Learning Preferences of Millennials in a Knowledge-Based Env.docx

Learning Preferences of Millennials in a Knowledge-Based
Environment
Giora Hadar
University of Groningen (RuG), The Netherlands
[email protected]
Abstract: This paper discusses how understanding
intergenerational knowledge transfer can improve knowledge
transfer in
large organizations. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) risks significant loss of institutional human capital as
huge
numbers of senior controllers retire. To perform their job, air
traffic controllers must develop in-depth knowledge, including
tacit knowledge typically acquired over many years, so they can
quickly make accurate decisions while dealing with the many
air traffic control (ATC) situations that arise. The only pool
available to replace the retiring controllers is the Millennials.
This
group, the best educated ever, has its own attitudes toward life,
work, and training as well as technology use. Because
knowledge transfer and training involve both technology and
human interaction, this paper explores not only the role of
technology but also that of intergenerational communications in
both the training and operational environments of a highly
technical workplace.
Keywords: knowledge transfer, training, tacit knowledge,
mentoring, mobile smart devices, communications
1. Introduction

Intergenerational knowledge transfer, especially in a highly
technical environment, has not been thoroughly
studied by the academic community. This research was
undertaken to further understanding of the impact of
generational differences on learning and knowledge transfer in
such an environment to add fundamental
knowledge and create actionable knowledge for complex
organizations. By improving understanding of the
preferences of younger workers for knowledge transfer
approaches, this study has the potential to add new
knowledge to knowledge management (KM) and related fields
and give organizations insights into how to design
knowledge transfer and learning programs for their younger
workers.
2. Addressing the problem of knowledge loss
Between now and 2021, the FAA risks significant institutional
knowledge loss as senior employees retire, a
situation particularly acute for air traffic controllers. By
October 2015, FAA expects approximately one-third of
controllers to reach mandatory retirement age, as depicted in
Figure 1 (FAA 2012). As these controllers retire,
the agency must quickly hire, train, and integrate new hires into
ATC facilities. The need to pass operational
knowledge from veteran controllers to the new hires is critical
to maintaining the safety of the U.S. airspace.
Transferring knowledge from one generation to another can be
difficult since younger people acquire knowledge
and skills differently from older people and have different
attitudes on authority, job stability, and learning.
Research has shown that knowledge sharing requires trust,
which can be compromised when worldviews differ.
Further compounding those issues are the different

communication styles of each generation. Table 1 shows
the communication styles of each group (Hannam & Yordi,
2011).
Table 1: Personal communication
Generation Preferred method of communication
Boomers Face-to-face
Phone calls
Personal interaction
Structured networking
Gen Xers Voicemail
Email
Casual
Direct and immediate
Millennials Text messages
Collaborative interaction
Organizations such as FAA are now looking at solutions to deal
with these knowledge loss and knowledge
transfer issues. For example, to efficiently accomplish
knowledge transfer, organizations may benefit from
changing their traditional means of training to accommodate the
preferences of their new employees. In ATC,
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Giora Hadar
the new hires belong to the Millennial age group. These younger
people who grew up in a digital world have
been shown to prefer digital technologies to the more static
teaching methods used to train their predecessors.
In addition to technology solutions, knowledge transfer and
communications issues are also important to
address. Once classroom training is completed and the new hires
move into FAA facilities for on-the-job training
(OJT), generational and age differences can pose challenges, as
communications preferences and worldviews
vary among the generations.
Figure 1: Controller retirement eligibility
2.1 Background
In 1981, the FAA hired thousands of air traffic controllers to
replace those U.S. President Ronald Reagan fired
after they had gone on an illegal strike. This move created the
large cohort of controllers that is now retiring.
The agency started hiring Gen Xers in 1992 and Millennials in
2005, creating a younger and multigenerational
workforce. Lancaster & Stillman (2002) identify these age
groups as follows: Boomers, born between 1946 and
1964; Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980; and Millennials,
born between 1981 and 1999.
Because of mandatory age limits for incoming controllers,
Millennials are the only pool now available for hiring
new workers. Their status as the first generation born into a
wired world affects their attitudes at work (Smola

