QUESTION 1

TRAINING FOR THE SAKE OF TRAINING

Shafa Hoabeb managers the Administration Department of Loco Appliance Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd. One of the eight supervisors reporting to him is Gloria Tjerije. Gloria oversees the Accounting Procedures Unit. She has been in that position for two years, after working in the unit as a clerk for four years. While she was a good performer as a clerk, she has had real problems as a superintendent. Her attitude as a superintendent has been that employees had better do what they are told to do, because she thought they ought to get on with the job without meddling in it.

There were, however, regular mistakes made by her subordinates, which required her attention. Morale was low and resignations regularly occurred. The high staff turnover was ascribed to a high market demand for people with accounting experience and qualifications and, therefore, Glorias superiors paid little attention to this.

Shafa suggested that she needed training, and enrolled her for an Advanced Administration Management course which was also designed for superintendents advancement. The course was presented at the Lingua College which was ten kilometers from Loco Appliance Manufacturers Pty.) Ltd. When Gloria received the course attendance memo from the Training and Development Department, she enquired from Shafa why she was to be sent on the course. He replied that he thought she might like to attend it, that the company needed to jack up their accounting systems, and that she might find the course valuable as well. A week later, Gloria received some advance-reading on the course. During the next day, Shafa saw her reading some of the course notes, and told her to carry on with her work instead, and not to read course material during work time.

Gloria arrived at the Lingua College, where the Advanced Administration Course was to be held, in a rather apprehensive state of mind. She did not know what the course would cover and felt uncertain about her ability to cope with it. She, however, stayed for the five days which was the duration of the course. Unfortunately, the facilitator was less than enthusiastic about the course, and lectured all day every day, without making much use of instructional aids such as videos, the overhead projector or case studies, let alone interactive class participation. The course, however, included a few topics that dealt specifically with Glorias work problems. At the end of the course, she felt that she had learned a lot and was confident enough to try out some of the things she had learned in the work situation.

Shafa asked how her holiday was when she got back to work, and she found this insulting, to say the least. Her first day was primarily spent on getting back on track, by clearing up the backlogs which had built up. After a few days, she was ready to try out some of the things she had learned at the college. How, ever, each time she did something she had learned, Shafa made comments that demoralize her. Gloria asked Shafa why he made the non-supportive remarks, he then told her that she needed to deal with her work in the way it was always done and not be hype up by all the untried training theory the wise guys at the College dished out.

Gloria was very upset and decided to return to her old style of doing her job and, from then on, primarily minded her own business. However, two long-serving employees in her department resigned shortly thereafter. Gloria then thought that the training was no good and that the company, in particular, was wasting its money. She decided that she would never go on another course, since Shafa did not seem enthusiastic or supportive about it either.

Questions 1

1.1 Cost should be considered during the education, training and development process. Using Glorias case above, do a cost-effectiveness analysis of her training course. Use your own figures. (10)

1.2 The high staff turnover was ascribed to a high market demand for people with accounting experience and qualificationsExplain how Loco Appliance Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd should deal with this challenge. (10)

1.3 You are a lecturer at the Lingua College and have a friend who works with Gloria, and who gives you feedback on the result of the course experience. Develop a programme that would successfully empower Gloria o positively transfer what she and other students have learned to their work and even to their colleagues. (15)