Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Goodman, Doug

Committee Member

Clynch, Edward

Committee Member

Shaffer, Stephen

Committee Member

Davenport, Deborah

Date of Degree

5-13-2006

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Public Policy and Administration

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Political Science and Public Administration

Abstract

Since 1990, the Jordanian government extensively focuses on human resource training and development. Civil service reform policies attempt to improve supervisors? performance through training. This study cross-culturally validated the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) for use in the public sector in Jordan. By doing so, Arab and Jordanian human resource researchers and practitioners can utilize Supervisors? Learning Transfer System Inventory (SLTSI) to diagnosis the training needs and improve the outcomes of training. This study aimed to assess learning transfer in three large public organizations in Jordan. In particular, it attempted to (1) validate the learning transfer questionnaire in the Jordanian organizational cultures. (2) Test the expectancy theory in learning transfer among supervisors. (3) Determine factors that influence learning transfer, and (4) provide empirical support to the expectancy theory, which is a significant requirement for developing a theory for learning transfer. In this study, the LTSI was translated into the Arabic language through a rigorous contextual translation. Six demographical questions were added to the eighty-nine questions in the instrument before it was administered to 500 supervisors. Of this number, 361 questionnaires were returned completed for a 72.2% final response rate. The Cronbach Alpha reliability test showed that all 89 items in the instrument were internally consistent (á= .927). In addition to validating the LTSI, the study found that eleven of the sixteen factors reported by previous studies were reliable (Cronbach Alpha ranged from .723 to .865). Bivariate analysis showed that demographics did not have significant impacts on learning transfer. Perceived utility from transfer was the strongest predictor of learning transfer, followed by supervisors? perceived performance self-efficacy, and supervisors? perceived rewards from transfer. Although path analysis showed no strong evidence to support a probable causal relationship, the expectancy variables (utility, rewards, and efficacy) explained about 23% of the variance in the dependent variable. Finally, recommendations and implications were discussed.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19350

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