& Sutton, 2002). Also called Digital Natives (Prensky, 2001) or
the Net (N-) Generation (Tapscott, 1998),
Millennials tend to work well in groups and be self-confident
and technologically astute, whereas, Gen Xers tend
toward independence and a hands-off style.
Oblinger & Oblinger (2005) and Reynolds, et al. (2009)
describe the three generations in the workplace in Table
2.
Table 2: Attributes of the generations
Description
Boomers Gen Xers Millennials
Me generation Latchkey generation Net generation
Attributes Optimistic
Workaholic
Independent
Skeptical
Hopeful
Determined
Likes Responsibility
Work ethic
Can-do attitude
Freedom
Multitasking
Work-life balance

Public activism
Latest technology
Parents
Dislikes Laziness
Turning 50
Red tape
Hype
Anything slow
Negativity
Culturally, Millennials have been a focal point throughout their
lives, as youth-oriented media became a major
market force in the 1990s (Howe & Strauss, 2000). Although
Millennials were catered to from an early age, the
authors state, they are cooperative team players, feel close to
their parents, respect authority and rules, and
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are confident and smart, with aptitude test scores that have risen
for every racial and ethnic group. Millennials
believe in themselves and the future. Their being pampered has
created the belief they are special and a drive
to achieve, following their parents’ advice to study, avoid risk,
and take advantage of opportunities.

According to Schooley, et al. (2009), Millennials stress the
importance of work-life balance as a result of seeing
their parents work long hours and miss school events.
Millennials tend to have less loyalty toward employers
than their parents and grandparents did. With important
implications for the workplace, Schooley, et al. (2005)
find that most Millennials have an “innate” ability to use
information technology, are comfortable multitasking
while using multiple digital media, and demand interactivity as
they construct knowledge. While Millennials
often lack a workaholic drive, they compensate by taking
advantage of many technologies – often
simultaneously – to efficiently perform work.
Many of these younger employees have expertise in media,
tools, and technology their older colleagues do not
(Lancaster & Stillman, 2002). While older employees have
access to these tools, it is the younger employees who
understand and make use of them to their full potential and
regard them as more effective than traditional
forms of communicating. This generational difference may
profoundly shape workplace knowledge sharing.
2.2 A knowledge transfer challenge
One way for FAA to meet its knowledge transfer challenges is
to train members of the new cohort in ways they
prefer and work best for them. This research supports that
concept both in terms of technology use and
communications and collaboration strategies. As digital natives
who grew up online, Millennials expect to see
the technologies they use in their daily lives at work. Their
proclivity toward adopting the latest technologies
and expertise in playing electronic games affords them skills
that can be used advantageously in the workplace

and in training.
While describing generational preferences for receiving and
processing information, Hannam & Yordi (2011)
describe the predominant learning style of Millennials as: (1)
seeing context and value, (2) searching and
exploring with others online in their time and place, (3)
connecting to anything, and (4) being tech-savvy. These
authors suggest a growing consensus among employers that
Millennials need mentoring, which does not mean
they have nothing to offer, as they tend to be collaborative,
respectful of authority, and eager to learn.
3. Why study ATC?
An FAA executive described the seriousness of the agency’s
wave of retirements noting, “The institutional
knowledge of our employees is the foundation of a healthy
organization. People do not show up with it, and it’s
not something they find in a book or at orientation, or even
during formal OJT. It’s something they acquire after
spending many years, maybe decades, with an organization.”
ATC’s size, complexity, and culture complicate knowledge
transfer. However, this unique work environment is
an appropriate study focus because: (1) the need for knowledge
transfer is acute due to the large influx of new
hires; (2) the operational environment is highly exacting,
exacerbating communications issues; (3) training new
air traffic controllers is highly intensive and knowledge-based;
(4) dependency between mentor and mentee
amplifies the significance of intergenerational differences; and
(5) known barriers to knowledge transfer exist,
for example, OJT instructors and mentors may expect trainees to
follow instructions without a rationale or
explanation, or they may be reluctant to mentor them at all.

