Developing a framework for assessing effective development activities

Abstract

Almuth is a lecturer in occupational psychology at Surrey University. Her research areas are training and development including coaching and feedback, the interface of work and non/work and the application of psychometrics in organization, as well as their cross-cultural adaptation. She regularly advises organizations on the design and implementation of staff assessment and development and work/life balance initiatives. Christopher Mabey Research and practical implications:We propose that our classification framework could guide both the implementation and evaluation of diverse activities beyond those reviewed here. We argue that our framework may prove effective in making explicit and thus addressing the potentially conflicting expectations for prevalent activities from different parties involved. We propose that certain aspects of employee development, such as the employer-manager relationship may be more suited to investigation through qualitative paradigms, but that ultimately we also need more evidence for long term outcomes at different levels (e.g. the individual and the organization).

UK managers' conceptions of employee training and development

“…Several of these are positioned at the organisational level; examples are Human Resource Development orientated approaches (Thomson et al, 1998), the learning organisation (Senge, 2006) or Human Capital Theory (Davenport, 1999, a commonality between these models being that outcomes are often concerned with the enhancement of performance. Other development approaches consider individual differences and motivation such as theories of managerial competence (Boyatzis 1982;2008), the effects of feedback (Ilgen et al, 1979;Kluger and DeNisi 1996) and factors influencing participation in development activities ( Maurer et al 2002b;Maurer and Tarulli, 1994).…”

“…Maurer et al, 2003). A continuously changing work environment has made cyclical training necessary (Buckley and Caple, 2007), on-the-job training being considered most effective, only a fifth of UK managers believing that formal courses are the most effective method (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Mabey, 2008), may or may not entail an explicit career relevant element and may or may not be formally planned and agreed (Rowold and Kauffeld, 2009). …”

“…Several of these are positioned at the organisational level; examples are Human Resource Development orientated approaches (Thomson et al, 1998), the learning organisation (Senge, 2006) or Human Capital Theory (Davenport, 1999, a commonality between these models being that outcomes are often concerned with the enhancement of performance. Other development approaches consider individual differences and motivation such as theories of managerial competence (Boyatzis 1982;2008), the effects of feedback (Ilgen et al, 1979;Kluger and DeNisi 1996) and factors influencing participation in development activities ( Maurer et al 2002b;Maurer and Tarulli, 1994).With regard to learning arising from any such activity, it is implicit across these theories that individuals will develop more effectively if they are cognisant of their 6 strengths and weaknesses, and thus take responsibility for changing their behaviour if supported by appropriate development activities. Unlike for training, where learning is characterised as occurring through instruction and skill acquisition (Goldstein and Gilliam, 1994), learning through development is characterised by reflection.…”

Peut-on gérer la performance et le bien-être des employés? Une revue de littérature et quelques propositions de recherche sur les pratiques innovantes en gestion de la performance

“…Par ailleurs, les activités de développement qui s'arriment aux pratiques de gestion de la performance comme la rétroaction multisource (360 degrés) ou les centres de développement sont surtout ponctuelles et orientées sur une fonction de diagnostic et d'évaluation (McDowall et Mabey, 2008…”

Development of personnel internal benchmarking by 360 feedback approach with a case study in AT Pipe Company

“…They concluded that evaluation of 360° performance is a simple practical solution that can provide valuable information for senior managers of the organization. McDowall and Mabey (2008) surveyed four different functions of growth evaluation, leadership, 360° feedback and central expansion. They concluded that categorizing of the evaluation approaches contains defect because the expansion form of such functions had shown dependency upon the relationship between their managers and authorities.…”