Description:
Considerable expenditure on human resource development(HRD) has not necessarily resulted in a significant impact on organizational performance, and research suggests that the failure to transfer learning may be an important explanation.The search for factors affecting transfer has been extensive, as shown in Grossman and Salas’s article in this issue, but, as they also show, more research is needed. The purpose of the present study is to ascertain the views of HRD practitioners (in Ireland) about the factors that they believe are relevant to the transfer of learning in the workplace. The aim is to discover whether practitioners have identified potential factors which researchers have not explored or not explored sufficiently. This group of practitioners was chosen because of the considerable control they wield over significant tranches of organizational resources. The method first involved engagement with 28 senior HRD practitioners in a workshop setting to create a transfer inventory based on their expert opinion. The initial inventory was then responded to online by a group of 314 practitioners indicating the relevance of the items to the question of transfer.Factor analysis was used to achieve parsimony among items,and 21 potential factors were identified. This study focused on the 15 factors adjudged by practitioners to be most relevant. It is concluded that trainer effectiveness, organizational linkage and training event climate, all deemed relevant by practitioners, may justify further research.
Description:
Learning transfer: the views ofpractitioners in IrelandPaul Donovan and David P. DarcyConsiderable expenditure on human resource development(HRD) has not necessarily resulted in a significant impact onorganizational performance, and research suggests that thefailure to transfer learning may be an important explanation.The search for factors affecting transfer has been extensive, asshown in Grossman and Salas’s article in this issue, but, asthey also show, more research is needed. The purpose of thepresent study is to ascertain the views of HRD practitioners (inIreland) about the factors that they believe are relevant to thetransfer of learning in the workplace. The aim is to discoverwhether practitioners have identified potential factors whichresearchers have not explored or not explored sufficiently. Thisgroup of practitioners was chosen because of the considerablecontrol they wield over significant tranches of organizationalresources. The method first involved engagement with 28 seniorHRD practitioners in a workshop setting to create a transferinventory based on their expert opinion. The initial inventorywas then responded to online by a group of 314 practitionersindicating the relevance of the items to the question of transfer.Factor analysis was used to achieve parsimony among items,and 21 potential factors were identified. This study focused onthe 15 factors adjudged by practitioners to be most relevant. Itis concluded that trainer effectiveness, organizational linkageand training event climate, all deemed relevant by practitio-ners, may justify further research.ijtd_374 12