3.1 ATC: A knowledge centric environment
An impending knowledge loss is a major concern in a highly
knowledge-centric environment. Thus, this research
studied the methods used to train new controllers and to create,
capture, and transfer knowledge.
Controllers must have sufficient tacit knowledge to safely
manage air traffic as they gain independence on the
job. Operationally, controllers apply only the knowledge
required by each situation, referred to as “just-in-time
knowledge.” This knowledge subset is shared with aircraft
crews and controllers in airport traffic control towers
(ATCT), terminal radar control (TRACON) facilities, and en
route centers, ensuring a shared understanding of
processes and events that is critical, as all controllers must
coordinate their work. For example, after takeoff, an
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ATCT controller transfers control of the flight to a TRACON
controller, who transfers it to potentially multiple en
route center controllers until the process is reversed for landing.
O’Dell & Hubert’s (2011) assertion that passing tacit knowledge
from one person to another is difficult is
especially relevant for ATC, which requires controllers to create
tacit knowledge through their shared
experiences with coworkers, articulate this knowledge,
continually acquire new tacit knowledge, and

systematize this knowledge so it eventually becomes explicit
and available to others.
3.2 ATC and tacit knowledge
Because developing tacit knowledge is so important, training
new controllers is intensive. Air traffic controllers
go through many years of training, mentoring, and experience
during which they gain the explicit and tacit
knowledge that will lead to the development of expert judgment.
A significant amount of knowledge transfer
takes place during OJT, involving close interpersonal (and
intergenerational) interactions that rely on trust.
During this phase, intergenerational differences in
communication styles and preferences can affect trust. Senior
controllers must trust that the younger controllers are ready to
receive their knowledge and use it appropriately.
However, anecdotal reports suggest that older OJT instructors
may consider the new hires to be unready to fit
into their culture and, as a result, may either fail them or
demand additional training. On the other hand,
communications differences can also impede trust of older
controllers by the younger trainees.
4. Central role of communications
Communications is central to this research, as ATC involves a
high degree of communication to execute the work,
train new controllers, and capture and transfer knowledge. In
ATC, communications covers many areas,
including sharing rules of behavior, regulations, and
instructions on how to accomplish the work.
Communications is extremely important in both face-to-face and
non-face-to-face situations. Controllers usually
work in teams in adjacent positions. As they converse with each
other, they must be able to communicate clearly

with both colleagues and supervisors as well as the pilots of
aircraft under their control in diverse situations.
Controllers also must learn the proper terminology when
conversing with pilots to ensure their instructions are
carried out correctly.
In addition to mastering two-way communication, controllers
must be able to speak English clearly and
coherently. They must be able to transmit information to the
pilot or their colleagues as well as understand the
incoming feedback to make sure their message was understood.
Controllers and pilots routinely communicate about the status of
flights. This is highly important in situations
when unknown variables may be present, such as traffic delays
or abruptly changing weather. Sometimes
controllers and pilots fail to communicate properly due to the
existence of asymmetric information. That
situation can lead to a traffic accident such as Asiana Airline
flight 214, which crashed at San Francisco
International Airport on 6 July 2013. During an investigation by
the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, it
was revealed that “the pilot harbored fears about landing safely
while relying on manual controls and a visual
approach, but did not express them to his fellow crew members
because he did not want to fail his training
mission and embarrass himself.” See
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/12/asiana-pilot-
feared-
landing-safely-ntsb-report. Also complicating communications
is the reality of different self-interests and
perceptions. Controllers must take into account all aircraft in
their airspace while pilots are focused mainly on
one plane. Both parties develop perceptions based on rapidly
evolving information on which they bring to bear
their expert knowledge, especially tacit knowledge, and

