All Cases For Employee Training & Development 9th Edition By Raymond Noe

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All Cases For Employee Training & Development 9th Edition By Raymond Noe Chapter 1 Zappos: Facing Competitive Challenges 1.

What challenges discussed in the chapter will have the greatest impact on Zappos's continued success as an online retailer? For each challenge you identify, explain how training and development can help Zappos overcome them.

There are a number of challenges that may have a significant impact on Zappos. Below are examples of four such influences:

2.

o

Economic Cycles—during the pandemic, more and more people shopped online; thus, more specialized training is needed to help employees deliver exceptional quality service

o

Globalization—the company likely faces intense competition; training catered to online retail can help employees develop customer service skills and operating efficiencies specialized for an online retail environment.

o

Changing Demographics and Diversity of the Workforce—training should focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion for both supervisors and employees; the company and consumer base is very diverse, and training which highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion is paramount for continued success as a company.

o

Talent Management—training should focus on recruiting and selection, training and development, and performance management for supervisors; the company should also have an effective boarding program to socialize employees into the company

Which of Zappos’s ten core values do you believe training and development can influence the most?

The least? Why? The values that training and development can most influence include Delivering Wow Through

Service, Pursue Growth and Learning, Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communications, Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit, Embrace and Drive Change, and Do More With Less. For example, training employees to develop interpersonal skills such as teamwork, change management, communications, and lean operations can help support these values. Creation of the Zappos.com library supports the company’s Pursue Growth and Learning value.

The values of a more affective nature (Be Humble, Be Passionate and Determined, and Create Fun and a Little Weirdness) are more difficult to train and are more inherent in the employees themselves.

Employee selection may be particularly relevant to hiring the right individuals who embrace such values. That said, new hire orientation programs may be of value to socialize employees to these values.

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3.

Do you think that employees at Zappos have high levels of engagement? Why? Do you think their level of engagement remained high throughout the pandemic? Justify your position.

Zappos’s employees seem to have very high levels of employee engagement. The company has a positive organizational culture that is characterized by fun, growth, learning, team spirit, and freedom.

The company uses monthly engagement surveys to obtain feedback from employees, and the results from which are reflected on and acted upon by administrative staff appropriately.

On one hand, employees’ engagement levels may have decreased during the pandemic if they were working from home. Zappos has a unique culture, and telework may have negatively impacted this fun culture. On the other hand, given that most of the employees’ work is interacting with customers on the phone, they still might have been engaged appropriately during the pandemic.

Chapter 2 Learning at iCIMS 1.

What aspects of learning at iCIMS are strategic?

Many aspects of learning at iCIMS are strategic because learning is supported by top management with the appropriate resources, goals, and support systems. o iCIMS made a strategic design to offer courses internally and through external vendors (e.g., LinkedIn Learning). o The company has a dedicated learning budget for each department. o The company has overarching learning-centered goals and dedicated strategic learning partners. o Managers and employees are expected to be ongoing learners and are rewarded for their learning efforts.

2.

What other information do you need to know to more holistically evaluate whether learning is strategic or not?

Information about the company’s business strategy and which types of learning activities correspond to its overall strategic direction is necessary. For example, what learning initiatives are higher-level and intended to support the organization overall? In addition, evaluation data would be valuable for examining the extent to which the company’s learning efforts lead to better organizational results and return on investment (ROI). If the company evaluates its learning efforts, it is demonstrating that it is concerned about the strategic impact of learning. More significantly, this process will shed additional light on whether the investments in learning are contributing to the company’s intended objectives.

Section 1 Case—Learning in Practice Alexa, Tell Me About Learning at Amazon.com, Inc. 1.

Which forces or challenges influencing working and learning will Amazon’s efforts help it to overcome? Explain your choices and their supporting rationale.

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o o o o

2.

Amazon’s efforts will help to recruit employees in times of tight labor market conditions Similarly, Amazon’s efforts will also help improve its employer brand Its efforts should help to combat the challenges of employee retention In addition, Amazon’s efforts will help to overcome a skills deficit, both within the company and the communities where it focuses its outreach efforts

Does learning at Amazon support its business strategy? Explain your answer.

