Perceptions of the value of training, extent of involvement in corporate university programs, level of organizational commitment, and the accountability of a corporate university program as viewed by managers in China

Tong, Xiaoping

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Description

Title

Perceptions of the value of training, extent of involvement in corporate university programs, level of organizational commitment, and the accountability of a corporate university program as viewed by managers in China

Author(s)

Tong, Xiaoping

Issue Date

2018-07-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Jacobs, Ronald L.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Jacobs, Ronald L.

Committee Member(s)

• Li, Jie
• Scagnoli, Norma I.
• Martocchio, Joseph

Department of Study

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Discipline

Human Resource Education

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• HRD program accountability
• corporate university
• manager
• value of training
• China

Abstract

This study seeks to understand the relationships among managers’ perceptions of the value of training, extent of involvement in corporate university programs, level of organizational commitment, and the accountability of a corporate university program. Program accountability in human resource development (HRD) refers to perceptions among stakeholders about the extent to which an HRD program achieved its stated goals, addressed performance issues of importance in the organization, and made a demonstrable impact to improve the outcomes of the organization. Research has shown that corporate universities require substantial investments in both financial and human resources. Whether organizations are realizing value in return, especially from the perspective of a particular group of stakeholders, business managers, remains uncertain. As a group, managers have the opportunity to participate in programs offered through their corporate universities as well as to decide whether to send their employees to these programs. In addition, managers often serve on advisory committees that help set policy for their corporate university. Hence, it is expected that most managers have had frequent contact with and involvement in their corporate university. Growing literature has focused on the results of individual HRD programs, such as the return on investment of particular management training programs offered through traditional training departments. However, the literature provides less information when considering the impact of the programs offered through corporate universities, which are strategically different from training departments. This understanding could seemingly be based more on the overall views of stakeholders. Business managers with these views may be affected by their perceptions of the value of training, their extent of involvement in corporate university programs, and their level of organizational commitment. To explore such relationships, this study was conducted using mixed-methods research methodology, composed of a written survey and individual interviews. The survey was sent to 204 managers in a Chinese public institution that had an established corporate university. The 204 managers were selected according to predetermined criteria from among 205 managers that attended a management competency training program offered by the corporate university in 2015 and 2016. Individual interviews were conducted with seven volunteered managers among 87 who completed the survey effectively. The data were analyzed with the statistical software packages SPSS and qualitative analysis software Nvivo. Primarily, the quantitative results of this study address the research questions involving the four identified variables and their interrelationships. First: a) the managers’ perceptions about the value of training were largely positive, b) the managers were involved to a limit-to-moderate extent in the training college programs, c) the accountability of the management competency training program was deemed high, and d) the managers committed to their organization to a moderate-to-high extent. Second, the managers’ perceptions about the value of training and the extent of their involvement in the training college programs, as well as the interaction of the two, explained the accountability of the management competency training program. Third, the managers’ level of organizational commitment did not have a moderating or mediating role in the relationship between the value variable and the involvement variable and the program accountability. Fourth, the relationship between the level of organizational commitment of the managers and the program accountability was fully mediated by the extent of the managers’ involvement in the corporate university programs. Complementarily, the qualitative results of the study provided support for understanding the above survey findings. For instance, the interviews revealed that most of the managers identified some relationship between their own perceptions of the value of training and how they viewed the accountability of the focused program. Essential quotes from the interviewees coded in themes are included in the results chapters. The interview results provided richer information to mostly support the survey findings. Three main interpretations conclude this study. First of all, the accountability of the management competency training program was high from the managers’ viewpoints. Second, when the managers’ extent of involvement in their training college programs was low, their more positive perceptions about the value of training would lead to higher rated accountability of the program; conversely, when their extent of involvement in their training college programs was limited or higher-than-limited, their more positive perceptions led to lower rated accountability. Lastly, the managers’ level of organizational commitment predicted their perceptions about the value of training. In the end, the study provides implications to HRD theory, research, and practice. Each aspect is discussed. Three limitations of the study are also recognized.

Graduation Semester

2018-08

Type of Resource

text

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Copyright and License Information

© 2018 Xiaoping Tong

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