training & development managment

Introduction

Training and development views have changed drastically over the past years . Gone are the days when the issue was regarded as matter exclusive to the human resource department Additionally , some strategic issues can be linked to training and development management . This research proposal will focus on the relationship between training and development management and best fit vs . best practice strategies (Herzberg , 2001

An analysis of best practice and best fit principle

Before one can establish a link between training and development and the best fit or best practice benchmarks

. It is necessary to define their meaning . Best fit advocates assert that all human resource strategies need to be aligned to the business strategy in to create or sustain competitive advantage . Therefore , these proponents believe that business strategy comes first then other human resource policies such as training and development need to be adjusted to suit that organisational strategy (Pfeffer , 1994

On the other hand , best practise proponents assert that an organisation with the right human resource polices such as good training and development approaches can motivate its employees to the extent they can cause the specific organisation to gain or sustain competitive advantage . In this regard , best practice advocates consider employee motivation as the key issue then other issues can follow after . In this case , policy is more important than strategy (Kohn , 1993b

As it can be seen there are some similarities between best practice and best fit models both models attempt to connect the human resource strategy with that of the organisation However , the approaches used in both instances are different . The research aims at comparing the similarities and differences between the two issues with regard to training and development management and a conclusion drawn on the matter (Kohn , 1993b

How training and development management are related to best practice and best fit models of strategy

The most outstanding reality between best practice and best fit models with regard to training and development is that both principles recognise the importance of training and development in sustaining competitive advantage . However , there are differences on how this can be implemented (Herzberg , 2001

Best fit advocates believe that training and development should be encouraged by linking it to career development The more training and skills employees gain , the more productive they become and the more their development should be . Best fit proponents argue that companies need to reward employees who have undergone training by giving them higher level jobs . They assert that when employees are given more complex jobs after training , this can be seen as a way of boosting their efforts (IPC , 2001

Additionally , best fit advocates assert that training and development prepares employees to be horizontally integrated into the organisation . Training and development is the tool with which employees can diversify and add value to the organisation . In this regards , employees who have undergone more training are liable to more promotions . Best fit advocates believe that employees with the highest ranks or promotions ought to be the ones...