It appears that learning at Amazon supports the company’s business strategy. Amazon is confronted with a number of business challenges (as highlighted above), and its learning efforts seem to be aligned with combating these challenges. These investments in learning appear to be quite significant and are presumably supported by top management. Given this commitment of resources and support, learning efforts seem to be aligned with the company’s strategic efforts.

3.

Provide Amazon with a recommendation regarding the metrics it should collect to show the success of its training and education efforts. List the training and education initiative and the metrics you recommend for it. Provide a rationale for the metrics you recommend.

Below are some metrics that could be used to show the success of Amazon’s efforts: o Recruiting and retention rates—these efforts should attract people to the organization and cultivate a more positive, long-term work environment o Employee satisfaction and commitment scores—given that the learning efforts should create a more favorable work environment, it could be valuable to examine employee satisfaction and commitment scores o Promotion rates—with greater learning, more individuals should be promoted from within because they have the requisite skill sets for higher-level positions o Customer satisfaction scores—these efforts should lead to greater service quality o Number of positive media stories—regarding its outreach efforts, the company should track and quantify the number of positive media stories written about the company’s learning investments

Chapter 3 Identifying Training Needs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 1.

In addition to the interviews, meetings with subject-matter experts, and analysis of participant feedback from an existing training program, what else could APHIS have done to conduct the needs assessment? Describe the method, why you would recommend it, and who would be involved.

One could look at historical data to determine training needs. For example, one could look at the results of 360-degree feedback, employee climate surveys, and/or exit interviews to determine what the company is doing well and where it could improve regarding management and supervision.

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In addition, one could collect new data from employees themselves (i.e., employees whom the supervisors manage). Depending on resources and time, there could be focus group interviews or a needs assessment survey. Regarding content, the employees could be asked which skills they believe supervisors need most to improve upon and where they are performing well. Given that employees are the ones being managed, involving them in the needs assessment process would yield some potentially valuable insights for how to best design the training.

2.

Would you recommend your method replace or be used in addition to the methods already in use?

Explain.

Given that data from multiple sources would yield a more holistic perspective, the additional methods could be used to supplement the other data already in use.

Chapter 4 Revised Training for the U.S. Navy 1.

What instructional characteristics does the Navy's new training program include that facilitate learning and transfer? List each of the characteristics and explain how it enhances learning and transfer.

The following characteristics facilitate learning and transfer: o

Experiential learning; experiential learning is important because it involves hands-on application

o

Realistic and high-fidelity training; realism and high fidelity are in line with the principle of identical elements; when training is more realistic, it is more likely to be retained

o

Variety of practice opportunities; different types of practice opportunities will help ensure that the recruits are competent in different areas

o

Increased training time and multiple interactions of practice; increased practice time and multiple interactions of practice help to promote high-impact learning through increased involvement in different areas of training

o

Feedback during practice via bellringing; feedback allows recruits to know when they are performing well and inform them on how to improve if they are not performing well

o 2.

Follow up training after boot camp; follow up training will enhance the likelihood transfer

What transfer of training theory has been used to design the training? Explain the theory and how it is being used in the training.

Regarding transfer of training, it appears that the theory of identical elements is used throughout, given that the training is highly realistic regarding needs assessment, practice, and feedback. Social learning theory also appears to be relevant because they trainees are learning by observing others, coupled with repeated practice and feedback.

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3.

Explain how a community of practice (COP) could be beneficial for Navy training.

Communities of practice are groups of employees who work together, learn from each other and have a common sense about how to get work accomplished. The idea behind communities of practice is that learning occurs as a result of social interactions. Individuals can share best practices and new insights with each other.

Chapter 5 Designing Effective Sales Training at Harrison Pharmaceuticals 1.

What are your recommendations for how the program could be redesigned to help the sales reps recall what they had learned? Provide your recommendations and explain why you believe they will help the sales reps improve their effectiveness.

One recommendation is to incorporate distributed practice, where training is divided into smaller chunks over time. As opposed to having an intensive three-day session, the sessions could be spread out over a longer period of time. Along the same lines, follow-up training sessions could be conducted virtually to help the employees retain the content. Virtual follow-up sessions may be convenient and relatively inexpensive.

Another recommendation is to provide follow up support to enhance the transfer of training.

Specifically, the employees should be provided with resources that they can easily access after they initially learned the material. This content should relate to the technical content, which was deemed to be too dense.

