Opportunities to participate in formal and informal vocational learning activities and work-related outcomes in small professional services businesses

Abstract

Small businesses are characterised by resources constraints, therefore their managers need to know the exact nature of additional benefits, beyond knowledge and skill acquisition, that might accrue from employee participation in different types of learning activities. However, research that simultaneously examines the attitudinal and behavioural outcomes of opportunities to participate in formal and informal learning activities is sparse, especially in small businesses. The present study addresses this area of neglect by exploring associative relationships between opportunities for employees to participate in (1) formal learning activities and (2) informal learning activities and three important work-related outcomes: affective commitment; innovative behaviours; and work engagement. Data from 203 respondents in small professional services businesses were analysed and the results provide preliminary evidence that opportunities to participate in each type of learning activity is associated with differing outcomes. Opportunities to participate in formal learning activities was positively associated with heightened levels of affective commitment, work engagement and innovative behaviours, while opportunities to participate informal learning activities was positively related to work engagement. We provide suggestions for future research and outline practical implications of our analysis.

The self-initiated work adjustment for learning scale: development and validation

“…SIWAL may benefit individuals, as well as organizations that have continuous development and learning, high on their agenda. This is especially useful for organizations and work environments with few opportunities for formal training and development or without elaborated HRD policies, such as small and medium-sized enterprises (Coetzer et al, 2020). In these contexts, Self-initiated work adjustment SIWAL can serve as a tool to promote learning opportunities at work and reduce employees' dependence on organizational workplace learning initiatives.…”

“…While both formal and informal workplace learning contribute to the development of work-related competencies, informal learning in particular appears essential for adaptation to dynamic work situations (Nikolova et al , 2014). Informal learning refers to the self-initiated and self-directed learning through work practice (learning by doing) and interactions in the workplace (learning from others) (Battistelli et al , 2019; Coetzer et al , 2020; Noe et al , 2017). Informal learning has been positively associated with organizational and individual outcomes, such as productivity and competitiveness (Ellström, 2001), performance (Cerasoli et al , 2018; Noe et al , 2017), innovation (Battistelli et al , 2019; Holman et al , 2012) and positive work attitudes, such as work engagement (Cerasoli et al , 2018; Coetzer et al , 2020).…”

An instrument for strategic competence development in small and medium-sized industrial enterprises: the Competency Management Tool (CMT)

“…Zum Erhalt der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit sind die Betriebe darauf angewiesen, dass sich die Beschäftigten stets weiterbilden und ihre Kompetenzen erweitern (Buller und McEvoy 2012;Kraiger und Ford 2021;Noe et al 2014). Nachdem dieser Trend zum lebenslangen Lernen zuvor insbesondere bei größeren Unternehmen zu beobachten war, hat er in den letzten Jahren auch verstärkt bei den kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) Einzug gehalten (Coetzer et al 2020;Hof 2009). KMU haben eine hohe wirtschaftliche und soziale Bedeutung und tragen wesentlich zur Innovationsfähigkeit der Wirtschaft bei (Perkins 2018).…”

Competencies and Quantitative Techniques Possessed by Owners and Managers of SMEs in Uganda

“…All these are decisions to be made that need someone competent to handle them. This therefore makes it necessary for every business to have someone competent to manage it (Coetzer, Susomrith, & Ampofo, 2018).…”

“…1 particular SME (business). Employees too will be hired and relieved of their duties basing on their ability to add value to a business (Coetzer, Susomrith, & Ampofo, 2018). All these things are difficult to do in the absence of data.…”