Human Resource Development Quarterly最新文献

Training employees in new competencies is crucial for ensuring organizational sustainability and success. Consequently, organizations allocate significant resources to training initiatives. As training constitutes a substantial investment, it becomes imperative to identify and categorize factors that enhance the transferability of training. This necessity becomes particularly pronounced in the context of online training, which is being increasingly adopted by organizations for various reasons, including cost efficiency and flexibility. While the adoption of online training is on the rise, research on factors that enhance the effectiveness of such training remains limited. This study aims to address this gap by introducing a taxonomy of factors that influence the transfer of online training. These factors are categorized into four broad themes: computer (digital) literacy and attitudes, learner characteristics, training design and planning, and the learning environment along with organizational factors. Additionally, the study maps these factors to the intended outcomes of training (knowledge, skills, and attitude) and the participants engaged in the training sessions, providing a comprehensive overview of ongoing research and identifying areas for future investigation. Drawing insights from an evaluation of existing literature, the research not only points toward potential research directions but also offers practical implications for designing more effective online training sessions.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) presents a promising yet volatile environment for international business. US-centric models dominate management/leadership studies in the Arab Gulf Region, while emic, indigenous, and context-specific studies remain scarce. To rectify this epistemic injustice, we have conducted a qualitative Type 3 (emic-as-emic) indigenous ‘critical incident' study of managerial behavior exhibited by expat and local managers within MNCs operating in Saudi Arabia. This has led to an emergent KSA-related two-factor taxonomy comprised of 15 behavioral dimensions (BDs) that differentiate effective managers from ineffective managers, as perceived by their Saudi colleague managers and staff. The positive (effective), and most of the negative (ineffective) BDs are endorsed by Islamic and tribal Wasta values, thus lending support to literature on culturally endorsed implicit leadership theories, while simultaneously calling for increased attention toward proximal cultural factors rather than distal national cultural dimensions. Comparing our findings against those of an equivalent study in the United Arab Emirates reveals significant similarities and interesting differences, thus challenging the notion of a homogenous ‘Arab culture'. The derived taxonomy offers an insightful, contextually relevant, and richly described understanding of specific types of managerial behavior that managers within MNCs in Saudi Arabia, and perhaps in other Arab Gulf desert countries, should strive to emulate or conversely avoid if they are to be perceived effective by their respective superiors, peers, and subordinates. After discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings, we outline the limitations of the study and suggest several directions for future research.

Research on lecturers' achievement goals and their impact on professional learning in higher education is a topic that has assumed importance in recent years. However, previous studies have neglected the multidimensionality of informal workplace learning and ignored the differences between self-based and social-based informal learning. Based on the Achievement Goal Theory, we propose positive links between learning approach goals and self-based informal learning, as well as positive links between normative goals and social-based informal learning. Findings from a first cross-sectional study with 317 lecturers from higher education institutions in Germany show associations that are largely consistent with our hypotheses. While learning approach goals are moderately related to self-based informal learning, normative avoidance goals are slightly related to social-based informal learning. In a second study, 185 lecturers from higher education institutions in Austria received three text-based vignettes and answered a survey about which teaching-related informal learning activities they would use in specific situations (i.e., before, during, and after the teaching phase). The results replicate most of the findings from the first study; however, the results are not stable when various control variables are included. Moreover, the associations between achievement goals and informal learning are largely consistent across the simulated semester, although lecturers with strong learning approach goals engage in self-based informal learning particularly before and during the teaching phase. Our findings provide support for the notion that personal motivational characteristics, in the form of achievement goals, are associated with informal learning in the workplace. We conclude by discussing practical implications for those teaching in higher education.

Meaningfulness is a fundamental psychological need and can result in numerous positive outcomes for employees and organizations. However, little is known about how inclusive leadership can promote employees' sense of meaningful work. Drawing upon self-determination theory, we posit that inclusive leadership enhances meaningful work through creating psychological safety and fostering learning from errors. Inclusive leadership improves work meaningfulness as it contributes to better job attributes. Study hypotheses were tested using a multiple-study research design, including a two-wave field study of 317 full-time employees (Study 1) and a randomized experimental vignette methodology with 440 participants (Study 2). Findings from both studies support the hypothesized mediation model and suggest that inclusive leaders enhance employees' meaningful work mediated through psychological safety and learning from errors.