communication skills.
In Table 3, Hannam & Yordi (2011) provide insight into the
communications preferences of each generation.
Table 3: Communication in the multi-generational workplace
Generation Suggested ways to communicate
Boomers Conversations should be more formal, perhaps over
coffee or lunch. Boomers tend to see
relationship and business results as intertwined. Ask about
mutual interests, e.g., “How is your
son doing in college?” Make the conversation participative by
getting the other’s input, and link
your message to the individual or team vision, mission, and
values.
Gen Xers Do not waste the person's time. Be direct and
straightforward. Avoid corporate-speak. Send an
email or leave a voicemail that states clearly what you want,
how it will serve you, and when you
want it.
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Millennials Be positive. Send a text message or meet face-to-
face. Tie the message to your personal goals or
the goals the team is working toward. Do not be condescending.
Avoid criticism and sarcasm.
5. Workplace learning approaches
Controllers need a high level of tacit knowledge to be able to
form expert judgments (FAA, 2010). FAA’s three-
prong approach to ATC training can be related to the work of de
Jong & Ferguson-Hessler (1996), who described
four facets of tacit knowledge relevant to controller training:
situational, conceptual, procedural, and strategic.
Trainee controllers obtain procedural and some strategic
knowledge from classroom instruction (which includes
reading manuals, procedures, and textbooks) at the FAA
academy. Using a simulator hones this classroom
learning and helps develop conceptual knowledge. Generally,
once controllers complete training at the Academy,
they acquire and build knowledge by daily on-the-job practice,
through mentoring and by working with more
experienced controllers over the long-term in their assigned
facilities through OJT. OJT is analogous to the
relationship between a master craftsman and apprentice in a
European guild during the Middle Ages and
therefore involves a high degree of mentoring.
OJT develops situational knowledge, which new controllers
combine with the other three types of tacit
knowledge to prepare for working in ATC.
6. Research in the ATC environment

Following an extensive literature review, this research
identified some assumptions regarding the three
generations in the workplace. These assumptions led to the
development of the hypotheses, followed by the
development of the conceptual model. Following the
development of the conceptual model, a survey was
developed comprising four sections: the modes (technologies)
the three generations use to communicate with
their colleagues, each generation’s preferences for methods to
gain access to and transfer knowledge, each age
group’s preferences for ATC training methods, and
demographics. The collected data were analyzed using a
modified hypothetical-deductive method, following the cycle of
empirical scientific inquiry (de Groot, 1969).
Figure 2 shows the conceptual model. In this model, gaining
knowledge is the dependent variable. Age groups,
communications behavior within groups, learning preferences,
and knowledge principles are the independent
variables. The moderator is the external influences affecting
implementation of KM, namely, U.S. government
policies. The independent variables influence the mediator,
namely KM, which affects the success of KM
implementation.
Figure 2: Conceptual model
6.1 Hypotheses and development of the survey questionnaire
The research hypothesized that members of the younger
generations prefer to use the technologies they rely
on in their private lives, such as social media and mobile smart
devices, to collaborate and to capture, retrieve,
and transfer knowledge in the workplace.

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The survey addressed participants’ preferences in three areas —
communications, solving a task, and learning
— in addition to identifying their demographics. Seven
hypotheses were tested:
H1. Older air traffic controllers prefer fewer modes of
communications and use them less frequently
than do younger controllers.
H2. Older air traffic controllers search longer for and share less
information than do younger
controllers.
H3. Older air traffic controllers find classroom instruction,
instruction materials, and computer
simulation less effective than do younger controllers.
H4. Older air traffic controllers find laboratory simulation and
online databases less effective than
do younger controllers.
H5. To transfer mission-critical knowledge in the FAA, older
air traffic controllers use KM principles
less than do younger controllers.
H6. Older air traffic controllers catalog and store information
about tasks more than do younger
controllers.

H7. Older controllers disseminate information about tasks less
readily than do younger controllers.
H1 and H2 were associated with communications behavior
within groups. H3 and H4 were associated with
learning preferences. H5 through H7 were associated with
knowledge principles. All hypotheses were associated
with the age groups.
The research studied two groups: (1) 208 operational controllers
in the agency and (2) 246 instructors and
students in four academic institutions conducting ATC
education.
6.2 Results of the data analysis
The data suggest that Millennials embrace new technologies
more strongly than do the older cohorts. In this
study, members of the younger generations preferred to use
technologies such as social media and mobile smart
devices in the workplace and for training.
The data also showed that Millennials rely more on knowledge
resources (such as expertise locators and
knowledge bases) and use them more frequently than do their
older colleagues. It also revealed that Millennials
exhibit more knowledge-related behaviors compared to Boomers
for some activities but not for for others.
Some of these results are consistent with other academic
findings about Millennials’ preferences and behaviors
while others are not. Somewhat surprisingly, Millennials rated
some traditional training methods (such as face-
to-face time with mentors or OJT instructors and classroom
training) more highly than did the Boomers. That

