Directions
Your answers should demonstrate via their length and depth an understanding of course concepts. Thus, some answers will be longer and more involved than others. It may be useful to take point values into account when responding.
Scenario One and Related Questions
Wexlers Grocery has 50 locations throughout the Midwest. Each location employs people in typical grocery positions (e.g., checkers, baggers, stock people who ensure that shelves are stocked, bakers, deli staff, managers). In addition to the store locations, there is a corporate headquarters that houses the organizations top management team and support functions (e.g., finance, legal).
At the store locations, there is a moderate degree of turnover among the checkers, baggers, and stock people. Many of the employees in these positions are high school and college students. There is less turnover among the other store positions.
In the next six months, each Wexlers location will roll out a new point-of-sale (POS) system, which is the system that checkers use to scan and ring-up items. The new system is significantly different from the current POS system. In other words, the change is more than just a software upgrade. The training and development staff in the corporate office need to develop a training program for the clerks at all 50 locations.
1. Outline a plan that the corporate training and development staff could use to conduct a comprehensive training needs analysis (TNA). Include in your plan information about the analyses you will conduct, the stakeholders you will involve, and the data collection methods you will use. [12 points]
2. Imagine that the results of the TNA suggest that training is necessary. Develop two training objectives that could be used to guide training development and evaluation. [4 points]
3. Because of the moderate degree of turnover among the checkers, baggers, and stock people, each Wexlers location has to offer new-hire onboarding and training sessions throughout the year. Would you recommend that Wexlers create a corporate university to train the new hires in these positions? Why or why not? What issues should the corporate office consider when making this decision? [6 points]
General Questions
4. Imagine that I want to learn how to use R, a computer program that is used to conduct statistical analyses. While it would be helpful for me to know how to use this program, its not vital that I learn it (e.g., I can use SPSS instead). Describe an informal, self-directed approach to training that I could use to further develop my knowledge and skills regarding R. [4 points]
5. Identify and describe a cognitive process that effective training helps facilitate. Then explain how a good training leader could help facilitate that process during a formal, other-directed training event. [4 points]
6. Explain why it is important for an organization to ensure that any formal training that is offered aligns with the organizations mission and strategy. As part of your answer, identify issues that would arise if there was a lack of alignment. [4 points]
7. Using the Wexlers example above, imagine that a store manager notices that there is a performance issue among stockers (e.g., shelves go unstocked, items are stocked in the wrong place). The manager conducts a small, informal training needs analysis. The results suggest that stockers possess the knowledge and skills they need to do their jobs well. Based on this information, would you recommend that the manager conduct a training session? Why or why not? If so, what might the training look like or include? If not, what might the manager do instead? [6 points]
8. Why is transfer important? What can a trainer do during training to facilitate transfer? What can a trainees manager do after training to facilitate transfer? [6 points]
9. What in this class is working well for you or do you wish I would keep doing? What is not working well or do you wish I would do differently? [4 points]
