Measuring the organizational impact of training: The need for greater methodological rigor

Garavan, Thomas, McCarthy, Alma, Sheehan, Maura, Lai, Yanqing ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9107-3464, Saunders, Mark NK, Clarke, Nicholas, Carbery, Ronan and Shanahan, Valerie (2019) Measuring the organizational impact of training: The need for greater methodological rigor. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 30 (3). pp. 291-309. ISSN 1044-8004

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Abstract

We review the methodological rigor of empirical quantitative studies that have investigated the training and organizational performance relationship. Through a content analysis of 217 studies published in quality journals, we demonstrate significant validity threats (internal, external construct, and statistical conclusion validity) that raise questions about the methodological rigor of the field. Our findings suggest that the time is appropriate for a renewed methodological endeavor to understanding the relationship between training and organizational performance. We make specific recommendations to enhance methodological rigor and generate research findings that will enhance operationalization of theory, help researchers to make inferences about causality, and inform the decision‐making of Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners.