Human Resource Development Strategy and Tactics CHAPTER 5: Role of Learning in HRD BUS 314 Spring 2011 Semester 312 Instructor: DR NAILAH AYUB

CHAPTER 5: Role of Learning and HRD Context The ability to learn if influenced by our innate potential and social experiences ▫Learning may occur spontaneously and unstructured (without much conscious effort)- automatically ▫Learning may require greater attention, practice, and reflection Learning takes place within a social context where the behavior of others influence our learning ▫We are active participants interacting with and relating to the environment around us 2

Learning within an Organization It is the responsibility of the management to identify and facilitate learning activities ▫Create an effective learning environment that embraces both the traditional planned and structured activities and the incidental, accidental, or informal learning ▫Recently, shared responsibility between the employer and the employee (importance of psychological contract)

What is Learning Learning involves a relatively permanent change Learning experience can be direct or indirect Physical maturation is not learning Learning does not always result in a desirable change Learning may occur through planned training interventions or informally

Training and Learning Training is planned and structured ▫An individual characterized as instructor/trainer Learning concerns skills, emotional development, motivation, social behavior, and personality ▫Actually doing something in a different way ▫It may not be evident until a situation arise ▫Learning is generation, acquisition, and utilization of knowledge

The Motivation to Learn Feedback and support from others Involvement and sense of contribution Ability to see the job through to the end Belief in your ability to do the job well Sense of responsibility and accomplishment Fair treatment Benefits and rewards (represent motivation theories)

(De)Motivators of Learning Lack of interest and mundane nature of job Lack of feedback and recognition Unfair rewards and treatment Inadequate job equipment Unfair reward structure Inadequate remuneration and rewards

Need for Achievement McLelland (1988) – Four main motives: arousal-based and socially developed ▫Achievement ▫Power ▫Affiliation ▫Avoidance Preferences of people with high nAch ▫Moderate task difficulty ▫Personal responsibility for performance ▫Need for feedback ▫Innovativeness

Two-Factor Theory (Herzberg, 1974) Hygiene Factor: extrinsic to the job ▫Presence removes dissatisfaction but do not increase satisfaction but absence causes dissatisfaction ▫Include: Salary, company policy, supervision, working conditions, security status Motivating Factors: intrinsic to the job ▫Presence increases satisfaction but absence does not cause dissatisfaction ▫Include: achievement and autonomy, recognition and responsibility, advancement and growth, the work itself, meaningfulness

Equity Theory (Adam, 1965) Based on social exchange and fairness, and focuses on perception of how one is treated compared to treatment received by others ▫E.g., in work situation, skills, experience, ideas, and time are exchanged for a range of financial, social, and psychological rewards ▫Each individual has a notion of equity or fairness Inequity serves as a motivating force to correct the balance – to alter the outcomes, modify input, change comparison group Problems: ▫Subjective evaluation of the inputs and outputs ▫Appropriateness of those with whom we compare

Expectancy Theory (Vroom, 1964) People have preferences for certain outcomes over other outcomes. To be motivated, people must value the reward and see the connection between their behavior and the reward Focus on matching expectations and designing events or environments that facilitate individual achievement ▫See example, p137

How People Learn People learn by adding to their current stock of knowledge, skills, and attitudes Approaches to Learning ▫Trial-and-error ▫Advice on how to do a task ▫Imitate a demonstration ▫Think about methodologies ▫Observe ▫Adapt previous learning for new activities

Learning Theories: Reinforcement Theory Pavlov Classical Conditioning: Stimulus-Response association Skinner Instrumental Conditioning: Behavioral modification through series of stimulus-response reactions ▫Immediate vs delayed reward Reinforcers in the workplace ▫Compensation ▫Performance management ▫Performance-related pay ▫Performance appraisal

Reinforcement Theories Reinforcement at workplace: ▫Organizational Culture ▫Management Style ▫Organizational Structure ▫Power and Politics

Cybernetic and Information Theories Focus on how information is received and monitored ▫Feedback by instructor comments or given by simulators ▫Recognition of stimuli and perception are important in acquiring new skills

Experiential Learning Learning through observation and reflection Kolb et al (1974) four stages of experiential learning: ▫ dynamic and ongoing process Concrete experience Abstract concepts And generalizations Observations And Reflections Testing implications Of concepts in new situations

Cognitive Theories and Problem Solving Learning through accessing, processing, and transforming information from physical and social environment Learning by and through insight ▫Focus on free capacity to make sense of problems and reach their own solutions The ‘aha’ factor Action learning: not mere learning but ability to solve problems ▫Immediate problem solving ▫New problems that emerge ▫Dealing with problems one by one

The Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Used to assist learning and processing information effectively It explores the subjective experience of the processes by which people learn things. It comprises of: ▫Neuro: the neurological processes or the experiences through senses ▫Linguistic: Use of language or thoughts and behavior ▫Programming: how we choose to organize our ideas and actions

Key Stages of Neurolinguistic Programming Unconscious incompetence Conscious competence Unconscious competence ▫Needs practice NLP uses modeling skills (replication of of successful skills observed in others) NLP research comes from accelerated learning ▫Learn faster, remember more, and think creatively

Learning Cycles Learning and Task cycles will have 4 stages ▫Have an experience (take action) ▫Reflect on what happened (see results) ▫Draw conclusions (think about results) ▫Relate experience to their own situation (plan the next time)

Take action Think about results See resultsPlan next time experience Draw conclusions reflect Recall to own experience Take action Think about results See resultsPlan next time experience Draw conclusions reflect Recall to own experience TASK/LEARNING CYCLES