Chapter 6 Training Relationship Managers at KCB Group 1.

What outcomes should KCB Group collect to determine the effectiveness of the new training program?

Using Kirkpatrick’s model of training evaluation as a framework, the following outcomes could be addressed: Reactions Upon completion of the program, trainers’ affective reactions could be assessed. For example, trainees could be asked about whether they enjoyed the program, whether the instructor created a supportive learning environment, and if they found the new training approach useful.

Learning Learning would be assessed by evaluating the trainees’ knowledge through tests, case studies, and roleplays. Moreover, their self-efficacy could also be measured.

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Behavior/Transfer Behavior/transfer should be assessed by having the trainees complete an assessment post-training relating to the extent to which they are using their new knowledge and skills on the job. Data could also be collected from the bank’s customers on the employees’ performance to assess how the employees are using their new skills.

Results The results/outcomes that could be assessed include customer retention and the adoption of new products and services by customers.

ROI: A cost benefit analysis could also be performed by comparing the costs and benefits of the new program.

2.

What evaluation design should it use? Explain your choice of design and outcomes.

For reactions and learning, a post-test only design could be useful. A post-test only design may be beneficial because prior to training trainees can be expected to have similar levels of knowledge and behavior. In this case, one would look to see if the evaluation scores are reaching a certain standard after training. If feasible, adding a control group to assess learning and transfer could be advantageous. If control groups are used, branches should be randomly assigned to either the training condition or the control condition.

A pre-test, post-test design may be appropriate for looking at results. In this case, one could look at the change in customer retention and products/services from time 1 to time 2.

Section 2 Case—Learning in Practice Learning Online at PepsiCo 1.

What instructional features or learning concepts did the game-based Six Sigma training include that were responsible for its positive results? Identify the aspect included in the game and explain its relationship to the instructional feature. o o o o

o

The pre-training area was helping to orient individuals with the technology and the game; thus, aiming to make individuals more comfortable with experience The game involves teamwork, which makes the online experience more active and engaging The game focuses on real-world problems; as such, there appears to be high psychological fidelity and the incorporation of identical elements The game starts easy and then gets progressively harder; beginning relatively easy should have helped trainees’ self-efficacy beliefs and allows for learning and growth as difficulty increases The game is relatively short (45 minutes); online learning experiences should be relatively short to maintain trainees’ attention

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o

2.

The game was followed by a team debriefing and discussion; this design element is important to help promote transfer and retention

What additional outcomes should PepsiCo collect to further understand the effectiveness of the game-based training program? Identify the outcomes and explain why they should collect it.

Given that the focus of the training is on building pallets faster with fewer errors, it would be particularly important to examine the results of this training. That is, one could look at the speed of pallet creation and number of errors. One could employ a pre-test, post-test design, where before and after scores are compared. In addition, one could include a control group of trainees (e.g., individuals who were trained online without the game and/or individuals who were trained with live, face-to-face instruction.) The use of control groups would help to determine which training design is most effective.

3.

Did PepsiCo conduct a formative evaluation of the new Six Sigma training? If so, what did they do and why was it important? If not, explain why they should conduct this type of evaluation.

Pepsico did conduct a formative evaluation of the training. According to the case, PepsiCo’s training team and other experts reviewed the final version of the new Six Sigma course making sure every tested every aspect was consistent, user-friendly, and appropriate to teach Six Sigma’s key concepts.

They tested the game for “bugs” to make sure it worked. Formative evaluation involves pilot testing, where the pilot testing group is then asked to provide feedback about the content and the methods of delivery. This feedback enables the trainer to make any needed improvements. Formative evaluation is important because content can be changed to be more accurate, easier to understand, or more engaging. Moreover, training methods can be adjusted to improve learning.

4.

What are the potential disadvantages of using a game-based simulation in training? List and explain the reason for each disadvantage you provide. What features of the program are most responsible for its positive results? Identify the features and explain why they are responsible.

There are two primary potential disadvantages of using a game-based simulation in training that might adversely impact individuals’ motivation to play to game. One, some individuals may find the game “childlike,” and they may not take the simulation seriously. Two, some individuals may not be comfortable using the technology. This issue may be particularly problematic for older individuals, who may still prefer live classroom experiences, compared to younger individuals who may be more comfortable with technology.

