How Long Should a Training Program Be? A Field Study of "Rules-of-Thumb"

Autor/in	Cole, Nina
Titel	How Long Should a Training Program Be? A Field Study of "Rules-of-Thumb"
Quelle	In: Journal of Workplace Learning, 20 (2008) 1, S.54-70 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1366-5626
DOI	10.1108/13665620810843647
Schlagwörter	Control Groups; Self Efficacy; Behavior Change; Management Development; Employees; Job Performance; Skills; Training; Program Effectiveness; Program Length; Role Playing; Discipline + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Self-efficacy; Selbstwirksamkeit; Employee; Arbeitnehmer; Beschäftigter; Work performance; Arbeitsleistung; Skill; Fertigkeit; Ausbildung; Rollenspiel; Disziplin
Abstract	Purpose: This study aims to examine the question of how long a behavioral skills training program should be in order to result in measurable behavioral change. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical field study was conducted to compare two different lengths of time for a managerial skills training program aimed at achieving behavioral change. The training time for the first training condition was based on "rules-of-thumb" found in the literature. The training time was increased in an "extended" training condition that covered the same material but permitted more time for lecture, role-playing and discussion. Findings: Results showed that, relative to a control group, participants in the "extended" training condition exhibited behavioral change, but those in the "rules-of-thumb" training condition did not. Self-efficacy increased significantly for trainees in both training conditions. Practical implications: More attention is required to the length of training programs as they are being designed, especially if behavioral change is a goal of the training. Using rules-of-thumb regarding training length may be insufficient for bringing about behavioral change. More importantly, the need for more effective management skills will not be met, and organizational performance outcomes may be jeopardized. Originality/value: The results of this research have the potential to be broadly applicable to management training and may possibly generalize to training in other disciplines where the training is intended to effect behavioral change. (Contains 6 tables and 1 note.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10