Unit 1: Training fundamentals
Training and Development notes · PTU syllabus (BBA-631)
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Unit summary
Training builds the skills employees need today; development prepares them for tomorrow. This unit covers the conceptual aspects, objectives and importance of training and development, how training needs are identified, and the methods used for training need assessment at organisation, task and person levels.
After this unit you can
- Define training and development and distinguish between them
- Explain the objectives and importance of training
- Explain the identification of training needs
- Describe methods of training need assessment
PTU syllabus topics
- Conceptual aspects
- objectives and importance of training and development
- identification of training needs
- methods of need assessment
Organisational analysis
Where is training needed?
Task analysis
What must be learned for the job?
Person analysis
Who needs training?
Topic 1
Conceptual aspects of training and development
Training is a planned process to modify attitudes, knowledge or skill behaviour through learning experiences, to achieve effective performance in an activity (Michael Armstrong). Development is a long-term educational process by which employees learn conceptual and theoretical knowledge for general purposes and future roles.
Focus
Current job
Future jobs and career
Time frame
Short term
Long term
Scope
Specific skills (technical)
Broad abilities (conceptual, managerial)
Initiated by
Management
Often the individual
Target
Operatives and new staff
Managers and executives
Example
Training a cashier on a new POS system
Leadership programme for a branch manager
- Education is broader still — general knowledge and understanding of the environment.
- Learning is the relatively permanent change in behaviour resulting from experience; training is one way to achieve it.
Learning principles applied to training
- Motivation: trainees learn better when they see the value of learning.
- Practice and repetition: active practice improves retention.
- Feedback: knowledge of results reinforces learning.
- Reinforcement: rewarding correct behaviour (Skinner).
- Transfer of training: applying what is learnt to the job — identical elements, stimulus generalisation.
- Whole vs part learning and spaced vs massed practice.
Topic 2
Objectives and importance of training
Individual
Improve skills, confidence, career growth
Organisational
Higher productivity, quality, reduced waste and accidents
Functional
Keep departments effective, support new technology
Societal
Ethical, responsible and employable workforce
Importance (benefits)
| To the organisation | To the employee |
|---|---|
| Higher productivity and quality | Better skills and job performance |
| Lower supervision and wastage | Greater confidence and job satisfaction |
| Fewer accidents | Career growth and promotion |
| Adaptation to new technology | Higher earnings |
| Lower turnover and absenteeism | Personal growth and employability |
| Builds a learning culture and talent pipeline | Adaptability to change |
Exam tip
In long answers, explain importance from both the organisation's and the employee's viewpoint — a two-column table scores well.
Topic 3
Identification of training needs
Training need = Desired (standard) performance − Actual performance. A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) identifies who needs training, what training, and why.
- 1Identify training needs (TNA)
- 2Set training objectives
- 3Design the programme
- 4Implement (deliver)
- 5Evaluate and give feedback
Signals that indicate training needs
- Low productivity, poor quality, rising customer complaints.
- High accident rates and wastage.
- Introduction of new technology, products or processes.
- Changes in laws and regulations.
- Promotions, transfers, new recruits.
- Performance appraisal results and employee requests.
Exam tip
Not every performance gap is a training need — a gap caused by poor tools, unclear instructions or low motivation needs a different solution.
Topic 4
Methods of need assessment
- Organisational analysis
Where in the organisation is training needed? Goals, resources, climate
- Task (operational) analysis
What must be done? Job duties, KSAs required
- Person (individual) analysis
Who needs training and what? Performance gaps
- Organisational analysis: examines strategy, goals, resources, HR inventory, efficiency indexes (cost of labour, wastage), climate surveys; identifies where training will have most impact.
- Task analysis: study job descriptions and specifications; break the job into tasks and identify knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed.
- Person analysis: compares the employee's actual performance with standards; uses appraisals, tests, self-assessment.
Techniques for collecting TNA data
| Technique | Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Observation | Real work data | Time-consuming; observer bias |
| Questionnaires and surveys | Reach many people cheaply | Low response, superficial answers |
| Interviews | In-depth understanding | Costly, time-consuming |
| Focus groups | Multiple viewpoints | Dominant members may influence |
| Performance appraisal records | Already available | Appraisal errors |
| Tests and assessments | Objective measurement | Measure only what is tested |
| Critical incidents | Identify key behaviours | Rely on memory |
| Records and reports | Hard data (accidents, rejects) | Do not reveal causes |
Example
A bank finds rising complaints about slow service in one region (organisational analysis); the task analysis shows tellers must use a new core banking module; person analysis shows new recruits score low on the system test — so they receive targeted software training.
Key terms
- Training
- A planned process to improve skills, knowledge and attitudes for the current job
- Development
- Long-term learning for future roles and growth
- Training need
- The gap between desired and actual performance
- TNA
- Training needs analysis at organisational, task and person levels
- Transfer of training
- Applying learning from training to the job
Quick revision
- Training = current job, short term; development = future, long term.
- Learning principles: motivation, practice, feedback, reinforcement, transfer.
- Training process: TNA → objectives → design → implement → evaluate.
- TNA levels: organisation, task, person.
- Techniques: observation, surveys, interviews, appraisals, tests.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.Define training.
- Q2.Distinguish training and development.
- Q3.What is a training need?
- Q4.What is task analysis?
- Q5.Name four techniques of need assessment.
- Q6.What is transfer of training?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain the concept, objectives and importance of training and development.
- Q2.Discuss the principles of learning applicable to training.
- Q3.How are training needs identified? Explain the three levels of training needs analysis.
- Q4.Explain the methods and techniques of training need assessment.
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