At the same time, the game appeared to yield a number of positive results, and a number of design features were likely instrumental in its success (as discussed above in #1). o The pre-training area was helping to orient individuals with the technology and the game; thus, aiming to make individuals more comfortable with experience o The game involves teamwork, which makes the online experience more active and engaging o The game focuses on real-world problems; as such, there appears to be high psychological fidelity and the incorporation of identical elements

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o

o o

The game starts easy and then gets progressively harder; beginning relatively easy should have helped trainees’ self-efficacy beliefs and allows for learning and growth as difficulty increases The game is relatively short (45 minutes); online learning experiences should be relatively short to maintain trainees’ attention The game was followed by a team debriefing and discussion; this design element is important to help promote transfer and retention

Chapter 7 Developing Leadership at Farm Bureau Financial Services 1.

Describe the methods or combination of training methods you would use to develop these competencies. Justify your choice of methods.

Fundamentally, this training focuses on business-related and interpersonal skills, which represent higherlevel skills. For this type of training, a combination of methods should be used. For example, this training could include both presentation and more active methods. The training could begin with a brief lecture addressing the focal content. In turn, a discussion with questions and answers would be helpful because the trainees may have a number of questions. These methods could then be followed by a role play activity and/or case studies. In addition, it may be valuable to create a game or related activity to reinforce the material.

Chapter 8 Training Customer Service Team Members at Valvoline Instant Oil Change 1.

What technology-based training method would you recommend for training customer service team members? Why? Online classroom training with breakout rooms for discussion and/or role plays could be viable.

Breakout rooms with 6-8 trainees would make the online training experience more engaging. Training would take place over the course of 2-3 sessions (under 45 minutes each).

2.

Briefly describe the learning features you would include and why you recommend including them.

The following features would be embedded in the learner experience. Fundamentally, the goal is to engage learners more strategically, given the inherent challenges of online learning. Learning features include: o Providing content in short sequences over which learners have control o Connecting modules in a way that engages learners o Providing activities and exercises that parallel the work environment o Distributing exercises within and among modules

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Chapter 9 Mentoring at Roscoe Property Management (RPM) 1.

What characteristics of this mentoring program contribute to its effectiveness? o o o o o

2.

There is a rigorous selection process for mentors The mentors receive training for interacting and engaging with protégées The mentors are paired with protégées who hold the same position The mentors and protégées meet on a regular basis (weekly) The protégées receive valuable feedback.

Does this program contribute to employees’ development and career needs? How? Explain your answer.

It appears that the program contributes to the employees’ development and career needs, as evidenced by significant reductions in turnover and testimonials that protégées valued the feedback they received. (That said, what is not known is how the program leads to promotion and advancement.) The program is also valuable for the mentors because they were able to develop their managerial skills through the experience.

Section 3 Case—Learning in Practice Building a Workforce at Huntington Ingalls Industries 1.

How does the apprenticeship and augmented reality training described in the case facilitate learning?

Transfer of training?

The apprenticeship program facilitates learning and transfer of training in several respects. The length of the program, which spans several years, will ensure that the requisite knowledge and skills are being taught and retained. Perhaps more significantly, the program involves both classroom and hands-on practice. The classroom experience is useful for learning “textbook” knowledge; while the hand-on application allows trainees to further learn and apply content in a real-world setting. The hands-on practice is essential for learning and transfer because it is realistic and incorporates a high level of identical elements. Similarly, the augmented reality training is valuable because it incorporates a high-level realism with computer technology.

2.

What evaluation outcomes should Huntington Ingalls measure to determine the effectiveness of its apprenticeship program? Pre-hire training? Augmented reality training?

The pre-hire training program, which focuses on basic skills needed to become an electrician, welder, pipefitter, or shipfitter, could be evaluated by examining the level of knowledge acquisition at the end of the program. Moreover, transfer of this content could be examined by looking at the success of trainees in subsequent courses in the apprenticeships. In addition, one could look at the retention rates of trainees in the apprenticeships. Given that the pre-hire training program is intended to facilitate success later on, examining success in the apprentice program appears warranted.