result raises questions about the cause of these discrepancies
that may be worthy of future study. One possible
explanation is that such preferences and behaviors are
environment-dependent, for example, they may differ
from the norm in a highly technical environment where the
mastery of tacit knowledge is essential.
7. Conclusions and recommendations
7.1 Conclusions
The survey data confirmed most of the hypotheses. Millennials
are more open to new technologies and wish to
use mobile smart devices as a part of both life and work. Gen
Xers, the transitional generation, show some traits
of both Boomers and Millennials. Boomers are the most
traditional age group and the slowest to embrace
technological changes. The research also confirms that
Millennials like to work in teams and share their
knowledge. The data analysis led to the following conclusions:
media and mobile smart devices.
-related behaviors (e.g.,
locating experts and identifying lessons learned)
compared to Boomers in some cases, but for others (e.g.,
searching for and sharing information) there were
no generational differences.
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locators and knowledge bases) and do so more
frequently than do their older colleagues.
face-to-face time with mentors or OJT
instructors and classroom training) more highly than do
Boomers.
7.2 Recommendations
As a result of this research, organizations should be able to
answer the following question:
“How should we augment technical training for new employees
in ways that appeal to the lifestyle and needs of
Millennials?”
Because the three generations bring different ideas, challenges,
and opportunities to the workplace, executives
can benefit from taking these attributes and preferences into
account and acknowledging the strength of the
diversity they bring to the workplace.
This research suggests that organizations consider the following
approaches to meet the knowledge sharing,
mentoring, and training needs of their incoming Millennial
employees:
(1) Incorporate interactive serious games into operational
training, using mobile smart devices. The deep lessons
Millennials have learned from video games may carry enormous
value. If managed and reinforced correctly,

these lessons have the potential to deliver that value to the
workplace. One challenge is finding ways to exploit
the unique aspects of serious games to enhance workplace
learning.
(2) Create communities of practice (COP). Creating COPs
would be vital for helping new hires adapt to and quickly
learn the needs of the workplace as well as interact with peers
and experts.
(3) Implement social networks, including microblogging. There
is a strong connection between KM and social
media. Yates & Paquette (2011) describe how the low- or no-
cost social networks that proved a key part of the
disaster response in the aftermath of 2010 Haiti earthquake
could be of high value to organizations in the areas
of lessons learned and best practices through the use of video
and photo-sharing Websites.
(4) Introduce cross-generational mentoring. Organizations
should consider implementing formal mentoring
programs that match leaders and managers with the
organization’s best employees. This approach would enable
new hires to gain valuable face time with the leaders and
managers of their choice. Three types of mentoring
are recommended: soft-sills, cross-generational, and reverse
mentoring.
7.3 The impact of this research
This research should have an impact on both the development of
organizational KM and training programs and
approaches as well as future research in the field. Many of the
issues addressed are not specific to the FAA but
apply to almost every complex public and private sector
organization. Aging populations are changing
demographics worldwide in developed countries, with profound
effects on the workplace environment. As older
employees retire, organizations hire younger employees,

creating a multigenerational workplace that faces
intergenerational issues as well as potential knowledge loss.
Younger employees entering the workplace need
to learn organizational culture and their individual jobs as
expeditiously as possible to become efficient and
effective workers.
As the recommendations outlined above show, organizations
would benefit from catering to the preferences of
their incoming Millennial workers to facilitate their training and
integration into the workplace. Designing
training and KM programs with these technology preferences in
mind will increase efficiency and effectiveness
as well as worker morale. Further, Millennials’ strong
preferences for KM resources and approaches provide a
strong rationale for their implementation in the workplace.
The finding of both generational differences and similarities in
KM behaviors suggests that further research is
warranted to better understand these behaviors and assess their
implications in different workplace
environments. Follow-on studies could conduct a comparative
analysis of organizations with cultural and KM
environments that differ from the highly technical ATC
environment where the transfer of tacit knowledge is
particularly critical. In addition, follow-on studies could use
these and subsequent findings about generational
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behaviors to study the effectiveness of implementing workplace

