Determinants Of Effective Training Transfer In Organizations: A Case Of The Kenya Judiciary

Abstract

Effective training is an important element to the performance and success of an organization. It indicates that it is a major challenge in many organizations in Kenya. This is to say that ineffective training can cause significant problems in an organization such as low employee motivation, lack of innovation, decreased performance and failure to apply the new learning on the job as expected and subsequently no Return on Investment. It thus leaves one with the question what are perceived to be the determinants of effective training transfer among employees in an organization. This study therefore sought to investigate the determinants of effective training transfer in organizations with a focus on the Kenya Judiciary. The study was guided by the following objectives: to find out the perceptions of employees on effectiveness of training delivery; to examine training transfer outcomes as a result of employee self-appraisal; to analyze the impact of employee facilitation on the effectiveness of training transfer; and to examine ways of support for training transfer. The study was based on Kirkpatrick’s (2000) 4 level evaluation model which argues that effective training must be based on needs, reachable targets, benefits and that effective methods must be done at the right time, place and to the right target for results. The study adopted a descriptive survey design to collect data. A target population of 450 was used out of which a sample size of 150 was picked though simple random sampling. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data respectively. Quantitative data was analyzed with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 and presented using tables. Qualitative data from interviews was analyzed based on content analysis. The study revealed that effective training transfer in an organization is determined by the quality of training delivery, close support of the employees by the management and supervisors. The study findings indicated that effective training transfer had a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Obtained results showed that there was a significant positive relationship between employee perception on training delivery, employee self-appraisal, employee facilitation, and support of training transfer in the Kenya Judiciary. Moreover, the findings revealed that there is a significant positive moderating effect between motivation and effective training transfer. The moderating effect strengthened the positive relationship between employee perception on training delivery, employee self-appraisal, employee facilitation, and training transfer support. The study recommended that organizations including the Judiciary should device learning transfer framework to ensure robust learning, organizational learning culture and support for an effective training transfer. It further recommended that the Judiciary should adopt an effective training transfer strategy engraved in its business strategy characterized by organization’s regularly analyzing training and communicating the same strategy to employees. The study suggests future studies should look at training transfer in other judicial institutions for a comparative study.