Induction Training Program Research Articles

The impact of improvisation training on service employees in a European airline: a case study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the value of improvisation training, as used in schools of acting, in preparing front‐stage service employees perform their roles when interacting with customers as cabin crew in Aer Arann, a regional Irish airline.Design/methodology/approachTo discern the relevance and impact of improvisation training, a case study methodology was employed. The subjects of the investigation were seven recently hired cabin crew personnel for Aer Arann. Data for the case study were collected from the new hires at three different times.FindingsThe study shows that participants both enjoyed the improvisation training and found it to be very valuable as preparation for their roles in the airline. A key finding was that the new hires strongly recommended that improvisation training be incorporated into the airline's regular induction training programme. Specifically, participants felt the improvisation training improved their confidence, effectiveness, ability to adapt, spontaneity and comfort in successfully handling unique situations.Research limitations/implicationsAs with many case studies, the study presented here focuses on a single company for its data generation. Further, because of the realities of commercial life, the subject pool is quite small, i.e. due to the demands of their position, only seven new hires were available for the 12 hours needed to conduct the training, as well as the subsequent assessment activities. Nevertheless, the case study enabled the authors to gain meaningful insights into the utilisation of improvisation training in a real‐world setting.Originality/valueThe research makes several key contributions. First, it links theory and practice by demonstrating in a real world context the efficacy of framing service as theatre. Second, based on the service theatre literature, the paper details the utility of improvisation training as a means of preparing front‐stage service employees for the rigours of their jobs. Finally, the research presents new, empirically based insights regarding the value and contribution of improvisation training in the services sector.

Diet, other lifestyle factors and HDL cholesterol in a population of Australian male service recruits.

The association between dietary and other factors and plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration was examined cross-sectionally and longitudinally in a sample (n = 530) of Australian male service recruits (mean age 21 years) involved in a nine-week induction training program. The findings suggest that diet may make an independent contribution to HDL cholesterol, equal in importance to alcohol, smoking, fitness and obesity--previously identified as being important. Water and carbohydrate consumption showed a negative cross-sectional association with HDL cholesterol on multivariate analysis. The negative association for carbohydrates was also observed longitudinally. Less consistent associations for saturated fat and for total energy intake were also observed. When the relationship between dietary factors and the HDL cholesterol/cholesterol ratio was examined the most important dietary factor appeared to be saturated fat, which was negatively associated with this ratio. No consistent association was observed for any of the 67 individual foods examined.