Individualism–collectivism and the role of goal orientation in organizational training

This research examines how individualism–collectivism and goal orientation impact training effectiveness through study of an internationally diverse sample of engineers who were undergoing technical training. In light of contemporary views of individualism–collectivism, we argue that collectivism will moderate the influence of learning and performance goal orientations on training by shaping the impact of one's perceived social context on existing performance concerns and goals. Using a sample from a large multinational corporation, we examined the effects of individualism–collectivism and goal orientation on training transfer intentions, motivation to learn, and test performance. Mixed support for our hypotheses was found. Collectivists were found to exhibit higher levels of training transfer intentions and motivation to learn. However, when collectivism was combined with a performance goal orientation, its effects on training outcomes were diminished. Applications for organizations and future extensions of the present research are discussed.     

Leader influences on training effectiveness: motivation and outcome expectation processes

Training effectiveness is a function of trainee characteristics, training design and contextual factors. Social exchanges in the work environment have received less attention compared with other training effectiveness predictors. We focus on the extent to which leaders (through their relationships and exchanges with followers) influence skill transfer, maintenance and generalization. We also examine two intervening processes (training motivation and outcome expectancy). Our findings, based on surveys from 495 employees, argue for the importance of leader–member exchange for training transfer, with training motivation and outcome expectancy as intervening mechanisms.     

Brothers in blood,yet strangers to global brand purchase: A four-country study of the role of consumer personality

Although personality traits have repeatedly been shown to influence consumer behavior, their impact on willingness to buy global brands has yet to be empirically investigated. Based on a four-country sample (N = 4539) of South East European consumers, we test alternative pathways linking consumer personality traits to global brand purchase intentions. Our findings show that extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness and openness to experience impact purchase intentions mediated through consumers' global brand associations, domestic country bias and price sensitivity. Implications of the findings for theory and practice are considered and future research directions identified.     

Employee participation in non‐mandatory professional development – the role of core proactive motivation processes

With a focus on the self‐initiated efforts of employees, this study examined a model of core proactive motivation processes for participation in non‐mandatory professional development (PD) within a proactive motivation framework using the Self‐Determination Theory perspective. A multi‐group SEM analysis conducted across 439 academic and general employees of an Australian regional University provided initial support for the model. Results indicated that when employees are autonomously motivated to participate in non‐mandatory PD, intrinsic benefits are the most salient aspiration that also mediate the influence of autonomous motivation on transfer implementation intentions. Extrinsic benefits are likely to be a secondary outcome which does not directly relate to transfer implementation intentions. Further research should replicate and extend this core model in other organizational settings where participation in non‐mandatory PD is a critical factor in the effectiveness of the organization.     

The effect of error orientation,motivation to learn,and social support on training transfer intentions: A moderated mediation model

This study aims to assess whether trainees’ errors orientation can influence their motivation to learn and their intention to transfer training. Data were collected from 275 trainees participating in a corporate training program offered by a Canadian government agency. Results show that the concept of learning by error positively influences trainees’ levels of motivation and their intention to transfer learning. Results also confirm the mediating role of motivation between the concept of learning by error and the intention of transferring learning. Finally, results confirm the moderating role of social support on the relationship between motivation to learn and the intention to transfer learning. Practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2017 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rules of engagement: the joint influence of trainer expressiveness and trainee experiential learning style on engagement and training transfer

We investigated the joint effect of trainer expressiveness and trainee experiential learning style on training transfer intentions. Extending prior research where trainer expressiveness has been established as a positive predictor of transfer, we show that trainer expressiveness is more impactful for trainees with high (vs. low) experiential learning styles. Based on our findings, trainees' experiential styles – also related to one's intuition – emerge as important enhancers of transfer intentions, and should be considered in future research and when assigning trainees to learning. In addition, we found that the effect of trainer expressiveness on transfer intentions is mediated by trainee engagement.     

