2. Analysis

Majority of most experienced L&D practitioner rely greatly on tacit knowledge to come up with the right approach (Sadler-Smith, 2006). Working on specific criteria (e.g. survey) to successfully undertake and get the right information (from the HR) will help to build a strong L&D strategy.

Revinate can adopt ways like interviewing a cross-section of managers, which should include the senior managers. Include questions such as what Revinate thinks will be the best interventions that employees need for L&D. Asking the need for the next coming year is another questions that is very relevant as it gives them an opportunity to share their opinions. Surveying a cross-section of target Revinvate’s employees is another significant approach (Brockbank, & McGill, 2012). From survey Revinate will be able to get qualitative data to determine required measures. Then analyse the development plans of the sample target population by simple tallying process. This will enable Revinvate to understand the key development from the significant enough sample. It is also important to review key business plans and areas in Revinvate.

2.1. Revinate’s HR and L&D information

Getting key information is paramount for Revinvate to understand the strength and the weaknesses of the employees, their goals and objectives. The information will further be used to determine ways to motivate Revinate’s employees. The skills of Revinvate’s employees will be increased by the learning process and the attitude towards the job be improved. Before going into a questionnaire and survey, Revinate needs to collect and maintain a range of HR information and used them effectively to develop the L&D activities.

Renivate has to be committed to start collecting and maintaining the list of HR and L&D information as below (page 56):

Organization information includes vision and mission of Renivate. Always aligned L&D activities to ensure priority and policy requirements are met.

Finance information of allocation of different budget and especially on L&D activities. So that Revinate can analysis the spending priorities and if the cost of delivery the training is effective.

Employee information pertaining to Renivate’s profiles and contractual details to better arrange logistics and communication.

Employee performance reviews where appraisal reports will help Renivate to draw out performance patterns to effective design targeted training budget and resources.

Specific learning needs information like new products or new business development will allow Revinate to include specific training to affected employees.

Once Revinate adopted to start all the L&D activities, records related to individual L&D, L&D opportunities, specific information about L&D activities and summary of L&D delivery should be make available for all employees.

Revinate to recognise tailored L&D projects and eventually monitor plans against sales target, accuracy of profit projection and penetration into selected market. Competent in managing these records will help Renivate to build effectiveness in their L&D activities.

2.2. Revinate’s culture (Page 44)

Revinate has a strong central figure – the founders of the company (Charles Handy???). There are lack of formalised roles and procedures in Revinate and daily choices are shaped by the central power. As Revinate begins to grow, such culture will not be able to sustain.

Revinate needs step towards to slowly develop shared awareness that employees can be involve and participate in feedbacks. Alignment of the culture within Revinate, between senior managers, employees and customers is essential.

(Additional info: Power-oriented culture is found in both small and larger organisations. In small organisations run by power-oriented leaders, leadership resides in a few and rests on their ability (Brown, 1998). Those exercising power strive to maintain absolute control over subordinates. In such systems, the size of the organisation is a problem because if the web links to too many activities it can break.

In general, a power-oriented culture organisation often has a top down communication approach (Harrison, 1993). Such an organisation may be politically oriented in the sense that decisions are taken largely on the bases of influence rather than on procedural or purely logical grounds. The management may be threatened by new changes imposed by internal and external environments (Hampden-Turner, 1990).

Organisations try to rule their environment by exercising absolute power to dominate and control. As a result, some managers may experience the new managerial role of sharing power as losing power because their authority used to come from hierarchical positions (Kanter, 1997).)

2.3. Revinate current stage [the reason for analysing learning needs (pg 79 + summary point 1 at Pg 99) + different types of learning needs and why they arise (page 80)]

The sales are underperforming as they are lack of necessary skill and knowledge of the technicality of product

Growth of sales revenue is stagnant despite Revinate markets and products expanded. No structure training for the employees due to ad hoc outsourced training. No proper two-way communication channels and no alignment between departments (this is

to related to Power Culture, you will have to change if you think it’s Task Culture)

A training needs analysis is therefore essential as it supports an organisations talent management strategy

2.4. Methods for identifying learning needs

2.4.1. SWOT analysis on L&D in Revinate (pg 87)

2.4.1.1. Strength Recognized for its thought leadership within travel technological landscape Good at building relationships within each departments

2.4.1.2. Weakness Missing expertise in selling, complex solution, low technical expertise No experience in dealing with complex customer issues Power culture, limit feedback and affects the quality of decision made. (You have to

believe in the infallibility of the leader in a Power Culture or you'll be miserable.)

2.4.1.3. Opportunities To include Learning and Development (L&D) activities to further increase staffs

knowledge on products. Chances to develop new skills as the team and customer base grow bigger. L&D activities to inform business priorities and policy & procedural requirements. Team roles could expand and develop further (based on Power culture)

2.4.1.4. Threats No proper L&D plan and budget to retain Talents. Lack of product knowledge will lead to lost of sales or recommend the wrong product

and lead to poor customer service Communication tends to be one way, and could mean essential details might not be

be fully passed on.

The above analysis suggests potential learning needs in the area of product knowledge and communication. To formulate comprehensive L&D activities, questionnaire and surveys to be send to all Revinate employees.

