The Influence of Pre-training Factors on Motivation to Transfer Learning at the Post Training Stage

Abstract

Transfer of training is the ultimate aim of training investment and the key to maintain competitive advantage in today’s rapidly changing operating environment where organizational success often depends on the motivation with which employee can learn and apply new ideas and information. While previous researches have focused on factors at the training stage influencing motivation to transfer training at the post-training stage, this study investigates the influence of pre-training factors. Particularly, pre-training performance self-efficacy, learning readiness, perceived content validity, and organization openness to change. The result should assist managers and trainers to ascertain the trainee state of preparedness before the training program to anticipate successful transfer of learning from the workshop to the workplace. A survey of high and vocational school teachers in Thailand participating in 5 days training on cloud computing integration in teaching was made using the Learning Transfer Inventory System (LTIS). Results show that learning readiness, perceived content validity, and organization openness to change influence the motivation to transfer at the post-training stage. Thus, framing the training program in the way trainees can answer to the questions “can I do this task?”, “do I want to do this task and why?” at the pre-training stage influence motivation to transfer. An implication to managers is that employees’ selection for training should take into consideration trainees’ perceptions in order to anticipate motivation to transfer at the post-training stage.