Effective Training: Strategies,
Systems and Practices
Linkage between Strategy, Tactics,
and Objectives
Competitive Tactical Activities
Strategy
• Mission
• Opportunities Unit Unit
Employee
• Threats Objectives Strategies
Objective
• Strengths and Tactics
• Weaknesses
Implementation, Evaluation, and Feedback
Chapter 2 2
Mission, Strategy, Technology,
Structure Relationship
ENVIRONMENT
EXTERNAL INTERNAL
STRATEGY STRATEGY
TECHNOLOGY STRUCTURE
MISSION
Chapter 2 3
Factors Influencing Environmental
Stability
Complexity
High Low
S
T High Moderate Low
A Uncertainty Uncertainty
B
I
L High Moderate
I Low Uncertainty Uncertainty
T
Y
Chapter 2 4
Conditions Increasing the
Importance of HR Issues –
Part 1 of 2
High rate of change in Requires employees who can develop or adapt
market demand products and services quickly
High level of Requires employees who can forecast more
uncertainty in market accurately and react more flexibly
demand
Rising costs combined Requires employees with wider range of KSAs so
with competitive fewer people can do more things well
pressures on profit
margins
High rate of Requires employees who are more
technological change technologically literate and current
Chapter 2 5
Conditions Increasing the
Importance of HR Issues –
Part 2 of 2
More complex Requires employees who can process and
organizations analyze complex information from a variety of
(number and type of sources
products, technologies,
locations, customers,etc.)
More diverse labor Requires employees who can interact effectively
in many cultural and ethnic contexts
Smaller labor pool Requires more effective use of existing
employees and better recruiting of new
employees
Chapter 2 6
Relationship between Competitive
and Human Resource Strategies
External Environment
COMPETITIVE
STRATEGY
Labor Corporate
Market Production Technology Culture
HUMAN RESOURCE
STRATEGY
Labor
Economic Relations Employee
Conditions Climate KSAs
Chapter 2 7
Components of learning
Organization – Part 1 of 3
Personal mastery Continual clarification and deepening of one’s
personal vision. It connects personal with
organizational learning.
Mental models
Deeply ingrained assumptions and
generalizations that influence how we
understand the world. Until these are
brought to the surface, little learning takes
place that doesn’t conform to these models.
Building a shared vision Sets up a creative tension pulling individual
visions into a common desired future, thus
galvanizing a group to goal accomplishment.
Chapter 2 8
Components of learning
Organization – Part 2 of 3
Team learning As the learning blocks of organizations, teams
must learn for the organization to learn.
Systems thinking A framework for seeing the interrelationships
rather than the things that are related.
Systematic problem Decision making relies on the scientific method
solving and data rather than guesses, hunches and
assumptions. People are skilled in the use of
basic statistical techniques for analysis.
Experimentation A focus on expanding knowledge rather than
responding to current difficulties. Failure of
experiments is accepted as a way of gaining
knowledge.
Chapter 2 9
Components of learning
Organization – Part 3 of 3
Learning from The lessons of experience are documented in a
experience form that that is accessible and understandable to
employees.
Learning from others Knowledge is gained from what others do and
how they do it, rather than from the results they
have achieved. Benchmarking and similar
practices are encouraged.
Transference of For the organization (not just individuals) to learn,
knowledge knowledge must be documented and made
transferable quickly and easily.
Chapter 2 10
Questions for the Strategic Planning
Process in a Small Business
1. Why are we in business?
2. What are we trying to achieve?
3. Who is our competition and how can we beat them?
4. What sort of ground rules should we be following to get the job
done right?
5. How should we organize ourselves to reach our goals and beat
the competition?
6. How much detail do we need to provide so everyone knows
what to do?
7. What are the few key things that will determine if we make it?
How should we keep track of them?
Chapter 2 11
Environmental factors affecting the
selection of a training strategy
Training Law and
Providers Regulations
Organization’s
Business HR Strategies
Strategies
Resources Allocated Training Needs
to Training
Organizational
Culture HRD Function
Staff Size and
Core Competencies
Training Economic
Technology Conditions
Chapter 2 12
Questions to Assess Training
Provider Capabilities – Part 1 of 2
What is their background (education, experience, etc.)?
Have they ever provided these particular training programs or
services before?
Have they conducted formal evaluations of their results? If so,
what have been the results?
Can they give you the names of people in these companies who
could speak knowledgeably about the trainer’s products and
services?
Can they give you names of those who were recipients of the
service and those who brought the training provider into the
organization and oversaw the training or the service?
Chapter 2 13
Questions to Assess Training
Provider Capabilities – Part 2 of 2
Can they provide an outline of their approach and/or process?
How do they go about developing a program, delivering
training, or providing a training service?
If they are providing training they have already developed, can
they show you materials, such as handouts, exercises, and
videos?
Since these are not specific to your organization, how will they
alter them to make them appropriate for your situation?
Chapter 2 14
Steps in a Generic Planned Change
Model – Part 1 of 2
1. A compelling need for change is established.
2. Goals are developed and agreed to by the concerned parties.
3. The cause of the need for change is determined
4. Alternative approaches for addressing the cause are identified
and evaluated.
5. An approach to addressing the cause is selected.
6. The approach is carried out.
Chapter 2 15
Steps in a Generic Planned Change
Model – Part 2 of 2
7. The results of the approach are evaluated.
8. The results are fed back to the organization.
• If results are favorable, go to step 9.
• If results are unfavorable, go back to step 4.
9. The change becomes internalized. The changes that have been
made become routine and normal ways the organization
conducts its business.
Chapter 2 16
Force-field analysis model
Driving Forces
Current
Situation
Restraining Forces
1. Identify the current state of the situation.
2. Envision the desired state.
3. Identify the forces restraining change.
4. Identify the forces that support or encourage change.
5. Assess the strength of the forces.
6. Develop strategies to:
reduce the forces restraining change
increase the forces for change (or capitalize on existing drivers).
Chapter 2 17
Differences Between OD Practicioners
and Trainers
Issue OD Practicioner Trainer
Role Strategic Tactical
Client Top management Middle to lower level
management
Response to problems
with organizational Challenge and confront Work around or
politics, structure, etc. within the system
Organizational
Overly analytical Gets things done
perception
Chapter 2 18