Managing Organizational Cultural Influences During the Implementation of Competency-Based Training

Abstract

This article examines organizational cultural influences on a human resource development (HRD) practitioner's ability to effectively implement a competency-based training program. A five-phase conceptual model was created based on the process of implementing a competency-based approach to training and examines how differing agendas from individual organizational members and key stakeholders can derail a program. Suggestions are provided on how HRD practitioners can deal with these influences to increase their chances for successful program implementation.Keywords: organizational culture; model; competency-based training; cultural influences A natural tension exists in all organizations between the needs of the organization, as defined by key stakeholders, and those of the individual organizational member (Stohl & Cheney, 2001). One of the manifestations of this organizational tension is found in the role of human resource development (HRD) practitioners and researchers (Swanson & Holton, 2001) who must account for and design remedies to this tension throughout all phases of organizational training programs. Thus, the challenge for HRD practitioners and researchers is twofold: to provide training that meets the operational needs of the organization while ensuring the individual employee receives personalized training for the purpose of performance improvement and self-fulfillment. Overcoming these challenges is critical to the successful implementation of any HRD training intervention.Research indicates that a competency-based approach to training is an effective and efficient means of accomplishing the above-mentioned goals.

Making Transfer Climate Visible: Utilizing Social Network Analysis to Facilitate the Transfer of Training

“…In addition, these "opinion leaders" can be utilized during and after the training to reinforce the new learning. Increasing the likelihood of training transfer can be accomplished at the design phase of the HRD intervention (Hatala & Gumm, 2006). Getting buy-in from centrally positioned actors in the network on the training content, delivery mechanism, and overall objective of the training program is an important element of success that is often overlooked; SNA can help to identify these central actors.…”

“…Training transfer is enhanced by involving supervisors and trainees in the needs assessment phase of training development (Hatala & Gumm, 2006;Machles, 2002). This allows managers and trainees to provide their input, thereby increasing the likelihood of their support toward the training intervention.…”

“…It cannot be taken for granted that just because a manager requires an employee to attend training transfer will occur. Competing forces are at play from both the formal and informal organization power structure (Hatala & Gumm, 2006;Torenvlied & Velner, 1998). At the formal level, these forces take the form of individual perception that management does not support the new learning and therefore has no incentive to implement the new knowledge they have acquired through training.…”

The influence of national and organizational culture on the use of performance improvement interventions

“…Cseh, Ardichvili, Gasparishvili, Krisztián, and Nemeskéri (2004) conducted a study comparing sociocultural values and perceptions of organizational culture among over 3,000 employees in five countries and provided data suggesting that organizations develop a specific culture under the influence of both national cultures and contextual settings that include economic, social, and political conditions. In the context of design and the delivery of performance interventions within organizations, Hatala and Gumm (2006) identified five contextual factors that practitioners should consider-economic (e.g., budget, extent of financial rewards), social (e.g., influential leaders within an organization), communication (e.g., how it is viewed and used), leadership (e.g., how leaders are selected and developed), and political (e.g., what is deemed acceptable in the organization). They proposed a model to analyze the impact of these elements on the design and implementation of a competency-based training intervention in an organization.…”

Gestão Por Competências Em Uma Multinacional Do Setor Metalúrgico

“…Além disso, deve-se garantir que haja articulação entre a cultura organizacional e o modelo por competências que se deseja implantar (HATALA; GUMM, 2006), o que se justifica pelo fato de que a cultura de determinada organização influencia a percepção de seus membros a respeito do que é apropriado fazer e, consequentemente, afeta as escolhas específicas de cada indivíduo, as quais impactam no desenvolvimento do portfólio de competências individuais e organizacionais (ZAGO; RETOUR, 2013).…”