technology- and knowledge-based programs
and approaches in multigenerational workforces.
Similarly, Millennials’ preferences for KM resources provide
another area for further study. There is a need to
better understand these preferences and how to exploit them in
work and training environments. Further
findings of support for such preferences in various other work
environments would support the case for the
expansion of KM resources among complex organizations in
general as a productive approach to enhancing
knowledge transfer for the incoming Millennials.
7.4 Contributions to the KM field
The findings of this research create important additions to the
field of KM. The younger generations’ preference
for using social media and social technologies for work and in
training creates a potential for greater ease of
knowledge creation, retention, and transfer for those groups.
The possibility and likely willingness of Millennials
to reverse mentor their older colleagues by sharing their
expertise with the newer social media technologies
could likewise enhance the ability of Boomers to share their
tacit knowledge with their younger colleagues. Thus,
while these findings highlight intergenerational differences,
newer technologies also have the potential to
enhance knowledge transfer in the workplace among all the
generations.
Cultural shifts caused by the advent of emerging social media
and related disruptive technologies will likely
continue to have an impact on knowledge transfer,
communication, and training in the workplace. As new
generations become early adopters of the latest technologies,
generational differences will continue to be an

area that organizations will need to address. This research
provides insights into these differences, practical
advice for organizations for dealing with generational issues, as
well as potential areas for future study for KM
investigators.
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Cambridge, MA: Forrester Research.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice
of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Shin, M., Holden, T., & Schmidt, R. A. (2001). From knowledge
theory to management practice: Towards an integrated
approach. Information Processing and Management 37(2): 335-
355.
Smola, K. W. & Sutton, C. D. (2002). Generational differences:
Revisiting generational work values for the new millennium.
Journal of Organizational Behavior. 23(4): 363-382.

Snowden, D. F. (12 December 2012). Thinking and acting fast
in complex environments: Cutting-edge approaches to
learning and implementation. Presented to the World Bank,
Knowledge & Learning Council, Washington, DC.
Sveiby, K. E. 2001. A knowledge-based theory of the firm to
guide strategy formulation. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 2(4):
344 – 358.
Szulanski, G. (2000). The process of knowledge transfer: A
diachronic analysis of stickiness. Organizational Behavior and
Human Decision Processes 82(1): 9-27.
Tapscott, D. (1998). Growing up digital: The rise of the net
generation. Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill.
Tulgan, B. (2000). Managing generation X: How to bring out
the best in young talent (Rev. Ed.). New York, NY: W. W.
Norton & Co.
Twenge, J. M. (2006). Generation me: Why today’s young
Americans are more confident, assertive, entitled ― and more
miserable than ever before. New York, NY: Free Press.
Yates, D. & Paquette, S. (2011). Emergency knowledge
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ECIC2015 149
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Copyright of Proceedings of the European Conference on

Intellectual Capital is the property
of Academic Conferences & Publishing International Ltd. and
its content may not be copied
or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the
copyright holder's express
written permission. However, users may print, download, or
email articles for individual use.
MHR 6451, Human Resource Management Methods 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
7. Create a training and development module for mid-level
business managers.
7.1 Construct measurable learning objectives.
7.2 Explain how a needs analysis is conducted.
7.3 Recommend a training process model.
Reading Assignment
In order to access the following resources, click the links
below.
Hadar, G. (2015). Learning preferences of millennials in a
knowledge-based environment. Proceedings of the
European Conference On Intellectual Capital, 141-149.

