Organizational learning through training effectiveness: evidence from the hospitality industry in Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose To understand the unique context forming organizational learning, the current study aims to investigate the antecedents of training and development (TD) practices as an indicator of effective organizational learning from the Vietnam hospitality sector, which has not been studied rigorously. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative data analysis, including a path analysis partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) based on a sample size of 354 responses and a semi-structured interview of 32 participants to test various paths predicting training effectiveness while exploring contextual differences in the Vietnam hospitality sector. Findings The results show that among the variables investigated, extrinsic motivation, team support and job quality were found to be significant to TD, while intrinsic motivation was found to have no significant predictive power. To explore the reasons behind these findings, the interviews indicate that the motivations of employees in the hospitality sector, most of whom are young and have a limited length of service, are highly rooted in the organization’s cultural context. Originality/value This study contributes to understanding the complex context of organizational learning through an investigation of an emerging economy from Southeast Asia by adding new insights into the training and motivational theories. It has practical implications for practitioners in the hospitality sector to develop more effective learning organizations during the uncertain period of this unprecedented pandemic.

Context dependent approaches to learning organization

“…Employees who have a stronger sense of belonging are also more motivated to continue their training and learning (Bashir & Long, 2015). However, Han et al (2022) could not confirm that length of service predicts the effectiveness of training in the Vietnamese hospitality industry. The reason could be that the majority of respondents were young and part-time, but also not particularly interested in developing their careers in the companies they worked for, which is often the case in the hospitality industry.…”

“…However, clear organizational policies and processes can be useful guiding mechanisms to enable effective engagement, learning and knowledge transfer and compensate for other missing elements. Han et al (2022) also noted that supervisor support is a very important element for effective employee training and development in a country characterized by greater power distance. In such an environment, employees expect their supervisors to act as role models and recognize their efforts to learn and transfer knowledge.…”

“…The special section, guest edited by Robert J. McClelland, Seng K. Kok and Anh-Duc Hoang, contains contributions on contemporary approaches to learning organization in the Asia-Pacific region, with special emphasis on Vietnam and India. In this issue, Han, Nguyen, Hua, and Pham (2022) 2023) explained the challenges in ensuring economic progress in Vietnam and suggested that organizations use the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) as a tool for transforming into a learning organization, which they also validated in this country. Rai and Maheshwari (2023) showed us how an organization can respond to a crisis such as a declared COVID-19 pandemic and emphasized the dimension of learning during lockdowns.…”

“…The special section, guest edited by Robert J. McClelland, Seng K. Kok and Anh-Duc Hoang, contains contributions on contemporary approaches to learning organization in the Asia-Pacific region, with special emphasis on Vietnam and India. In this issue, Han, Nguyen, Hua, and Pham (2022) used a study of the Vietnamese hospitality industry to explain what facilitates effective training. Nyuyem et al (2023) explained the challenges in ensuring economic progress in Vietnam and suggested that organizations use the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) as a tool for transforming into a learning organization, which they also validated in this country.…”

Training effectiveness and organizational learning

“…This review is based on “Organizational learning through training effectiveness: evidence from the hospitality industry in Vietnam” by Han et al (2022) published in The Learning Organization .…”