Investigating underlying factors influencing transfer of training and behavioral change in organizational settings

Sammanfattning: The aim of the master thesis was to investigate the factors influencing transfer of training and behavioral change in organizational settings. Two research questions were formulated for this master thesis. Two models are presented and tested both qualitatively and quantitatively through literature research, interviews, and surveys. One is a conceptualized model based on existing literature that displays the factors influencing transfer of training. The other is a framework called the Reasoned Action Approach that explains the factors influencing behavioral change. Three firms that underwent training and development workshops participated in the study. Based on the results, it can be concluded that transfer of training was found to be predicted by motivation to transfer, which, in turn was predicted by job congruence and supervisor support. Learning, which was hypothesized to predict transfer of training, was found to be a factor parallel to transfer of training, it was found to be predicted by training motivation, which, in turn was found to be predicted by reaction to training and organizational commitment. It is concluded that these factors need to be taken into consideration when designing training and development programs for organizations. The Reasoned Action Approach have been proven to be a model fit for training and development programs to understand the underlying factors affecting behavioral change in an organizational context. The model aims to understand which of the three factors attitude, perceived norm, and perceived behavioral control are the strongest predictor of the intention to perform abehavior. Targeting these predictors in a training and development program, and measuring the result allows for determining if the intended changes have been made.