2.4.2. Using of Questionnaire and Surveys (page 64, 90) Questionnaires are to prepare Revinate discussion with the Regional GMs and Directors of

Products on sales teams learning needs, knowledge or skill.

And will be convert to become survey to send out to all sales managers globally to collect information on the learning needs of the different group before undertaking any L&D activities.

Other surveys can be developed to evaluate the learning gain after a L&D activity. Since Revinate will need to focus on learning needs scenario, hence questions should

emphasis on performance requirements, issues, self-assessment of capabilities, views on potential improvements and personal aspiration.

2.5. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) requirements for Revinate (page 79)

Regional GMs and Directors of Products will play a key role to further ensure that the learning and development for each employee implemented. Revinate has to give clarity around the core behaviours, and the key processes to be undertaken by leaders/managers within Revinate in order to perform effectively at work and deliver results.

Key gaps in KSA within Revinate: Knowledge:

Limited understanding of the technical features of the products Weak alignment with Revinate’s business vision and mission. Limited understanding of the different markets consumer behaviours

Skill: Missing expertise in selling, complex solution Lack of skill in responding to and properly resolving customers complaints Lack of skill on properly evaluation on L&D activities for their sales teams

Abilities: Not able to deal with complex customer issues Not able to develop (up-sell…hahaha) existing account Not able to develop strategic plans to develop emerging markets

2.6. Recommendation to meet learning needs (Page 93)

Priority and Finance Revinates to set priorities on L&D activities for the sales managers. Hence, training budget

for the Sales Manager has to be allocated as it is closely linked to Revinate’s business objective of increasing sales revenue and expansion into emerging market.

Revinate can lost of opportunities is minimal as the training impacts only sales managers. ROI ???

Organisational policy and culture, ethics and equality Revinate L&D activities policy, procedure and guidelines will be established and published. Regional GMs’ and Directors of Products’ expectations will be included in the L&D

activities. Revinate to have budget allocation equal and no discrimination on race, age or gender.

Learner factors, logistics, timing and timescales Total of XXX sales managers will be involved and all L&D activities schedules will be given

to all the sales managers in advance to ensure all flight and hotel arrangement. Suggested a 4 month timescale, with 4 days group based training for the Sales Managers and

continue with e-learning and coaching activities as this best fit the current learning style and operational schedules for the managers.

3. Design

Use 4 MAT (Page112) or MUD (page114) theory to double check the solutions provided (design the gap)

3.1. Clarifying requirements As mentioned in the earlier section that questionnaire and surveys are done with all the key

stakeholders – Regional GMs, Directors of Products and Sales Manager. All expectation and requirements including allocation of resources are agreed. Clarity of criteria for review to measure the ROI – including evaluation and revenue

measurements after each stage of L&D activities. Overall training agreement will be emailed to all key stakeholders detailing the outcome of

the discussion and agreeing requirements.

3.2. Organisational factors

Current business priority and how training related Resources available? Timescale? Training culture Traditional classroom, followed by elearning, on job training with self learning Impact on work? How widespread is the workforce? 3.3. Good training design objectives

Robert Mager (1960) suggested that objective should contained a behaviour, condition and standard. Revinate ….

Revinate point of view should be and learners point of view … Revinate should focus on the outcomes instead of just objectives, as a result of learning;

learner will have good product knowledge to effectively sell and will be able to select appropriate products based on needs of customers.

3.4. Design learning and training (Theories: Honey & Munford, Kolb, Knowles)Usage of learning and training theories furthers establish learning motivation and styles. Effective application of these findings will impact Revinate’s L&D activities positively, achieving the business goals and ROI.

Revinate can use the following 2 theories:

3.4.1. Kolb’s learning cycle

????

3.4.2. 4MAT Revinate to adopted Bernice McCarthy learning theory to further understand the different learners motivations for learning and learning styles to apply into the design. Four areas that Revinate to look into: Why?

Some of Revinvate’s Sales Managers need to have strong personal reasons for wanting to learn.

What? Few of Revinate’s Sales Managers who like to goes into understanding background and theories

How? Many of the sales managers prefer practical training that teaches them how things work

What? Most of the Revinate’s sales managers learns better if the training helps them to find things out for themselves

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE MUD AND 4MAT PLEASE EXPLAIN.

3.4.3. MUDIt is good for Revinate to make use alternative theories to further work out the training design. Sylvia Downs theory helps Revinate to understand Sales Managers learning in three areas – Memory, Understanding and Doing (MUD). Applying to Revinate, the design developed needs to help Sales Managers to commit into their memories using the data-sheets where all hard facts pertaining the technical product. Sharing with the Sales Managers the selling concepts to further understood by the Sales Managers. Lastly, practical role play session to further illustrate and link the Sales Managers to the topic easily.

FIRST GROUP THEN INDIVIDUAL AS A FOLLOW UPGROUP TRAINING FOLOWYED IN SFO FACE TO FACE THEN ONLINE

3.5. Individual base training (Page 106)

Malcolm Knowles theory indicated that adult learners just like Revinate’s Sales Managers, which need to feel responsible for own decisions and directions. Therefore, Revinate’s training program will include individual base training so that employees get involve during the engagement thus increased the ownership. The L&D activities will include e-training like webinars and also face-to-face coaching.

