Exploring Factors Influencing the Transfer of Training using a Grounded Theory Study: Issues and Research Agenda

Transfer of Learning in a Distance Education Programme in South Africa

“…One of the reasons for this could be lack of motivation or support from the supervisor. Wan Hamid, Mat Saman, and Saud (2012) describe the transfer process as involving training input factors, training outcomes, and conditions of transfer. The training input factors are training design, trainee characteristics, and work environment characteristics.…”

“…Other scholars (Rouiller and Goldstein 1993;Facteau et al 1995;Cheng and Hampson 2008;Blume et al 2010; Grossman and Salas 2011; Ling and Yusof 2017) have since buttressed this. Therefore, much work has gone into further exploration of what other hidden variables exist within the work environment (Colquitt et al 2000;Seidel 2012;Wan Hamid et al 2012;Bhatti et al 2013;Renta-Davids et al 2014;Baldwin et al 2017). Because studies have shown unequivocally the importance of support at workplace to transfer of training, Ford, Baldwin, and Prasad (2018, p. 209) further prescribe "going a step beyond in two particular areas: (a) investigating workgroup support as a multidimensional construct and (b) creating post-training interventions that have the potential to have larger impacts on transfer than we currently have found."…”

“…Authors (Baldwin and Ford 1988;Caffarella 2002;Mafuse et al 2012;Wan Hamid et al 2012;Punia and Kant 2013;Khan et al 2015;Ford et al 2018) are of the consensus that transfer of training refers to the successful and ongoing application of what trainees have learned in a training program to their job. However, to Ford and Weissbein (1997), the application should extend to the generalization and maintenance of the new knowledge and skills.…”

“…According to Wan Hamid, Mat Saman, and Saud (2012), most transfer studies have their roots in Human Resource and Development (HRD), which appears to explain the reason for the low uptake of the theme in educational or technical fields. This is understandable in view of the fact that the field of HRD needs to justify the huge amount it expends on training and retraining of staff (Punia and Kant 2013).…”

“…This chapter opines that work environment characteristics fall within the latter category. Although Baldwin and Ford (1988) earlier observed the paucity of research into trainee and workplace characteristics in the field of HRD, according to Wan Hamid, Mat Saman, and Saud (2012), most research studies still focus on design factors, while there is limited literature on individual trainees' characteristics and environmental factors. In addition to the latter, literature shows there is a continued trend of inadequate research into some of the most important characteristics of the work environment (Foxon 1994;Khan et al 2015).…”