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Contents
- Abstract
- Commitment, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation as Antecedents and Outcomes of Training
- Training Fulfillment
- Method
- Recruit Training
- Participants
- Procedure
- Measures
- Analysis Strategy
- Results
- Effect of Pretraining Attitudes and Individual Variables
- Tests of Hypotheses
- Discussion
- Training Fulfillment
- Implications
- Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research
- Conclusions
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Abstract
The development of organizational commitment, academic self-efficacy, physical self-efficacy, and motivation was examined in a socialization-type training context with data collected from 666 military trainees. The hypotheses were that (a) training fulfillment, or the extent to which training meets or fulfills a trainee's expectations and desires, (b) trainee reactions, and (c) training performance would be related to the development of posttraining attitudes. Support was obtained for each hypothesis. Training fulfillment was positively related to posttraining organizational commitment, physical self-efficacy, academic self-efficacy, and training motivation, even after pretraining attitudes and a set of individual variables were controlled. Pretraining motivation, trainee reactions, and training performance were also related to the development of posttraining attitudes.
Employees, managers, and organizations are increasingly turning to training as a means to address work issues (Goldstein, 1989). For example, training is used to improve current job skills, to prepare for career advancement, and to retool for new or changing job requirements. It is also a common point of entry into the organization (Goldstein, 1980a). Training programs have become, in many cases, the main socialization process for new employees (Feldman, 1989). Yet little is known about the impact of training programs on the individuals who enter work through those programs (Goldstein, 1980b).
Kirkpatrick (1976) suggested that, when examining the impact of training programs, one should consider trainees' reactions, learning, and behavior change, along with subsequent organizational results. However, Feldman (1989) noted that research should also examine how attitudes and values change in training settings. This is particularly relevant for those training programs that provide employees with their first indication of what the organization is like. The present study addressed the research needs raised by Goldstein (1980b) and Feldman (1989) by examining how training can influence the development of trainees' attitudes and beliefs as they enter an organization. Individual differences in trainees' attitudes and expectations may be...