Needs Assessment to Impact: Serial mediation model of training effectiveness in Hydropower sector of India

Abstract

Training interventions are important in developing workforce in technical organizations. The paper discusses how the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) affects the Training Effectiveness directly and indirectly, through a serial mediation relationship with Training Content Design (TCD), Instructional Design (ID), Instructional Delivery (IDL), and Training Outcomes. It involved the collection of data on 218 executives in seven hydroelectric plants of Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC). The serial mediation model was tested using the PROCESS Macro (Model 6) by Hayes. Findings indicate that TNA does not impact greatly on training effectiveness, although it has a high indirect impact via the quality of content design, instructional planning, delivery systems, and perceived training outcomes. Of these variables, the outcomes of the training turned out to be the most powerful predictor of the overall effectiveness, which underlines the significance of the performance-based assessment in the training programs in the public sector. The results indicate that there is a full path of mediation and that training should not be regarded as a single action, but as a system that should be in line with the organizational priorities.