Theoretical Perspectives and Context of Learning and Development Effectiveness in Organisations

Abstract

There are numerous theoretical perspectives that researchers have used to study the effectiveness of training in organisations. We describe and evaluate four theoretical perspectives (universalistic, contingency, configurational and architectural) that researchers have used to explain training effectiveness. We then evaluate a selection of theoretical perspectives including human capital theory, the resource-based view, the behavioural approach, social exchange theory, the behavioural approach, ability-motivation-opportunity theory and attribution theory, each of which suggests different reasons for a link between training and effectiveness. The chapter concludes with a discussion of external and internal contextual factors that shape training effectiveness in organisations.