It ensures the fulfillment of the job requirement.
ii. Its feedback mechanism helps to take quick corrective actions, whenever and
wherever required.
iii. Cost-benefit trade-off can be ascertained.
Criteria for measuring training effectiveness (Kirkpatrick Model)
Training effectiveness can be measured under four basic criteria. They are:
i. Reaction (Thoughts and feelings of the participants about the training): Reaction
implies how favorably the participants have responded to the training. This evaluation

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is primarily quantitative in nature and is a feedback to the training and the trainer. The
most common collection tools is the questionnaire that analysis the content,
methodology, facilities and the course content.
ii. Learning (The increase in knowledge or understanding as the result to the training):
At the level of learning the evaluation is done on the basis of change in the attitudes,
skills and knowledge of the trainees. The evaluation involves observation and
analysis of the voice, behavior, text. Other tools used besides observation are
interviews, surveys, pre and post tests etc.
iii. Behavior (extent of change in behavior, attitude or capability): Behavior evaluation
analysis helps to know about the transfer of learning from the training session to the
workplace. Under this level, how an individual execute his/her activities after training
is evaluated.
iv. Result (the effect on the bottom line of the company as a result of training): The result
stage makes evaluation towards the objective of an organization (such as: higher
productivity, better quality etc) .Here, the definition of the result depends upon the
goal of the training program. The evaluation is done by using a control group
allowing certain time for the result to be achieved.
Methods (Approaches) of evaluation training effectiveness:
Following are the method for evaluating the training effectiveness:
a. Test –retest method: Under this approach, participants are given a test before they being
the program. After the program is completed, the participants retake the test. The change
in the test score indicates the change in the level of knowledge. This method is easy and
simple to conduct however, it is not a valid method.
b. Pre-post performance method: In this method, each participant is evaluated prior to
training and rated on actual job performance. After instruction is completed the
participants are reevaluated. This method is very useful to examine the effects of training
on changing the participants knowledge and skills and their attitudes in the real job
situations.
c. Experimental-Control group method: This method is used to evaluate the difference in
the knowledge, skills and intelligence of the control and experimental group. Members of
the control group work on the job but do not undergo instruction. The experimental group
is given the instruction. At the end of the training program, the two groups and
reevaluated and if the performance of the experimental group improves, training is
regarded as on effective one.
Process of evaluating training program:
a. Developing evaluation criteria.
b. Pre-testing the trainees.
c. Providing monitoring the training.
d. Comparing pre and post ability of the trainees.
e. Evaluation of fulfillment of competency group and take corrective action.

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Training and management development in Nepal

Training and management development program is considered as a cost burden function in most
of the organization in Nepal. These organizations view training as the requirement of the staff
and so the staffs need to pay for the expenses incurred. These organizations do not want to
involve their organizational cost in those programs. However due to globalization the new
manager and new management teams are changing those views and willing to provide training
on organization’s expenses. They think if the people are competent enough to execute the
activities then, organization can able to compete as well as capitalize the opportunities and
sustain in long-term.
Problems in training and management development are:
a. Views as cost burden activities.
b. Show unwillingness to conduct.
c. High labor turnover.
d. Lack of training institution.
e. Lack of implementation
f. Don’t know about career development. Etc.

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