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Volume 19 / Number 4
2006
Performance on the Brink
Michael Cassidy and Karen Medsker
Empirical Research on Performance Improvement: An Update
Anthony Marker, Linda Huglin, and Liz Johnsen
In 2002, James Klein published a study based on a content analysis of research
articles in PIQ from 1997 through 2000. That study was aimed at
determining how much empirical research was being reported in HPT and the focus
of that research. Klein found that only about one third of the articles
published in PIQ represented empirical research. The current study
replicates Klein's research for the years of 2001 through 2005. Results indicate
that there has been a significant increase in empirical research published in
PIQ in the last five years with empirical research now accounting for more
than one half of all PIQ articles. Further clarification of the levels of
evaluation for non-instructional interventions and the refinement of research
questions in the field are suggested as ongoing needs. An analysis detailing the
comparison of the two studies is provided.
Valuing the Gilbert Model: An Exploratory Study
John H. Cox, Blake Frank, and Nanette Philibert
Leaders such as Thomas Gilbert, Geary Rummler, and Edward Deming have argued
that the greatest leverage for solving performance problems lies with solutions
targeted at system or environmental factors (those under the control of
management) versus individual performer factors. A 12-item research instrument
titled Achieving Productive Performance (APP) was developed based on the six
variables that make up Gilbert's human performance model. MBA candidates who
work full-time primarily in middle management positions were asked to make value
judgments on strategies for producing productive performance (where value for
the performance exceeds the costs). Results support the concept of leverage
espoused by Gilbert, Rummler, and Deming. Implications for workplace learning
and performance professionals are discussed.
Confirmative Evaluation of Training Outcomes: Using Self-Report Measures
to Track Change at the Individual and Organizational Level
Tomas R. Giberson, Monica W. Tracey, and Marguerite T. Harris
This article explores the use of an evaluation model of learning and development
utilizing formative, summative, and confirmative steps, along with a framework
for developing evaluation tools aligned with organizational change goals. A case
study is presented in which formative, summative, and confirmative evaluations
were used to assess materials and learners following implementation of a new
performance management process, tools, and supporting training. A specific model
for developing evaluation tools and techniques is introduced as a way to
integrate the evaluation process with the specific content of a learning and
development intervention, as well as link to higher-order cultural change goals.
Results of the case study suggest that evaluation tools can provide evidence of
improvement and target areas for further work. Recommendations are provided for
the researcher or practitioner interested in applying the same or similar models
to evaluation.
An Investigation of Development Toward Instructional Design Expertise
Patricia L. Hardré, Xun Ge, and Michael K. Thomas
This research investigated expertise development among instructional designers
by tracking novice designers' unfolding perceptions of instructional design
(ID), design related self-perceptions, and other individual differences. It
examined development toward ID expertise from multiple aspects: processes,
product, and cognition, through a case study approach. Evidence included
qualitative data from interviews, design artifacts, and metacognitive essays,
along with quantitative data from questionnaires which assessed goals, need for
structure, need for cognition, previous design competence, and design
self-efficacy. Findings indicated that it was not one single characteristic, but
the interaction of various factors, that most profoundly seem to influence the
development of ID expertise. Relevant characteristics included: perceptions
about learning, knowledge and ID; individual needs and learning strategies; and
background experiences and orientations. Research in this field will help us to
better understand the processes that lead to the development of ID expertise,
and to develop better approaches to preparing future instructional designers.
Ethical Applications of Technology in HRD: A PEST Analysis and Implications
Hong Lin
Human resource development (HRD) professionals are increasingly incorporating
technology into their work activities. However, research that examines the
ethics in the use of technology by HRD professionals is still underrepresented
in the literature. This article first conducts a PEST (political, economic,
social-cultural, and technological) analysis by examining a number of important
general and specific trends that affect the use of technology in HRD. It then
discusses some implications with regard to these trends and their impacts on HRD
practices.
The Effects of Individual and Group Monetary Incentives on High Performance
Heather M. McGee, Alyce M. Dickinson, Bradley E. Huitema, and Kathryn M. Culig
This study examined whether high performers performed better (a) under
individual and group
incentive pay than under hourly pay and (b) under individual incentive pay than
under group incentive pay. Participants were 11 college students. An ABCDC
within-subject design was used in which A was hourly pay with individual
feedback, B was individual incentives with individual feedback, C was individual
incentives with individual and group feedback, and D was group incentives with
individual and group feedback. Participants performed better under both
individual and group incentive pay than under hourly pay (p<.01). They did not
significantly decrease performance when switched from individual to group
incentives, but increased their performance when switched back to individual
incentives (p<.01). Individual incentive pay was rated as the most preferred and
most satisfying of the three pay systems, and group incentive pay as the least
preferred, least satisfying and most stressful. These data suggest that high
performers perform better under individual than group incentive pay after
exposure to both and are highly likely to prefer individual incentive pay.
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