Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assignment - Research Paper Example Even though that is an increase on previous studies that have shown the percentage of businesses who measure results that are directly attributed to training efforts as a lot lower, the fact still remains that showing a direct causality between training and training programs is still a problem. Two problems that will be the focus of this study will be (1) finding variables that are directly impacted by training methods and (2) accounting for other influences of change that also might be causal reasons for the changes in the variables identified. While companies often measure their business success through sales figures, customer complaint numbers, accident figures, staff absences and similar statistics these same figures only offer a statistical reference if applied to staff training and its effectiveness. However anecdotal evidence is harder to ascribe measures to. Questionnaires have been used with some effectiveness to determine employee opinions on training programs, and how the same employees feel their skill set has improved because of the training (Olian et al, 1998). But the problem with using similar methods to accurately gauge the return on investment for the training in the workplace is that the data is often self-reported which comes with its own set of limitations. Another issue is that to get an accurate measure of improvements relating directly to training, a methodology would have to include a way of collecting data on a range of variables that included post-training behaviors as well as behaviors during and after the training had been finished. Also to ensure that some other causal element (such as a change in staff moral due to the implementation of training program) has not influenced the data collected (Olian et al, 1998). The purpose of this study will be to collect data and analyze the methods used in