ABSTRACT
Organizations invest considerable resources and effort into training their workforce. In fact, some estimate that organizations spend over $30 billion a year on formal training and about $180 billion a year for on-the-job training (Carnevale, Gainer, & Villet, 1990). To justify an investment of this magnitude, it is reasonable to pose questions such as: What is the value of training to the “bottom line”? How can organizations know that training is effective? How can organizations optimize the design and delivery of training? How can organizations create opportunities for employees to practice acquired skills? How can learning environments best be designed by organizations? What factors motivate training effectiveness in organizations? The answers to these questions are neither simple nor straightforward. They demand careful consideration of what needs to be trained, for what purpose, with what value, and with what assurance that learning goals are accomplished.
