Measuring the Impact of Workplace Design on Training Transfer Relative to Other Organizational Factors

This ethnographic research extends the findings of an earlier study examining the impact of workplace design on training transfer. The study triangulates data and methods of inquiry through field observation, archival records, interviews, and a survey that was developed from the interview responses. Linking the earlier, more qualitative data and analysis with the latter, more quantitative data and analysis helped to extend several theoretical considerations. Purposeful sampling was used to identify participants who held nonacademic supervisory positions at a major land grant university. Participants had attended a performance review workshop and had been applying the learned skills for at least 6 months. The findings indicate that workplace design appears to play a vital role in facilitating as well as impeding transfer for supervisory skills in this study. The present study also offers a conceptual model that proposes where workplace design fits among other organizational factors perceived to impact training transfer.

The findings alert and direct organizations to where they should channel their finite resources to support training transfer and provide organizations with a better ability to differentiate critical design features from design features that are more marginal to training transfer. As a case study, organizations should not infer that these findings apply to all work settings as it may depend upon the relevancy to the particular work situation and circumstances.

Methods of analysis: Domain and Taxonomic analyses, descriptive statistics, Binomial distribution, ANOVA/post hoc procedures, and hierarchical clustering.