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Direct and Indirect Effects of Supervisor Support on Transfer of Training

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Supporting Workplace Learning

Part of the book series: Professional and Practice-based Learning ((PPBL,volume 5))

Abstract

Supervisor support is believed to play a critical role in assuring the effectiveness of corporate training programmes, especially regarding trainees’ transfer of training. Results of studies on the effects of supervisor support on transfer of training are inconclusive, however. One explanation for these differing results is that social (supervisor) support is often considered a one-dimensional construct, however, with a wide variety of conceptualisations of its content. In addition, it is unclear whether the effect of supervisor support on transfer of training is a direct or an indirect effect. The study described in this chapter tested direct and indirect effects of a multidimensional construct of supervisor support on transfer of training among 169 former trainees. Results indicate a small direct effect, as well as a larger indirect effect via the transfer climate and trainee motivation to transfer training. These results thereby stress the importance of supervisor attention for support transfer of training.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    As employees are nested within organisations, scores on transfer climate, motivation to transfer and transfer outcomes – endogenous variables in the analysis – were compared to test for possible differences between organizations. An analysis of variance revealed no significant differences, however. In addition, a path model with dummy variables as control variables was estimated for organizational differences. Effects of these control variables were also not significant and the effects of other variables changed only marginally. On the basis of these results and for matters of parsimony, the results are reported from a pooled analysis.

  2. 2.

    This seemingly contradictory finding can be the result of a limited sample size. Hu and Bentler (1993) found that in small samples the RMSEA overrejected the true model, or, in other words, that its value was too large, suggesting a seemingly inadequate fit of the model to the data.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Working and Learning, IVA policy research and advice, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, PO Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    Derk-Jan Nijman

  2. Department of Methodology & Statistics, Tilburg University, P.O.Box 90153, 5000 LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands

    John Gelissen

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  1. Derk-Jan Nijman
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  2. John Gelissen
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Correspondence to Derk-Jan Nijman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept Human Resource Studies, Tilburg University, Postbus 90153, Tilburg, 5000 LE, Netherlands

    Rob F. Poell

  2. Dept. Human Resource Studies, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands

    Marianne van Woerkom

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Nijman, DJ., Gelissen, J. (2011). Direct and Indirect Effects of Supervisor Support on Transfer of Training. In: Poell, R., van Woerkom, M. (eds) Supporting Workplace Learning. Professional and Practice-based Learning, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9109-3_6

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