Date of Award

12-1997

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Robert O. Brinkerhoff

Second Advisor

Dr. David J. Cowden

Third Advisor

Dr. Jerry W. Gilley

Abstract

This study investigated the hypotheses that if managers were engaged in specific activities aimed at increasing their understanding of the linkage of employee training to business goals, then they would in turn create a more positive transfer environment, resulting in greater transfer of training received by their employees. Some managers of trainees participated in a workshop in which they used an “impact mapping” procedure to clearly explain the relationship between training of their employees and strategic goals of the business; another group of managers did not receive this impact mapping training. Then, all managers’ employees participated in a supervisory training program. Following the supervisory training, the two groups of supervisors, those whose managers received impact map training and those who did not, were compared to ascertain any differences in rate of transfer of training.

Four primary variables were assessed: (1) the extent to which managers self-reported taking specific actions to create a supportive transfer environment, (2) managers’ observatic of trainee usage of new learning, (3) trainees’ observations of actions taken by their managers to create a positive transfer environment, and (4) trainees’ self-report of training transfer.

Overall differences were found between the experimental and comparison groups of managers in both their self-reports of actions toward creating a supportive transfer environment and their reported observations of trainees’ usage of new skills on the job. There was failure to find predicted differences between the experimental and comparison groups of trainees’ observations of actions taken by their managers to create a positive transfer environment and the trainees’ self-report of training transfer. However, those trainees who reported more actions by their managers to create a positive transfer environment also were reported by their managers to have greater transfer of the training, and vice versa.

The findings suggest the importance of managers and trainees linking training to corporate goals, the positive consequences of building a supportive transfer environment, and the value of training managers to support the transfer efforts of their trainees.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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