The relationship between training outsourcing and employee commitment to organizationAbstractIn many countries, the human resource practice of training outsourcing has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments of the broader business process outsourcing industry. In spite of the growing popularity in professional practice, training outsourcing continues to be subjected to critical review and ongoing debate with most attention focused on the decision to ‘outsource’ or ‘not to outsource’. However, there exists a shortage of research on training outsourcing as a human resource development (HRD) practice and the potential relationships with desired organizational outcomes including employee commitment. This exploratory international study extends previous research that has examined the relationship between training and organizational commitment by focusing exclusively on outsourced training. Data were collected from information technology firms in two countries: India and the United States. Results showed positive relationships between specific measures of employee perceptions of quality, usefulness and supervisor support for outsourced training with organizational commitment. Recommendations are made for future research as well as for professional practice to guide HRD practitioners involved in the rapidly growing global practice of training outsourcing.

Creating an organizational culture of innovation: case studies of Japanese multinational companies in ThailandAbstractThe purpose of this study is to examine the predominant factors that lead to being an innovative organization from the employees’ perspective in Japanese multinational companies (MNCs) in Thailand. The study employed qualitative case study approach utilizing semi-structured interviews and a focus group, and involved nine participants from five different Japanese MNCs operating in Thailand. The study found that learning and development, participative decision-making, communication and tolerance towards conflict and risks, kaizen (continuous improvement) and leadership were the main factors in promoting innovation in organizations.

Turnover intention: the effects of core self-evaluations, proactive personality, perceived organizational support, developmental feedback, and job complexityAbstractDespite extensive examination of predictors for turnover and turnover intention, most studies have focused on attitudinal and behavioral aspects of individual employees. Based on a study of knowledge workers in a Korean conglomerate, we investigated the effects of personal (i.e. core self-evaluations and proactive personality) and contextual factors (i.e. perceived organizational support, developmental feedback, and job complexity) on turnover intention. There were modestly negative but significant correlations between the contextual factors and turnover intention. In addition, core self-evaluations were found to be negatively related to turnover intention. Managers and human resource development professionals could play a pivotal role in retention of these knowledge workers by building better practices related to organizational culture, providing job redesign, and engaging in other employee developmental practices such as coaching.

Comparison of the influences of structured on-the-job training and classroom training approaches on trainees’ motivation to learnAbstractIncreasing trainees’ learning motivation is critical to help them perform well in the training programme. This paper aims to examine the influences of the structured on-the-job training (S-OJT) and classroom training approaches on trainees’ learning motivation and learning performance. An exploratory study was conducted with 90 students from a vocational school located at the Yunlin County in the Midwest of Taiwan who enrolled in a course entitled ‘hair coloring’. The training modules for S-OJT and classroom training were developed and delivered in the training courses. The survey was administered prior to and after the training courses to assess the influences of the training approaches. It was found that the trainees who received S-OJT generated higher learning motivation and learning performance compared with those who received the classroom training. Moreover, the trainees with lower initial learning motivation were motivated more and generated higher learning performance after receiving S-OJT. This study provides the potential theoretical and practical implications and can serve as reference when choosing the training approach for a designed training programme.Challenges facing women leaders in Saudi ArabiaAbstractAs a result of increasing enrolment of women in all levels of education and various fields of employment and aspects of public life in Saudi Arabia, the last 10 years witnessed a growing participation of women in senior management positions and in the decision-making process in public and private sectors. Recent developments indicate a clear strategic direction of policy makers and development plans in Saudi Arabia towards an even greater role for women in public life and into top leadership positions in public domains. In spite of the considerable role of women in Saudi society, evidence suggests that women in leadership positions are facing a different reality from their male counterparts due to organizational, personal and cultural challenges that impede their effectiveness as leaders. Through a survey of 160 women leaders, this article attempts to identify the challenges that women leaders face in government sectors in Saudi Arabia. Findings indicate that the main challenges are: structural challenges, lack of resources and lack of empowerment, while cultural and personal challenges ranked last, contrary to common perception. The study ultimately provides a set of recommendations with implications for leadership development in general, in order to address challenges that women leaders face and enhance their leadership role.Employee development & organizational performance: a review of literature & directions for future researchAbstractThis review of literature examines the relationship between employee development and organizational performance. The research supports the commonly held belief that employee development programs make positive contributions to organizational performance. However, there continues to be limited information beyond this basic relationship. From an HRD perspective, research on employee development seems an area of high importance. Employee development means more than helping employees become continuous learners, regardless of the requirements of the organization. To be beneficial for both individual employees and organizations, research on employee development should seek greater understanding about the wide range of conditions within which employee development programs exist in organizations. Undertaking the three proposed research directions would do much for improving organizational performance in the long term.