The impact of practical relevance on training transfer: evidence from a service quality training program for German bank clerks

The management literature provides a variety of recommendations as to how workers’ customer orientation might be improved, including through training. Crucial factors in the process of transferring the contents of service quality training programs to practice, however, have not yet been sufficiently analysed. This study proposes and tests a model of transfer motivation and training transfer via structural equation modelling, validating Baldwin and Ford's framework and Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation. Following the recommendation of Alliger et al., the present study analyses the relationship between Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation, paying attention to the specificity of the measures at each level. The survey collects data from 213 German bank employees who attended a training program aimed at improving service quality. As hypothesized, the perceived practical relevance of the training was found to exert a strong influence on the reaction of the participants and had a substantial total effect on the motivation to transfer and on actual transfer. Subject to the limitations of the research methodology employed here, it is concluded that trainee satisfaction needs to be conceptually distinguished from perceived practical relevance and that the latter is the main driving force for transfer motivation and transfer.     

Effets des conceptions de l'erreur,de la motivation à apprendre et du soutien social sur l'intention de transférer les nouveaux apprentissages : un modèle de médiation modérée

This study aims to assess whether trainees' errors orientation can influence their motivation to learn and their intention to transfer learning. Data were collected from 275 trainees participating in a corporate training program offered by a Canadian government agency. Results show that the concept of learning by error positively influences trainees' levels of motivation and their intention to transfer learning. Results also confirm the mediating role motivation plays between the concept of learning by error and the intention of transferring learning. Finally, results confirm the moderating role of social support on the relationship between motivation to learn and the intention to transfer learning. Practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2017 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Entrepreneurial intentions—theory and evidence from Asia,America, and Europe

This paper examines the antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions and its strategic drivers with reference to country culture and proactive personality in a cross-country context. Our research is based on primary data from four distinct and strategically important countries: India, Japan, the USA, and France. We examine and compare entrepreneurial intentions of young managers within the context of the theory of planned behavior. We then postulate a theoretical framework to link entrepreneurial intention, and its drivers, to motivate further research in this area. The findings of the study indicate that a country’s culture and an individual’s proactive personality directly determine the degree of entrepreneurial intention and therefore contribute to competitiveness.     

Consumer satisfaction and loyalty: Two main consequences of retailer personality

This article investigates the impact of retailer personality on consumers' satisfaction with and loyalty to the retailer, measured through attitude and future behavioral intentions. Data were collected on a convenience sample of 372 customers of a specific retailer. Using partial least squares analysis (PLS), we show that four traits (“congeniality”, “originality”, “conscientiousness” and “preciousness”) have a direct or indirect impact on one of the dependent variables studied. Hence, this article proposes a model of the consequences of retailer personality and suggests that retailer personality is an important concept that practitioners should consider when running their satisfaction and loyalty programs.     

How identification facilitates effective learning: the evaluation of generic versus localized professionalization training

Worldwide, organizations are keen to ensure that they achieve a performance return from the large investment they make in employee training. This study examines the way in which workgroup identification facilitates trainees’ motivation to transfer learning into workplace performance. A 2 × 2 longitudinal study evaluated the effects of a new generic professionalization training program (NGP) – which tapped into distal work identities, and a standard local professionalization program (SLP) – which spoke more to localized work identities, on participant's motivation to transfer their learning to the workplace. The study found that, compared to participants on the SLP (n = 31), participants on the NGP (n = 35) indicated a reduction in 4 measures (perceived utility of training; workplace participation; relatedness and workplace identification). The authors draw on the social identity approach to illustrate how a reduction in these variables is indicative of a reduction in motivation to transfer learning to the workplace. In short, training which does not speak to meaningful localized identities results in reduced motivation to transfer compared to training that does speak to those identities. More broadly, the study demonstrates the capacity of the social identity approach to meet the increasing demands of training researchers for a comprehensive, multi‐dimensional, theoretical framework through which to understand the interplay of trainee and contextual factors that contribute to effective learning and performance in the workplace.     

A study of the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility and price image on retailer personality and consumers' reactions (satisfaction,trust and loyalty to the retailer)

This study investigates the impact of a retailer's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy and its price image on retailer personality, along with the impact of these two variables on the consequences of retailer personality: consumers' satisfaction, trust and loyalty toward the retailer (measured by their attitude and future behavioral intentions). Data were collected on a convenience sample of 352 consumers of a French grocery retailer. Using Partial Least Squares analysis (PLS), we show that perceived Corporate Social Responsibility and price image have a significant positive/negative influence on retailer personality traits (“agreeableness” and “conscientiousness”/“disingenuousness”) and that Corporate Social Responsibility has also a significant positive influence on the “sophistication” personality trait. For the consequences examined (satisfaction, trust and loyalty to the retailer), we show that Corporate Social Responsibility, price image and retailer personality have a direct or indirect impact on these dependent variables.     

