Learning and Development

Unit-01
Introduction to Learning and
Development

Semester-02

Master of Business Administration

 UNIT
INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING
AND DEVELOPMENT

Names of Sub-Unit

Concept, the meaning of learning and development, learning vs training, the scope of
activity, the importance of exercise, objectives of training, problems of movement, the
significance of development, differences between training and development, the
evolution of movement to learning

Overview

The unit begins by explaining the meaning of training, the scope of training, the importance
and objective, and the problems of training. Further, it discusses the evolution of training to
learning and the differencebetween learning and training.

Learning Objectives
In this unit, you will learn to:
 Define training
 Describe the importance and objectives of the training
 Discuss learning and development
 Differentiate between education and training
 Distinguish between training and development
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you would:
 Assess the scope of training
 Evaluate the problems of training
 Analyse learning and development
 Justify the evolution of training to learning
 Identify differences between training and development

Pre-Unit Preparatory Material

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-ZT9mwDpI0

Table of Topics

1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 TRAINING
1.2.1 SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING
1.2.2 OBJECTIVES OF TRAINING
1.2.3 PROBLEMS OF TRAINING
1.3 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
1.3.1 EVOLUTION OF TRAINING TO LEARNING
1.3.2 LEARNING VS. TRAINING
1.3.3 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
1.4 CONCLUSION
1.5 GLOSSORY
1.6 CASE STUDY: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT SIEMENS
1.7 SELF- ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1.8 ANSWERS FOR SELF- ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1.9 POST UNIT
1.10 TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

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1.1 INTRODUCTION

Traditionally, organisations viewed training and development as routine processes that could
not help create value and deal with competitive challenges. However, now, this view of
organisations has changed. Over the years, organisations that use innovative training and
development practices w i l l likely achieve better financial performance and attract and
retain talented employees at all levels. Therefore, nowadays, organisations invest a
considerable amount in maintaining practical training and development processes. Effective
training and development practices help employees to strengthen their skills and abilities and
promote new and innovative ideas. This, in turn, results in overall quality, improved customer
service, enhanced productivity, organisational effectiveness, and so on. Training and
development also build a corporate culture with cordial employee-employer relationships,
teamwork, collaboration among different subunits and dynamism. Although training and
development serve a common purpose, the two have specific differences.

Training is an organised activity for enhancing or developing employees' skills and knowledge
base to improve their current job performance. On the other hand, development is a process
of building employees' competencies for future versions. Thus, training is job-oriented,
whereas development is career-oriented. Perspective in training is short, and stand in
development is long. The need for training arises when there is a lack of skills among
employees, whereas development is a personal driveor ambition.

1.2 TRAINING

Hiring skilled and qualified personnel is of paramount importance to any organisation.

However, to achieve success in the long run, an organisation needs to train and educate
its employeesto increase their knowledge base and develop new skills. This not only leads to
the development of employees but also increases their productivity, thereby leading to
organisational effectiveness. Training is an organised process that involves teaching or
providing instructions to improve recipients' performance or help them achieve a required
level of knowledge or skill.

The following are the popular definitions of training:

In the words of Edwin Flippo, Training is the act of increasing the knowledge and skills of an
employeefor doing a particular job.

According to Michael J. Jucius, Training is any process by which employees' attitudes, skills

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 and abilities to perform specific jobs are improved.

In the words of Gary Dessler, Training refers to the methods used to give new or present
employees theskills they need to perform their jobs.

Training is a crucial function of the Human Resources (HR) department. An organisationneeds

to build a culture of training in its staff to remain flexible and well-trained in the latest
techniques and innovations. Therefore, an organisation needs to develop a formal and
systematic training program to ensure its staff are continuously trained in the rapidly
changing technological environment. In addition, it helps the team fill the gap between
the expected and actual outputs required by the organisation. Figure 1 shows some
questions related to training:

What is the required level of

OBJECTIVES professional skill-, rule-
and/orknowledge-based
TRAINING

Which skill, rule and or

NEEDS knowledge-based
behaviourshould be

How should the skill-, direction and

MEANS
knowledge-based behaviour be

Figure 1: Pre-considerations of Training

Source: https://www.researchgate.net/

1.2.1 Scope and Importance of Training

An organisation needs to focus on maintaining a pool of efficient employees to meet its goals
and objectives within the stipulated time. Therefore, the organisation must have a successful
training programme that can improve the knowledge and skills of employees and increase
their productivity.

