Kweku Frimpong managed the Operational Support Department. One of the five supervisors reporting to him was Yaa Ansong. Yaa oversaw the Procedures Unit. She had been in that position for a year and a half, after working in the unit as an administrative assistant for three years. While she was a good performer as an administrative assistant, she had real problems as a supervisor. Yaa’s attitude as a supervisor was that employees had better do what they were told, and she did little to help them. As a result, there were noticeable production, morale and turnover problems in her Unit. Kweku felt Yaa needed training and enrolled her in an Advanced Sales Management Techniques class which was part of a supervisory training program. When Yaa received the attendance memo from the Training Department, she asked Kweku what was going on. He first replied that he thought she might like to attend, then said that “top management” was on a “training kick”. A few days later, Yaa received a pre-class reading assignment. Kweku noticing her reading the booklet told her to get back to work. When the training class started, Yaa arrived – ready to leave. She did not know what the program would cover. Nonetheless, she stayed for the full week. The trainer was uninspiring and the program was mostly lecture. There were a few topics that dealt specifically with her concerns. Still, at the end of the class, she felt that she had learned a few things and was ready to try them out. However, her first day on the job was spent dealing with urgent matters and minor emergencies rather than dealing with her main work. Kweku, seeing her back, asked seriously how her vacation was. By midweek, she was ready to try some of the things she learned in the training. However, each time, Kweku made some kind of comment that threw her off her efforts. Yaa finally asked Kweku what was going on. Kweku told her that she needed to work, and not get preoccupied by all that training “theory.” Yaa was angry. She reverted to her old form, and one of her long-term employees quit shortly thereafter. Yaa thought herself that the training was useless, as did Kweku. CASE QUESTIONS 1. Was the training effort that Yaa went through a success or a failure? Explain your answer. 2. Identify all the factors that contributed to either the success or failure of the training. 3. What actions can be taken before, during, and after a training program, to increase the chances of a successful training experienc
Kweku Frimpong managed the Operational Support Department. One of the five supervisors
reporting to him was Yaa Ansong. Yaa oversaw the Procedures Unit. She had been in that position
for a year and a half, after working in the unit as an administrative assistant for three years. While
she was a good performer as an administrative assistant, she had real problems as a supervisor.
Yaa’s attitude as a supervisor was that employees had better do what they were told, and she did
little to help them. As a result, there were noticeable production, morale and turnover problems in
her Unit.
Kweku felt Yaa needed training and enrolled her in an Advanced Sales Management Techniques
class which was part of a supervisory training program. When Yaa received the attendance memo
from the Training Department, she asked Kweku what was going on. He first replied that he
thought she might like to attend, then said that “top management” was on a “training kick”. A few
days later, Yaa received a pre-class reading assignment. Kweku noticing her reading the booklet
told her to get back to work.
When the training class started, Yaa arrived – ready to leave. She did not know what the program
would cover. Nonetheless, she stayed for the full week. The trainer was uninspiring and the
program was mostly lecture. There were a few topics that dealt specifically with her concerns. Still,
at the end of the class, she felt that she had learned a few things and was ready to try them out.
However, her first day on the job was spent dealing with urgent matters and minor emergencies
rather than dealing with her main work. Kweku, seeing her back, asked seriously how her vacation
was. By midweek, she was ready to try some of the things she learned in the training. However,
each time, Kweku made some kind of comment that threw her off her efforts. Yaa finally asked
Kweku what was going on. Kweku told her that she needed to work, and not get preoccupied by
all that training “theory.”
Yaa was angry. She reverted to her old form, and one of her long-term employees quit shortly
thereafter. Yaa thought herself that the training was useless, as did Kweku.
CASE QUESTIONS
1. Was the training effort that Yaa went through a success or a failure? Explain your answer.
2. Identify all the factors that contributed to either the success or failure of the training.
3. What actions can be taken before, during, and after a training program, to increase the chances of a successful training experience?
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