Assessing the antecedents of transfer intentions in a training context

This study examined the underlying structure of transfer climate and those aspects of transfer climate that were related to pre‐training self‐efficacy, pre‐training motivation, and post‐training transfer implementation intentions. Positive and negative affectivity (PA and NA) were also measured in order to better understand the relationship of these variables to trainees’ perceptions of the transfer climate and the other training‐related variables. Transfer climate was best represented by two underlying constructs, although these were correlated. After controlling for PA and NA, none of the transfer climate variables were significantly related to pre‐training self‐efficacy, while only positive reinforcement was significantly related to pre‐training motivation. Pre‐training self‐efficacy was also a significant predictor of pre‐training motivation, even after controlling for PA and NA. Negative affectivity was the only significant predictor of post‐training transfer implementation intentions. Further research needs to clarify whether PA and NA are contributors to the trainees’ perceptions of the transfer climate or are a product of these perceptions.     

Corporate identity management and employees’ responses

Main goals in this study are to analyse the effects of corporate identity management (CIM) on the employees’ responses, and the moderating effects of two employee personality traits: proactive personality and resistance to change. Two hundred and ninety-three branch managers in the banking sector in Spain participated in the study, and their responses were analysed through structural equation modelling. Results show that organizational identification is a key variable to explain the CIM effects on employees’ responses. Moreover, employees’ proactive personality and resistance to change exert a moderating influence on the way identification leads to extra-role behaviours. Human resource practices should take into account that proactive employees are more prone to externalize their identification by spreading positive WOM. Besides, identification with the organization will lead to loyalty, especially in employees with low resistance to change.     

Social support and motivation to transfer as predictors of training transfer: testing full and partial mediation using meta‐analytic structural equation modelling

Social support and motivation to transfer are important components in conceptual models on transfer of training. Previous research indicates that both support and motivation influence transfer. To date, however, it is not yet clear if social support influences transfer of training directly, or if this influence is mediated by motivation to transfer. Conceptually, some models assume that motivation to transfer fully mediates the influence of social support on transfer (full mediation models), whereas other models also include direct relationships between social support and transfer of training (partial mediation models). In addition, some models specify finer sub‐dimensions of social support, such as supervisor support, peer support, supervisor sanctions and feedback/coaching. What is the relative influence of these dimensions on the transfer of training? To what extent does motivation to transfer mediate the influence of different support dimensions and transfer? Aimed at answering these questions, the present meta‐analysis (k = 32 studies, N = 5487 participants) examined the relationships between social support, motivation to transfer and transfer of training. Social support was conceptualized in four dimensions: supervisor support, peer support, supervisor sanctions and feedback/coaching. Meta‐analytic structural equation modelling was used to test a partial mediation model and a full mediation model. Full mediation resulted in a better model fit. Peer support was the strongest predictor of motivation to transfer, and feedback/coaching was the strongest predictor of transfer of training. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for developing conceptual models, measurement instruments and training interventions are discussed.     

Ethical Leader Behavior and Big Five Factors of Personality

Most research on ethical leadership to date investigates the consequences of ethical leadership rather than its antecedents. Here, we aim to contribute to this field by studying leader personality as a potential antecedent of ethical leader behavior. In two multisource studies, we investigated the relationships between personality traits and ethical leader behavior. Leader personality was measured through self-ratings using the five-factor personality framework. Two subordinates rated their leaders’ ethical behavior. Study 1 used a uni-dimensional Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS). In study 2 we used this scale as well as an instrument distinguishing three different ethical leader behaviors, namely, fairness, role clarification, and power sharing. Further, in study 2 we controlled for the influence of the relationship between leader and followers (LMX). As expected, conscientiousness and agreeableness were most consistently related to ethical leadership. In study 1, after controlling for the other personality traits, conscientiousness related positively with ethical leadership. In study 2, after controlling for other traits and LMX, conscientiousness related positively with ethical leadership and the behavior role clarification, and agreeableness with power sharing and fairness. Also, emotional stability related positively with ethical leadership and role clarification after controlling for LMX. As expected, openness to experience and extraversion were unrelated to ethical leader behaviors.     