In an organisation, the primary purpose of a training programme is to improve the

performance of employees. Training is not limited to new employees but also extends to

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 the existing employees of anorganisation. Organisations nowadays invest a considerable
amount in conducting training programmes todevelop the skills of their current employees.
This helps employees to adjust quickly to the changing business environment.

The following points explain the need and importance of training :

 Training is required to inform new employees of their roles and duties, organisational
processes and functions, etc. This enables new employees to adapt to the work culture of
theorganisation.
 Training leads to the building of efficient and effective teams, enabling the organisation
to respond quickly to changes in the business environment.
 Training motivates employees to work toward accomplishing organisational goals and
objectives by providing them with a clear picture of the organisation’s expectations.
 Training improves the knowledge of employees about their job roles, which leads to
enhanced productivity and organisational effectiveness.
 Training focuses on developing the intellect and personality of employees so that they
can perform effectively.
 Training inculcates a sense of team spirit, teamwork and inter-team collaboration,
which helps employees to adapt to team culture.
 Training enables employees to identify their strengths and use them to recognise and
correct their weaknesses.

1.2.2 Objectives of Training

In an organisation, training is required to achieve the following objectives:

 Enhanced performance: Training helps improve the quantity and quality of the
work output byenhancing employees' knowledge, skills and productivity.
 Time- and cost-effectiveness: Training helps reduce the time for learning and also
minimisesthe cost of meeting the acceptable level of performance.
 Constant learning: Training brings uniformity to the performance of employees.
 Talent selection: Training involves identifying capable employees and training them for
higher jobswhich, in turn, prevents managerial uselessness.
 Effective use of materials: Training facilitates employees to make economical use of
raw materials, tools and equipment.
 Low level of accidents: Training reduces industrial accidents and damages to

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 machinery andequipment.
 Self-reliance of staff: Training helps minimise the need for detailed supervision of
workers bymaking them self-reliant.
 The positive attitude of staff: Training improves employees’ job satisfaction and
morale by developing a positive attitude among them.
 Development: Training enables employees to utilise and develop their full potential.
 Low absenteeism and turnover: Training reduces the rates of absenteeism and labour
turnover.

1.2.3 Problems of Training

Training human resources is the function that leads to an increase in skills, knowledge
and abilities ofhuman resources for meeting the needs of an organisation.

Let us understand some problems of training:

 Organisations are unable to provide requisite or appropriate training to the employees.
 Absence of core problem analysis to understand the root cause of performance issues.
This leads toirrelevant training.
 Training may be a better response than other management solutions like improving the
workprocess, changing the work environment or communicating expectations.
 Training is a two-way process. Sometimes, management is interested in providing
training, but thereneeds to be more employee interest.
 Training only works when employees want to take responsibility for their development.
 No support from the management side.
 Training employees can be costly for the organisation.
 Training can also show a low return on
investment.Figure 2 shows the beneficiaries of
training:

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 Figure 2: Different Beneficiaries of Training
Source: https://aadepi.files.wordpress.com/

1.3 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Learning is when an individual acquires and develops knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviour
and attitudes. The process of learning is never-ending. It improves current capabilities and
prepares people for future new or higher responsibilities. In an organisation, education can
be formal or informal.

The following are the types of learning which are as follows:

 Informal learning: This is an experiential type of learning which takes place
randomly. Informallearning is not pre-planned; it is self-directed.
 Workplace learning: This is a type of learning in which specific methods are followed
to enhance knowledge. It occurs through coaching, mentoring, job rotation or through
e-learning within the organisational settings.
 Formal learning: This is a planned and systematic form of education that uses well-
defined training and structured programs that include instruction and can be
conducted on- or off the job.
 E-learning: E-learning is defined by Pollard and Hillage as the delivery and
administration of learning opportunities and support via computer, networked and
web-based technology to helpindividual performance and development.

Development is the complete holistic growth and maturity of an individual. HR

professionals conduct various learning programs that help human resources perform wider
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 or increased roles and responsibilities. Development activities are planned, structured,
continuous and systematic learning processes and overall personality growth. These
activities help an organisation to develop a manager’s conceptual, analytical and
decisional-making abilities. The development of human resourcesis a combined effort of
the employees and the employer to enhance and upgrade the current human resources
skills and knowledge. Upgrading knowledge is essential to survive with changes taking
place in the environment. Therefore, just like training, development is also crucial to
organisational growth.

