Page 136 - DMGT548_GLOBAL_HRM

Unit 7: Training and Development

On-going E-support: Ongoing support in the forms of E-learning, E-mentoring, and Notes
E-counselling is an investment that will yield substantial returns for the organisation. This
support should be well planned and monitored for continuous improvement.
Who’s Involved?: A comprehensive expatriate support system should include all four of the
following:

1. Manager
2. Spouse
3. Dependents
4. Host-country sponsor

E-learning, E-mentoring, and E-counselling can be provided for all four stakeholders mentioned.
Expatriate training and support is critically important to the success of international organisations.

Notes The Role of Technology
Knowledge created through expatriate training and support should be captured in a
“codified” knowledge management (KM) system. This technology provides for the
capturing and dissemination of individual expatriate knowledge for the benefit of the
organisation. Ongoing, new learning should be constantly fed into the KM system. Each
part of the expatriate training and support system should be linked to the KM system.

7.2.10 Impact of Different Learning Styles on Training

It is important that the contents of the training programmes should be designed differently and
they should match with the processes and learning environment according to national cultures.
Also, if learning does occur, the new behaviours will not be utilised if they are not reinforced.
In a study investigating learning styles by giving a questionnaire to British, Indian, East African
middle managers, two dimensions of learning styles were measured analysis and action. The
analysis dimension measured the extent to which the learner adopts a theory building and test
approach as opposed to using an initiative approach. The action dimension measured the extent
to which the learner uses a trial and error approach as opposed to a contemplative or reflective
approach. It is found that Indian managers scored higher in analysis, British managers in action
and East African managers scored the lowest in both analysis and action.

The most common types of training is self-evaluation. Participants in such training are provided
personal insights about their behaviours, whether their managerial style is intuitive, factual,
analytical or normative.
1. A factual style manager looks at the available information and makes decisions based on
the data.

2. An intuitive style manager is innovative and imaginative and can jump from one idea to
another.
3. An analytical style manager is systematic and logical and carefully weighs alternatives to
problems.
4. A normative style manager is idealistic of all four types of styles in varying degrees, but
by learning their individual preferences, participants gain insights into their own approach
to dealing with people.

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