Organizational Climate: Business Research Analysis Essay (Critical Writing)

Purpose of the Research and Research Questions

This study relates to the field of human resource management and business management as its main hypotheses and findings are aimed at improving the performance of employees. All key information about the goals and results of the study is displayed in the abstract and gives a general understanding of the topic of work. The authors determine the purpose of this work as studying the factors that affect the transfer of training to work processes in the public sector (Quratulain, Khan, Sabharwal, & Javed, 2019). The goal is clearly identified and justified in the text of the article.

Researchers highlight two research questions that determine the purpose and the main objects of the study. Firstly, the authors ask if there is the impact of training utility and self-efficacy perception on training implementation, and secondly, how perceived flexibility, supervisor support, and performance feedback affect on this process (Quratulain et al., 2019). The article contains a clear justification for the need to study these issues, and the statement of the main goals and research questions is consistent and logical. Scientists also identify gaps in the literature that interfere with making unambiguous conclusions on this topic. In addition, this issue is relevant, since the development of the public sector and its management must comply with the requirements of time and states.

Theoretical Contributions

This work has a theoretical application as it brings to the literature base and human resource management tools. The authors note that the results of their research expand the previous knowledge on the effectiveness of training transfer and specify the influence of the studied factors on it (Quratulain et al., 2019). Therefore, this article can be used to study employee training in other areas and its impact on performance. Research is significant as it fills in the gaps in the literature and can be useful in studying issues related to human resource management.

Expected Managerial Outcomes

The results of the study should shed light on the issue of the effectiveness of training for staff and their performance. The authors emphasize that their findings are useful for human resources professionals as they can use this data to improve training courses (Quratulain et al., 2019). In general, such an explanation of the research’s contribution is complete and logical; however, it is worth noting that findings can also benefit the private business if they are adapted.

Theoretical Framework

The authors of this study use several sociological and managerial theories to justify the factors affecting the training application. The work is based on the transfer model of Baldwin and Ford training, which the authors explain the need to study the working environment, the characteristics of the employees, and the structure of training (Quratulain et al., 2019). They also cite works and findings of various authors who prove or disprove the influence of factors that belong to these categories to emphasize the ambiguity of conclusions on this issue. The researchers also use social cognitive theory to explain employee behavior and trainees’ cognitions on training implementation (Quratulain et al., 2019). In the framework of this study, these theories are enough to formulate the main research questions and methods.

Research Model

The authors define control, modeling, dependent, and independent variables for this study, based on the determined factors. The dependent variable is training implementation, since the main study is aimed at it. Self-efficacy beliefs, training instrumentality, feedback, flexibility, and supervisor support are independent and moderating variables as the authors examine their impact on training implementation. The authors choose these independent variables and study them in groups and separately to find the dependence of training implementation from each of these factors. The data also has to display how different influencers interact and affect organizational climate. The study also uses control data such as tenure in the organization and current supervisor, hierarchical level, education, age, sector of employment, gender, time since training, and perceived training content validity. (Quratulain et al., 2019). These data allow taking into account not only the influence of basic demographic data but also the content of the training. These variables are fully consistent with the objectives of the study because they reflect the full range of issues, and also consider some external factors.

The research model was built to test the hypotheses of authors. In the first two hypotheses, the scientists assume that there will be a positive relationship between training implementation behavior and both self-efficacy and instrumentally beliefs (Quratulain et al., 2019). These assumptions can be check by tracking the direct correlation between these factors and employees’ behavior. Quratulain et al. (2019) also suggest that the direct effect of employee self-efficacy beliefs on training implementation will be stronger in highly flexible work and high-supervisor-support environment. At the same time, employee instrumentality will have a more substantial impact in high-performance feedback and high-supervisor-support environments (Quratulain et al., 2019). These ideas can be checked by using a combined analysis of data about organizational climate and behavioral factors.

Selection of Research Methodologies and Their Appropriateness

The primary method of this study is to quantify the impact of factors on training implementation. The purpose of this research is to study the correlation; therefore, the quantitative method is suitable, since it gives accurate results that reflect the correlation of data. However, if the authors directly investigated ways for improving the training courses or the factors themselves, qualitative or mixed methods would be more appropriate.

Data Collection and Survey Instrument Development

The main tool for this study was a self-reported questionnaire. The survey was suggested to 290 the senior and middle-level managers who participated in an HRM training program in 2016 for public and nonprofit organizations, and a response rate was 61% (Quratulain et al., 2019). All questions had answers in the range of “strongly disagree” – “strongly agree” and were compiled based on methods proposed in the literature. Transfer implementation behaviors, training instrumentality, self-efficacy, and organizational climate were measured by items developed by Machin and Fogarty, Noe and Schmitt, Chen, Gully, and Eden, and Patterson et al. respectively (Quratulain et al., 2019). The statements used for the questionnaire are relevant and suitable for evaluation, as well as the measurement scale.

However, it is worth noting that the tool selected for the study compromises the accuracy of the results. The self-reported questionnaire allows participants to choose those answers that they think are more appropriate, rather than truthful. For example, an employee can provide an untruthful answer to questions about the application of knowledge from training in work, since this desire is commendable. Although the questionnaire guarantees anonymity, people tend to consciously or unconsciously choose answers that are more “right” for themselves. Therefore, in this case, it would be appropriate to add an assessment from the supervisor or another more objective form of evaluation to determine the actual application of knowledge from the training in practice.

Validity and Reliability of Measurements

The items of the questionnaire and the method of calculation are accurate and reliable if one evaluates them in accordance with the tasks and areas of assessment. The questions proposed to the participants fully cover the factors that the scientists intend to investigate, and the hierarchical system allows the authors to display them in the article accurately and clearly. However, as noted in the previous paragraph, the self-reported questionnaire is an inappropriate tool for assessing training implementation behavior because participants’ answers may be distorted by their desire to choose a more suitable than a real answer. Consequently, the results on the independent variables can be considered as reliable, but the correctness of the evaluation of the training implementation of the behavior is doubtful.

Computational Statistics and Data Analysis

Data analysis methods were appropriate and the most logical for this study. Quratulain et al. (2019) used such statistical methods as hierarchical multiple regression analysis and hierarchical moderated regression analysis. At the same time, a focus on moderating factors allowed scientists to avoid inaccuracies and predictability of the connection between dependent and independent variables. Therefore, the method of data analysis is more suitable for research than the way of collecting.

Findings

The main findings of the study partially or fully confirm the hypothesis of the authors. First, Quratulain et al. (2019) found a positive effect of training instrumentality and self-efficacy beliefs on training implementation. Besides, perceived flexibility has a direct relationship with self-efficacy, feedback affects instrumentality, but there is no relationship between supervisor support and these factors. At the same time, all these moderating factors are directly related to training implementation. Therefore, the authors determined the relationship between personal and organizational characteristics and the working environment for the transfer of training and organizational climate.

Research findings provide answers to questions and reveal the correspondence of research hypotheses with reality. However, the main drawback of data collection casts doubt on the reliability of the results, although it is also impossible to prove their inaccuracy at this stage. In addition, the authors clearly define the limitations of the research, including its cross-sectional type, self-report questionnaire, and participants belonging to the same training program. The future field of study is also defined based on limitations. Therefore, the main findings, shortcomings, and prospects of the study are characterized and relevant.