The role of person, outcome, environmental, and learning variables in training effectiveness

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the training and development research by testing a causal model of training effectiveness. A hypothesized relationship was proposed for each causal link in the model. More specifically, four person variables (career planning, self-assessed need for training, self-efficacy, and tolerance for ambiguity) and two outcome variables (intrinsic incentives and extrinsic incentives) were hypothesized to have a significant, positive effect on pre-training motivation to learn. One environmental variable (work load) was hypothesized to have a negative relationship with pre-training motivation to learn. A positive, significant path coefficient between pre- training motivation to learn and each of the three learning variables was predicted. Post- cognitive knowledge was expected to have a positive causal influence on behavioral knowledge, and the causal link between both post-cognitive knowledge and behavioral knowledge and motivation to transfer was hypothesized to be positive. The causal relationship between all three learning variables and the post-behavior measure was predicted to be positive. The sample for this study consisted of 111 business students who participated in a feedback skills training program. All of the pre-training measures were collected one week before the training program. Immediately after training, participants completed a post-cognitive knowledge measure, a video taped skills-practice exercise which was scored and used as a measure of behavioral knowledge, and a motivation to transfer measure. Five to six weeks after the training program, participants completed a post- behavior measure (team member ratings of transfer). Self-assessed need for training, self-efficacy, and intrinsic incentives had a significant, positive causal effect on pre-training motivation to learn. Pre-training motivation to learn had a significant, positive causal influence on motivation to transfer. Post-training cognitive knowledge had a marginally significant effect on behavioral knowledge, and a significant causal influence on motivation to transfer. The significant, negative path coefficient between behavioral knowledge and the post-behavior measure of transfer was due to group differences between the MBA students and the Business Strategy students. Limitations to the research, theoretical and practical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.