3.6. Group base training (Page 106)In additions, group base training is equally important as it will promotes corporate visions, teamwork within Revinate environment. But Revinate has to recognise on the constraints in relations to time, access, working hours and to release the Sales Managers group for training. As agreed with the Country GMs that group base training can be done during low sales period in November.

4. Delivery L&D activities 95

4.1. Face-to-faceFace to face is still essential as its deliver a common and consistent message to serveral people at once and have quick and high impact on learning (??). A chance to focus on developing and learning new skills with time away from work and creates opportunities to spend time with and learn from others with the same goals. Good learning experience should be emphasised, where skills and competency of the trainer whom will deliver content that meet the needs and objectives. Revinate has to consider the cost involving the rental of rooms, employees away from desk, travel, arrangement and preparation of the event. But with face-to-face training, it will provide the trainer to facilitate learning sessions to promote ground bonding to help those who are uncomfortable to work in groups. It also creates the best chance of accessing the learning needs timely.

4.2. Online delivery

The training programs should be on-going, hence enable interactive on-line training will benefit the learners. Learner might have not seen the relevance of the learning to their situation or believe they are lack of some essential skills needed to access particular learning. Revinate can consider getting employee to start with webinars as part of the training plan to help them to overcome these barriers. And to include the e-learning after the face-to-face training can help learning to have the best of chance of accessing and further meet their learning needs.

4.3. Planning and preparing the training session (132)Good training plans will include an appropriate combination of the following:

Agreed and clearly specified learning objectives and outcome

Good mix of training activities and approaches that encompasses different learning style and includes activities to:

o Assist learning (presentations, demonstrations, cases studies, group activities, skill practice and discussion.

o Gauge learning (learner reviews, role plays, tests and quizzes) o Transfer of learning to the workplace (e.g. reflecting the real work, use of learning

material and guides, individual action planning) o To conclude learning (Q&A sessions and action planning) o Evaluate (grp discussion and programme review, individual completion of

evaluation forms, evaluation games) o Include both internal and external trainers

4.4. Communicating training plans before the event (133) The opportunity is accurately described in internal intranet and emails Make the training sound appealing without overselling it or setting unrealistic expectations Learners know what they might achieve (ie. What new knowledge, skills or behaviours they

could acquires as result of attending Line managers know how the event will meet staff’s learning and money involved in

releasing staff for training Message to align with business strategy

4.5. Delivery styles and techniques (142)

As most of the Sales Managers learning styles are towards practical and find own learning, hence delivering the training program will be of Trainer and Facilitator styles.

Trainer Style Using tools and technique to equip Revinate’s Sales Managers and allow them to experiment and apply the tools into their learning. This will allow the Sale Manager with “practical learning style” to actively receive input from the trainer and as well as result of their participation using the tools and activities.

Facilitator StyleThis will allow the Sales Managers to find their own learning. Trainer will give little input and direction so that the Sales Managers can actively explore the subject themselves. For such training, Revinate’s trainer need create the right environment and skill to enable the Sales Managers to discover.

5. Evaluation It the last stage in the cycle training cycle that involves assessing the effectiveness of the learning process in every stage. Revinate can base the training evaluation using Kirkpatrick’s four level model i.e. learning, reaction, and application on the job and organisation results.

5.1. Define evaluation (pg 165) It is important Revinate see evaluation as part of a cycle, as an integral part of continuous

improvement. To involve the key stakeholders like the Country GMs, Directors of Product and Sales

Managers, those that are actively involved in the development of the sale team. As Revinate will be constantly gather information after each L&D activities from all the key

stakeholders is essential. Hence, all of them must be very clear what each L&D activity (including the training and webinars) should achieve for them and Revinate, so to have effective evaluation.

5.2. Evaluation purpose (pg 170, 168)

5.3. Kirkpatrick four levels evaluation (pg 170) Kirkpatrick’s four level model are learning, reaction, and application on the job and

organisation results.

5.4. Identifying information for evaluation (pg 171) Reactionnaires Pre and post testing (technical knowledge of product)

Observation Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Quantitative Management (Target boards) Webinar Daily written assessment5.5. Designing evaluation tools (pg 177)

5.6. Return on investment (pg 166)

5.7. L&D must be aligned with Business Strategy (pg 168, 133)

The opportunity is accurately described in internal intranet and emails Make the training sound appealing without overselling it or setting unrealistic expectations Learners know what they might achieve (ie. What new knowledge, skills or behaviours they

could acquires as result of attending

Line managers know how the event will meet staff’s learning and budget involved in releasing staff for training

Message to align with business strategy

6. Implementation Consideration

Give couple options not 1 solution, compare with other companies and their solutions. The impact of the training (that you will offer) within the expecting period of time, predict future results.

7. Conclusion

Organization record that could help you to come up with recommendations.Any company information that could help company.Past training records show that not everybody go for training, feedback was pure and no gaps were improved. Not repeating what was done.