TRAINING NEED ANALYSIS

TNA is an important step (which occurs at the initial planning stage) in the training and development process (Carlisle et al., 2011; Khan & Masrek, 2017; Tao et al., 2006). TNA is a strategic process that involves identifying the organizational goals, competency gathering and analyzing the information, and determining the gaps between the current situation and the future requirements (Carlisle et al., 2011; Denby, 2010; Horng & Lin, 2013; Khan & Masrek, 2017; Priyadarshini & Dave, 2013). TNA is indeed a useful tool for managers to properly design training programs as it focuses on the actual needs of the employees. TNA helps explain where, when, how, and what types of training activities are given to the employees (Khan & Masrek, 2017).

Conducting a thorough needs assessment before training is designed and delivered helps set appropriate goals for training and ensures that trainees are ready to participate (Blanchard & Thacker 2007). Organizations have to emphasize conducting TNA for the best use of the training resources since such resources are limited to the organizations (Tao et al., 2006).  However, there continues to be little theoretical or empirical work on needs assessment (Kraiger 2003). Carlisle et al. (2011) indicated that the practice of TNA in organizations was still low in most countries because conducting TNA is time-consuming and costly too. In fact, training programs may not be consistent and fruitful in bringing desired outcomes without practicing TNA properly in the organization (Carlisle et al., 2011).

For example, consideration of the pre-training states or individual characteristics of trainees also enhances the benefits of training. Tracey et al. (2001) collected data from 420 hotel managers who attended a two-and-a-half-day managerial knowledge and skills training program. Results showed that managers’ job involvement, organizational commitment, and perceptions of the work environment (i.e., perceived support and recognition) were predictive of pertaining self-efficacy, which in turn was related to pre-training motivation (Tracey et al. 2001). The pre-training motivation was related to post-training measures of utility reactions, affective reactions, declarative knowledge scores, and procedural knowledge scores. Pre-training motivation has also been shown to be related to trainee personality (Rowold 2007), trainee self-efficacy, and training reputation (Switzer et al. 2005), as well as reactions to prior training courses (Sitzmann et al. 2008).

In a field study of learners in a traditional classroom or blended learning course, Klein et al. (2006) found that learners had a higher motivation to learn when they had a high learning goal orientation (rather than a lower learning goal orientation) and when they perceived environmental conditions (e.g., time, Internet access) as learning enablers (rather than as barriers). Motivation to learn, in turn, was related to learner satisfaction, metacognition, and course grade. Kozlowski et al. (2001) showed that traits and manipulated learning orientation had independent effects on participants’ self-efficacy and structural knowledge.

More generally, Colquitt et al. (2000) summarized 20 years of research on factors affecting trainee motivation. The meta-analysis conducted by Colquitt et al. (2000) revealed that both environmental factors and individual traits, such as age, cognitive capacity, self-efficacy, the valence of training, and work participation, significantly influenced training motivation (e.g., organizational climate).

List of References

Blanchard, P.N. and Thacker, J.W. (2007). Effective Training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. 3rd ed.

Carlisle, J., Bhanugopan, R. and Fish, A. (2011). Training needs of nurses in public hospitals in Australia: Review of current practices and future research agenda. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35 (7), pp. 687–701.

Colquitt, J.A., LePine, J.A. and Noe, R.A. (2000). Toward an integrative theory of training motivation: a meta-analytic path analysis of 20 years of research. J. Appl. Psychol. 85:678–707.

Denby, S. (2010). The importance of training needs analysis. Industrial and Commercial Training, 42(3), pp. 147–150.

Horng, J.S. and Lin, L. (2013). Training needs assessment in a hotel using 360 degree feedback to develop competency-based training programs. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 20, pp. 61–67.

Khan, A. and Masrek, M.N. (2017). Training needs analysis based on mismatch between the acquired and required levels of collection management skills of academic librarians. Collection Building, 36(1), pp. 20–28.

Klein, H.J., Noe, R.A. and Wang, C. (2006). Motivation to learn and course outcomes: the impact of delivery mode, learning goal orientation, and perceived barriers and enablers. Pers. Psychol. 59:665–702.

Kozlowski, S.W.J., Gully, S.M., Brown, K.G., Salas, E., Smith, E.M. and Nason, E.R. (2001). Effects of training goals and goal orientation traits on multidimensional training outcomes and performance adaptability. Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process. 85:1–31.

Kraiger, K. (2003). Perspectives on training and development. In Handbook of Psychology: Volume 12, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, ed. pp. 171–92.

Priyadarshini, R.R.G. and Dave, D. (2013). Competency-based training needs assessment model. Management and Labor Studies, 37(3), pp. 195–207.

Rowold, J. (2007). The impact of personality on training-related aspects of motivation: test of a longitudinal model. Hum. Resour. Dev. Q. 18:9–31.

Tao, Y., Yeh, C.R. and Sun, S. (2006). Improving training needs assessment processes via the internet: System design and qualitative study. Internet Research, 16 (4), pp. 427–449.

Tracey, J.B., Hinkin, T.R., Tannenbaum, S. and Mathieu, J.E. (2001). The influence of individual characteristics and the work environment on varying levels of training outcomes. Hum. Resour. Dev. Q. 12:5–23.

Sitzmann, T., Bell, B. and Kraiger, K. (2008). A multi-level analysis of the effect of prompting self-regulation in technology-delivered instruction. Pers. Psychol. Manuscr. under review.

Switzer, K.C., Nagy, M.S. and Mullins, M.E. (2005). The influence of training reputation, managerial support, and self-efficacy on pretraining motivation and perceived training transfer. Appl. HRM Res. 10:21–34.