The following points explain the need for development in organisations:

 Increased efficiency and reduced wastage: Development aims at strengthening the
skills and competencies of employees for future job performance. Employees who acquire
better skills and knowledge tend to commit fewer mistakes and work efficiently. In this way,
development reduces the possibility of accidents and mishaps, reducing wastage and
increasing efficiency.
 Increased employee morale: Like training, development also improves employees'
confidence by enhancing their knowledge base, skills and abilities. The high morale of
employees is reflected in theirlevel of enthusiasm, willingness and interest in the job.
 Improved industrial relations: Effective development practices lead to strong
interpersonal skills, discipline and regularity. This leads to healthy relationships between
employees and the management and between the organisation and various external parties
like suppliers, customers, shareholders, etc.
 Optimum utilisation of resources: Development enables employees to utilise
organisational resources better. This prevents the wastage of resources, which, in turn,
reduces the organisation’s cost and increases profitability.
 Fast response to change: Today’s business environment is subject to dynamic changes.
It is of utmost importance to an organisation to quickly adapt to these changes to stay
ahead of the competition. Development programmes prepare employees to embrace
changes wholeheartedly by identifying their strengths, utilising them, and improving their
weaknesses.

1.3.1 Evolution of Training to Learning

The following will present an overview of the different styles of T&D that have been
implemented throughout history:

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  Apprenticeships (400s-1400s): Apprenticeships originated in the Code of Hammurabi
(the law that governed ancient Egypt in 2000 B.C.). During the Middle age,
apprenticeships were the first type of training practice. Because of the increase in
trades, craftsmanship became more demanding As a result, most children were sent
as apprentices to learn skills required for craftsmanship to succeedin this line of work.
 Vestibule Training (1800s): Intensive training became essenti a l for the people
working in factories during the industrial revolution. This is because people needed the
knowledge and skills to work with the machinery installed for manufacturing goods and
services. In this setting, vestibule training was considered the near-the-job training
carried out within the factory, but in a separate room that could store machines with
up to ten workers and their trainers.
 Role Playing (the 1930s): Role-playing was devised in the 1910s by the psychiatrist
Doctor Jacob Moreno. It was the new method of training where employees were placed
in the kind of situation theycould encounter in the workplace in future but in a
controlled environment. Role-playing enables employees to physically interact and
correctly apply the needed skills to a particular situation.
 JIT (1940s): This training practice was popularised during World War II. JIT is Job-
Instruction- Training which was designed for “supervisors in defence plants” so that they
can obtain the requiredskills to be then able to train their workers in different areas.
 Computer-Based Training (1980s): This training was developed in 1959 under PLATO
(a system). Computer-based training received more attention during the late 20th
century because technology quickly advanced and modernised. CBT gave more
flexibility to people as they acquired more knowledge and newer skills through online
channels.

1.3.2 Learning vs. Training

Training is the process of giving information with the help of speech, written word or
other ways of demonstration in a particular manner for instructing the trainee. Learning
is grasping information to increase skills and abilities to use the studied matter.

Table 1 shows the comparison between learning and training:

Table 1: Comparison between education and training

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 Point of Learnin Trainin
Difference g g
Meaning The process of acquiring The method of teaching someone
knowledge, skills and abilities a specificskill or type of behaviour.
through study, life experience, or
other things being taught.
Tenure Learning is a long-term process. Training is a short-term process.
Focus On developing career On developing urgent skill needs
Learner or Trainee Any individual The masses
Objective To build conceptual and general To build skills related to specific
knowledge of an individual jobs or role-related work.

1.3.3 Differences between Training and Development

Training is increasing the employees' technical skills required to perform the current job. In
contrast, development is the process of improving the overall growth of employees by
preparingthem for future employment.

Table 2 shows the difference between training and development:

Table 2: Difference between Training and

Development

Point of Training Developm

difference ent
Scope It is a narrow concept. It is a broad concept. Training is a
part ofdevelopment.
Validity or Training is only valid for the Development is valid for both
suitability present job. currentand future jobs.
Applicability Training applies to a particular Development is not job-specific.
job.
Target audience Training applies to employees Development is generally
working at the operations level. applicable to employees working
at the middle and top
management levels.

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 Methods Training primarily uses on-the- Development primarily uses off-
job training methods. the-job training methods.
Skills and Training develops employees' Development improves
knowledge physical and mental skills to intellectual abilities such as
perform their current job leadership skills, interpersonal
efficiently. skills and decision-making skills of
employees to prepare them for
future jobs.

