Voluntary or mandatory enrolment in training and the motivation to transfer training

The purpose of this study is to examine the motivation to transfer training in a multidimensional way. It investigates autonomous and controlled motivation and explores the difference in motivation to transfer according to whether the employee is enrolled in training on a voluntary or mandatory basis. This is a cross-sectional hypotheses-testing study. Data were collected at a large insurance company involving employees who had participated in training programs in the previous 6 months. Findings show that when considering autonomous motivation to transfer, results support the argument that being voluntarily enrolled in the training program shows a higher impact on motivation to transfer than being mandatorily enrolled. When considering controlled motivation to transfer, results do not support such an argument, probably because of the nature of controlled motivation to transfer that in practice reduces the difference in results between the two types of enrollment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Motivational Influences on Transfer: Dimensions and Boundary Conditions

The focus of this dissertation is the motivational influences on transfer in higher education and professional training contexts. To estimate these motivational influences, the dissertation includes seven individual studies that are structured in two parts. Part I, Dimensions, aims at identifying the dimensionality of motivation to transfer and its structural relations with training-related antecedents and outcomes. Part II, Boundary Conditions, aims at testing the predictive validity of motivation theories used in contemporary training research under different study conditions. Data in this dissertation was gathered from multi-item questionnaires, which were analyzed differently in Part I and Part II. Studies in Part I employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, partial least squares (PLS) path modeling, and mediation analysis. Studies in Part II used artifact distribution meta-analysis, (nested) subgroup analysis, and weighted least squares (WLS) multiple regression. Results demonstrate that motivation to transfer can be conceptualized as a three-dimensional construct, including autonomous motivation to transfer, controlled motivation to transfer, and intention to transfer, given a theoretical framework informed by expectancy theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of planned behavior. Results also demonstrate that a range of boundary conditions moderates motivational influences on transfer. To test the predictive validity of expectancy theory, social cognitive theory, and the theory of goal orientations under different study settings, a total of 17 boundary conditions were meta-analyzed, including age; assessment criterion; assessment source; attendance policy; collaboration among trainees; computer support; instruction; instrument used to measure motivation; level of education; publication type; social training context; SS/SMC bias; study setting; survey modality; type of knowledge being trained; use of a control group; and work context. Together, the findings cumulated in this thesis support the basic premise that motivation is centrally important for transfer, but that motivational influences need to be understood from a more differentiated perspective than commonly found in the literature, in order to account for several dimensions and boundary conditions. The results of this dissertation across the seven individual studies are reflected in terms of their implications for theory development and their significance for training evaluation and the design of training environments. Limitations and directions to take in future research are discussed.Siirretty Doriast

A motivação para a transferência da Formação

Mestrado em Gestão de Recursos HumanosNa motivação para a transferência da formação, influências externas e internas são factores que deviam ser considerados pelas empresas ao inscrever um colaborador em formação. Este estudo combina dois objectivos, a influência da participação voluntária ou obrigatória na motivação autónoma e na motivação controlada para a transferência e, tendo por base a teoria da expectativa e teoria da auto-determinação e o modelo já definido por Gegenfurtner et al (2009), a influência das variáveis satisfação no trabalho, compromisso organizacional e envolvimento no trabalho na multidimensionalidade da motivação para a transferência. Os resultados, medidos em 97 colaboradores de uma empresa do ramo dos seguros, indicam que a voluntariedade na formação é bastante importante para a motivação autónoma da transferência. O compromisso com a organização e a satisfação no trabalho contribuem para impulsionar factores intrínsecos do indivíduo, relacionados com a motivação autónoma. A motivação controlada para a transferência, ligada a factores extrínsecos, como recompensas ou sanções, revelam uma significativa ligação com a satisfação e com o envolvimento no trabalho. Implicações teóricas e práticas dos resultados são examinadas.When signing an employee up in any training, internal and external influences are factors that should be considered by the companies, in regards of motivation to transfer of said training. This study combines two objectives, the influence of voluntary or mandatory participation in the autonomous motivation and controlled motivation to transfer, and, combining the expectation and self-determination theory as well as the framework defined by Gegenfurtner et al (2009), the influence of the variables job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job involvement in the multidimensionality of motivation to transfer. The results, measured through 97 employees of a company in the insurance sector, indicate that voluntary training plays an important role in the autonomous motivation to transfer. The commitment to the organization as well as job satisfaction drive the individual's intrinsic factors, related to autonomous motivation to transfer. Controlled motivation to transfer, linked to extrinsic factors such as rewards or sanctions, show a significant connection with satisfaction and involvement at work. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are examined

Factors affecting the transfer generalisation and maintenance of interpersonal skills related to conflict resolution and leadership

This thesis examined transfer generalisation and maintenance of conflict resolution and leadership knowledge, skills and attitudes to the workplace. The main aim was to examine training transfer in terms of the generalisation and maintenance of these interpersonal skills, and how these processes are influenced by multiple individual and organisational factors. A review of relevant research suggested that separate and concurrent consideration of transfer generalisation and maintenance may help to explain previous inconsistent research results. Understanding relevant factors facilitating generalisation and/or maintenance may also help explain the reported poor transfer and cost effectiveness of many training programs. Individual factors examined in this series of studies included self-efficacy, motivation (intrinsic motivation, motivation to learn, and motivation to transfer), organisational commitment, transfer implementation intentions, and emotional intelligence. Organisational factors examined included organisational support, social and goal-setting cues, opportunity to use/practice skills, and perceived support and barriers to training transfer. The first study examined the transfer generalisation of conflict resolution skills in relation to medical and nursing undergraduates (n=158). Results found the individual factors, motivation-to-learn and attitudes to interprofessional learning, predicted transfer generalisation of conflict resolution skills immediately after training, with a significant difference between the groups. The difference was attributed to the lack of clinical placements (organisational relevancy) for medical students at the time of training. The second study examined transfer of conflict resolution skills retrospectively for medical and healthcare professionals (n=64), up to three years post-training. Results showed both individual and organisational factors were important for transfer generalisation and maintenance. The third study examined training transfer of managerial-leadership skills for managers (n=147), up to fourteen years post-training. Results supported Study two; both individual and organisational factors were important for transfer generalisation and maintenance. Results from qualitative data provided support for examining transfer generalisation and maintenance separately in the same study. The fourth study examined transfer generalisation and maintenance of skills from two managerial-leadership programs (n=36). Mixed methodology of a survey at baseline, post-training and three-month follow-up, plus interviews, was employed. For transfer generalisation, results found that only individual factors were important immediately after training, but both individual and organisational factors were important three months after training. For transfer maintenance however, only organisational factors were important, measured three months post-training. Together with qualitative data results, this study also provided support for examining transfer generalisation and maintenance separately in the same study. Overall, this dissertation found different combinations of individual and organisational factors were associated with transfer generalisation and maintenance of interpersonal skills. Future research needs to examine the construct validity of these two transfer processes to confirm their examination concurrently as recommended in this thesis. Theoretical implications include the need to consider transfer generalisation and maintenance as separate overlapping processes in the transfer of complex interpersonal skill-sets to the workplace. Practical implications include the need for organisations to consider both relevant individual and organisational factors that facilitate transfer generalisation and maintenance to maximise workplace training program return-on-investment.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 201