基于素质的知识型员工绩效研究

通过对290名知识型员工进行员工个性问卷、综合能力问卷和工作绩效问卷调查,结果发现：责任心、心智思维、控制性、人际关系以及学习创新能力、信息处理能力、自我管理能力、认知能力对个人任务绩效的影响较大,而心智思维、责任心、外向主动性、成就动机、道德评价以及认知能力、专业技术能力、学习创新能力对个人周边绩效的影响较大;外向主动性、心智思维、责任心以及认知能力、自我管理能力、学习创新能力对组织任务绩效的影响较大,而心智思维、道德评价、外向主动性以及学习创新能力、认知能力、自我管理能力对组织周边绩效的影响较大。     

Exploring the role of goal theory in understanding training motivation

A model to test conceptions from goal theory within an existing framework of training motivation was developed and tested with employees participating in training in a non‐profit organization. It was hypothesized that goal orientation ('distal factors’) along with self‐efficacy, expectancy and valence (‘proximal factors’) would predict goal intentions as well as training outcomes such as affective responses to training, perceptions of training utility and intention to transfer or use the training provided. Results revealed that goal orientation predicted a significant proportion of variance in the proximal antecedents (valence (33 per cent), expectancy (39 per cent) and self‐efficacy (31 per cent)) whereas the proximal antecedents explained 43 per cent of the variance in goal intentions. In turn, goal intentions were related to training outcomes (affect (b = 0.7), utility (b = 0.6) and transfer intention (b = 0.5)). Goal intentions mediated the relationship between proximal antecedents and training outcomes, providing evidence that goal intentions play a pivotal role in the causal path from proximal factors to training outcomes. Valence alone was found to be a significant mediator of the relationship between goal orientation and goal intentions.     

The association between training and organizational commitment among white‐collar workers in Malaysia

The exploration of the relationship between organizational commitment and training is still in its early stages. Although there have been several studies reported on training and organizational commitment in Western countries, very little has been done in respect of the local professionals in Malaysia. This research investigates the association between five training variables (availability of training, support for training, motivation to learn, training environment and perceived benefits of training), and various aspects of organizational commitment (affective commitment, normative commitment, continuance commitment and overall organizational commitment). The availability of training, support for training, motivation to learn, training environment, perceived benefits of training were all significantly correlated with affective commitment, normative commitment and overall organizational commitment. The training environment and perceived benefits were also significantly correlated with continuance commitment. However the availability of training, support for training and motivation to learn were not significantly correlated with continuance commitment. This suggests that despite other forms of commitment, Malaysian workers do not feel that they need to remain in an organization that has made available the training, given support for the training and were motivated to learn. Otherwise, results suggest that on the whole, training does seem to have an influence on organizational commitment. The practical implication of this is that managers, who are so desirous of enhancing organizational commitment among their subordinates, should pay more attention to training. Annual income was found to correlate positively with affective commitment and overall commitment. Age and tenure were not significant predictors of overall organizational commitment contradicting studies in the West. This demonstrated that Malaysians might have different attitudes towards organizational commitment. The older they are and the longer they stay within an organization do not imply that they will be committed towards their organization. This phenomenon can be attributed to the uncertain business environment in Malaysia.     

The transfer of training: what really matters

Although organizations invest billions of dollars in training every year, many trained competencies reportedly fail to transfer to the workplace. Researchers have long examined the ‘transfer problem’, uncovering a wealth of information regarding the transfer of training. Inconsistencies remain, however, and organizations may find it difficult to pinpoint exactly which factors are most critical. Using Baldwin and Ford's model of transfer, we identify the factors relating to trainee characteristics (cognitive ability, self‐efficacy, motivation, perceived utility of training), training design (behavioral modeling, error management, realistic training environments) and the work environment (transfer climate, support, opportunity to perform, follow‐up) that have exhibited the strongest, most consistent relationships with the transfer of training. We describe our reasoning for extracting such variables from the literature and conclude by discussing potential implications for practice and future research.