1.4 CONCLUSION

 Training is an organised activity for enhancing or developing employees ' skills

and knowledge base to improve their current job performance.
 Development is a process of building the competencies of employees for future
performance.
 Training is a crucial function of the Human Resources (HR) department.
 In an organisation, the primary purpose of a training programme is to improve
the performance ofemployees.
 Training may be a better response than other management solutions like
improving the workprocess, changing the work environment or communicating
expectations.
 Learning is when an individual acquires and develops knowledge, skills,
abilities, behaviour and attitudes.
 In an organisation, learning can be formal or informal.
 Upgrading knowledge is essential to survive with changes taking place in the
environment. Therefore, just like training, development is also crucial to
organisational growth.
 Training is the process of giving information with the help of speech, written word
or other ways of demonstration in a particular manner for instructing the trainee.

 Learning is grasping information to increase skills and abilities to use studied matter.

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 1.5 GLOSSORY

 Learning: A phase in which an individual acquires and develops knowledge, skills,

abilities, behaviourand attitudes
 Training: An organised activity for enhancing or developing the skills
 Development: A process of building the competencies of employees for future
performances
 Formal learning: A planned and systematic form of learning
 Informal learning: An experiential type of learning

1.6 CASE STUDY: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT SIEMENS

Case Objective

This case aims to highlight Siemens' training techniques.

Siemens is an electrical and electronic engineering company. It recruits around 20,000

people in the United Kingdom and invests significantly in Research and Development
(R&D) for more innovation. Therefore, it becomes difficult for Siemens to analyse
training programme needs and human resource needs as it requires many skilled
human resources in the fields of Information Technology, engineering, business and
other areas.

Siemens focuses more on cost reduction. It performs workforce planning and introduces
various training and development programs because recruitment involves more cost
than training and development. In addition, it presents entry-level development
programs for those fresh graduates who are about to join Siemens to start their careers.

The following are the development programs introduced by Siemens:

 Apprenticeship Program
 Siemens Commercial Academy (SCA)
 Siemens Graduate Programs (SGP)

Siemens offers technical apprenticeships and provides Higher National Diploma (HND)
in relatedfields to the graduates who participate in the training program. It also
initiated an entrance test within the Siemens Academy for financial and commercial

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 talent.

It supports talent for further qualification and training through IET or IMech. Training
and developmentprograms help Siemens:
 Develop a pool of flexible and adaptable human resource
 Maximise existing employees’ productivity and earn more revenue
 Make employees more confident, innovative, enthusiastic and skilled
 Establish employees’ trust and commitment to the organisation
 Attract fresh talent and skilful human resource

Source: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/siemens/training-and-development-as-a-
strategy-for-growth/conclusion.html

Questions

1. Analyse the workforce planning and training program of

Siemens. (Hint: Apprenticeship, Siemens academy, Training in a
related field, etc.)
2. Where was Siemens more focused?

(Hint: Cost, training, installing new IT services)

3. Recruitment cost is more than training and development. Do you agree with this
statement? Discuss.(Hint: Flexible and adaptable staff earns more revenue, etc.)
4. How training helped Siemens?

(Hint: Flexible and adaptable employees, more revenue)

5. List down the programs offered by Siemens.

(Hint: Technical apprenticeship, Higher National Diploma)

1.7 Self- Assessment questions

A. Essay Type Questions

1. An organisation must train and educate its employees to succeed in the long run.
Define training.
2. The process of learning is never-ending. In an organisation, education can be formal or

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 informal. Explain the types of learning in detail.
3. Training is essential because it represents an excellent opportunity for employees to grow
their knowledge base and improve their job skills to become more effective. Describe the
importance of training.
4. Training is giving information, while learning is about grasping information to increase
skills. Differentiate between training and development.
5. Training has been around for ages. Various training methods have taken shape over
the years. Discuss the evolution of the movement.

1.8 Answers for Self- Assessment questions

A. Hints for Essay-Type Questions

1. Training is an organised process that involves teaching or providing instructions to

improve recipients' performance or help them achieve a required level of knowledge or
skill.Refer to Section Training
2. In an organisation, learning can be formal or informal. Refer to Section Learning and
Development
3. An organisation must have a successful training programme that can improve the
knowledge and skills of employees and increase their productivity. In an organisation,
the primary purpose of a training programme is to enhance the performance of
employees. Refer to Section Training
4. Training is increasing the employees' technical skills required to perform current jobs. In
contrast, development is the process of improving the overall growth of employees by
preparing them for future employment. Refer to Section Learning and Development
5. Intensive training became necessary for factory workers during the industrial revolution.
Refer to Section Learning and Development

1.9 Post Unit

 http://www.aabri.com/NO2013Manuscripts/NO13056.pdf

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 1.10 TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

 Discuss various steps involved in the training process.

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