The effectiveness and practical application of human resource development (HRD) programs in the semiconductor industry - a case study of SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd

Abstract

In a workplace where employees are constantly impacted by the environment of change, corporate leaders are faced with critical decisions among myriad choices about how to plan for and affect the evolving lifelong learning needs of their organizations. The challenge for Silterra Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Silterra) and it employees is to identify those needs, implement and execute them. As one of the pioneers in semiconductor fabrication industry in Malaysia, it is the intent of Silterra to create a legacy in the area of training and development. It is the goal of the company to become a learning organization.Continuous learning is a key success of a learning organization. To sustain as a learning organization, the HRD programs are used to develop competency sets for Siterra employees. The evaluation system developed hy Donald Kirkpatrick (1979) has been used to measure the effectiveness of HRD programs. However, there is an on-going debate in the field of evaluation about which is the hest approach to facilitate the processes involved. This article reviews current approaches to evaluation of training both in theory and practice applicable to Silterrra. The Kirkpatrick model indicates that the evaluation of the training effectiveness can be measured at four (4) levels: 0-7803-7673-0/03/$17.00 W O 0 3 IEEE 175 Level 1: Reactwn EvaluationReaction is the term that Kirkpatrick uses to refer to how well the participants liked a particular training program. Evaluation of partiapants' reaction consists of measuring their feelings and does not include a measure of actual learning. This evaluation uses a 'Happy' or 'Smiling' Sheet. Level 2: Learning EvaluationThe second level of analysis in the evaluation process is that of learning. Kirkpatrick d e h e s learning as the "principles, facts and techniques that were understood and absorbed by the participants" (p. 82) and identities a series of guidelines or standards for evaluation in terms of learning. When feasible, the evaluation results undergo statistical analysis so that learning can be Sewed in terms of correlation and/or levels of confidence. Level 3: Transfer-of-Learning EvaluationKirkpatrick's third level in the evaluation model is transfer of learning. In the HRD literature there are relatively few examples of studies that have specifically attempted to assess the t r m f e r of training skills or knowledge to the job. Even Kirkpatrick (1979, p. 86) warm, "evaluation of training programs in terms of on the job behavior is more diffcult than the reaction and learning evaluations." As a result, much training is delivered without a plan for measuring the transfer of training.At Siterra, the focus of this level of evaluation is on attitude or behavior change, skills upgrade, and knowledge enhancement (ASK). Level 4: Results EvaluationKirkpatrick's fourth level of evaluation is results or impact on the organization. Although measuring training prograns in t e i n s of results may be the best way to rneasure effectiveness, Kirkpatrick -elf (1979., p. 89) factors that it is...

Teacher Views on the Management of Learning Organizations in Selected Primary Schools in Turkey

“…Continuous learning is a key success of a learning organization (Lin & Razak, 2003), but Kirkpatrick (1979, as cited in Lin & Razak, 2003 warns that evaluation of training programs (human resource development) in terms of job behavior is more difficult to conduct than the reaction and learning evaluations. Teaching and learning form the foundation for the evaluation in schools.…”