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As with the pre-hire training program, success in the apprenticeship program could be evaluated by examining knowledge acquisition via written tests and knowledge retention of the program. In addition, observation of trainees’ performance would be useful for assessing their on-the-job learning components and knowledge application. In addition, another metric that should be examined is placement in full-time positions upon completion of the apprenticeships.

With respect to the augmented reality training, examining trainee reactions would be valuable. Given that this technology is relatively new and that many trainees may not be accustomed to it, assessing if the trainees found the program to be useful and engaging appears to be especially important.

Beyond looking at scores from a test at the end of the training, transfer should be evaluated by the trainees’ supervisors through observation checklists. Since this training focuses on how to operate equipment properly, supervisors could observe the trainees’ on-the-job performance to help determine if the training is successful.

3.

What challenges do you think that Huntington Ingalls faces in designing apprenticeship programs?

Explain your answer.

Cost management—the programs appear to be fairly expensive; thus, they need to be well designed within budget constraints Trainee engagement—not all trainees may be fully committed to the programs; there will always variability in motivation among learners Coordination—the programs seem fairly large; administering them requires a high level of attention to detail Content standards—the programs must be designed to meet the trade standards in each area

Chapter 10 Black Professionals at Coca-Cola 1.

Propose a plan for what Coke should do to increase the representation of Black professionals and executives in the company. Explain the rationale behind each aspect of your proposed plan. Make sure you indicate how you would determine the progress and success of your proposed plan. o o o o

Increase recruiting efforts of Black professionals; focus on targeted recruiting sources that likely reach Black Talent Ensure that Black professionals receive appropriate mentoring and training to help them grow in their careers more quickly Reinstate the company’s policy of linking executive compensation to diversity enhancement Given the issues regarding the company’s culture, unconscious bias training may be helpful for all individuals across the organization.

Recruiting is important to secure the right talent from the onset. Mentoring and training are needed

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to ensure that individuals further develop their skillsets to advance and develop their social capital in the company. Reinstating the company’s incentive plan for diversity will help motivate the company’s top executives to focus on the recruiting, development, and retention its Black talent. Training all employees in diversity sends the message that the company is committed to the success of all employees.

With regard to benchmarking, one could look at the recruiting rates across different sources and participation rates in mentoring and training. Moreover, one could look at the advancement and retention rates of Black talent.

Chapter 11 Robots Make the Choice Cuts at Tyson Foods 1.

Do you think that robots can totally replace human meat cutters? Why or Why not? What skills will meat processing employees need to be trained in to work alongside robots?

It appears that, to a large extent, robots can replace human meat cutters, based on the trends discussed in the case. Given that the skill set of meat cutting is moderately straightforward, coupled with impressive increases in technology, replacing human meat cutters seems feasible. To work alongside robots, individuals would need to develop new skills to perform their newly designed job responsibilities and troubleshooting skills. It is likely that individuals will need to be trained to be much more technologically savvy and develop competency for troubleshooting technological issues.

They will also need a higher level of basic skills, which can be learned through company training.

Section 4 Case—Learning in Practice Eastern Bankshares Diversity Efforts 1.

What could be responsible for the lack of Black, Latino, and Asian employees in middle- and upperlevel positions at Eastern Bankshares?

Perhaps unconscious biases among decision-makers is coming into play among decision makers in the company. In addition, the case does not discuss training and mentoring as strategies to enhance greater diversity representation. Thus, formal and informal training for people of color may be lacking.

In addition, the culture may not be wholly conducive to diversity and inclusion. In this regard, it is possible that non-Whites might self-select out of higher-level positions because they may believe that their values are not congruent with the company’s values.

2.

What actions should Eastern Bankshares take to accelerate the movement of Black, Latino, and Asian employees into these positions?

The company could establish affirmation action goals to increase diverse representation, without adversely impacting White males. As noted above, formal training and mentoring could be useful to accelerate the movement of Black, Latino and Asian employees into high-level positions.

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3.

Evaluate Eastern Bankshares current efforts to manage diversity. What grade would you give them (A, B, C, D, or F)? Provide an explanation for your grade. If you were the diversity consultant, what recommendations would you give them to improve their diversity and inclusion efforts? List your recommendations and provide a rationale for each one.

It appears that the company is doing fairly well with diversity and inclusion, so likely they would receive a score in the B to A- range. Implementing strategies highlighted above could be advantageous for improving their score.

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