Retrieved from
https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://s
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc
t=true&db=bth&AN=101604729&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Ten steps to effective in-house training. (1983). Training &
Development Journal, 37(1), 11. Retrieved from
The videos below are required viewing for this unit. They are
also listed in the Unit Lesson.
Hall, J. (2014, September 22). Instructional design industry
leader, Melissa Marshall presentation [Video file].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/9MRFIcz_AXs
To view the transcript of the video above, click here.
Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE analysis
phase [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdv5lrJs4U&list=PL20E84
CD77B301A20&index=1
Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE design phase
[Video file]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/BhLIiF9QyTo

Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE development
https://youtu.be/VzYDNWhQWYA
Jclarkgardner. (2011, October 8). The ADDIE implementation
https://youtu.be/q8yky6-P1Uw
UNIT V STUDY GUIDE
Learning and Development
earch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=1016
04729&site=ehost-live&scope=site
https://youtu.be/9MRFIcz_AXs

https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/courses/Busi
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_HallTranscript.pdf
CD77B301A20&index=1
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEAnalysisTranscript.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEDesignTranscript.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEDevelopmentTranscript
.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEImplementationTranscr
ipt.pdf
Jclarkgardner. (2011, October 8). The ADDIE evaluation phase
https://youtu.be/CBoI0wBo4vw
Tobing, H. L. (2013, July 8). Training needs analysis or TNA
https://youtu.be/X3cSAjHDeag

Unit Lesson
In order to access the following resource, click the link below.
College of Business – CSU. (2016, September 1). Learning and
development [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/UCXeCpIrkLY
To view the transcripts for this video, click here.
Certain events seem to stick in our memories all of our lives;
they usually occur when we are experiencing
high anxiety, such as the first day of a new job. Who can ever
forget that first day? Whether it was a good
experience or a bad one, we seem to remember it. If you are
fortunate, you are still employed by that same
organization. Otherwise, you have experienced a few more first
days chock-full of positive hopes, a bit of
apprehension, and maybe a touch of angst as you walked
through that door to your new employee orientation
session.
Some companies refer to this as onboarding. The military calls
it indoctrination. Whatever name the process
goes by, it must be acknowledged that the U.S. military is
expected to fully accomplish the purpose and
objectives of this session. Why? Because the people joining that
organization need to know and embrace the
values, mission, expectations, rules, procedures, and culture.
They have to see where the organization has
been, where it is now, and what their roles will be in its future.
The importance of this socialization cannot be
understated. Reflect on your first days in a new organization;

were you welcomed and made to feel like you
belonged, or did you have second thoughts about your decision?
Planning successful orientation, product, system, functional, or
management training and development
sessions takes careful analysis and a conscientious proven
process. Unit V starts with such a process, which
had its beginnings in the U.S. Military. In 1975, Florida State
University created the analysis, design,
development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model
for the U.S. Army (as cited in Tang-Quick, n.d.).
There are several rational steps involved in the ADDIE training
process model. In each step of the model,
emphasis is placed on the importance of linking the learning
process to the organizational strategy as well as
analyzing current needs. The first thing that must be determined
is if a problem that has been presented will
be solved by providing training. All too often, an executive or a
high-level manager will comment that
productivity has been reduced in an area, sales are down in a
certain department, or an individual is not
performing; therefore, a training program is needed (Forest,
2014).
The worst thing a learning specialist or manager can do is
respond to that executive by using training jargon
such as follows: “I would like to do a training needs analysis
(TNA) to get to the root cause of this issue.” The
executive will think you are going to delay getting results.
Instead, ask the executive to refer you to someone
close to the issue so you can get all of the details.
Furthermore, consider this analogy from the book Analyzing
Performance Problems or You Really Oughta
Wanna: How to Figure Out Why People Aren't Doing What

They Should Be, and What to Do About It, which
compares solutions to keys and locks: The key must fit in order
to open the lock. Therefore, you need the
right solution to solve the problem (Mager & Pipe, 1997).
Mager and Pipe’s model suggests asking a series of
specific questions about the performance or the employee’s
behavior. The answers you get will identify the
cause of the performance deficiency or the employee behavior,
and, if you are lucky, you will have the key to
fixing the problem. It may turn out to be a non-training issue,
and you will be the hero who saves time and
money. The following short video further explains TNA:
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEEvaluationTranscript.p
df
https://youtu.be/UCXeCpIrkLY
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_LearningAndDevelopment_Tra
nscripts.pdf
Tobing, H. L. (2013, July 8). Training needs analysis or TNA
If the front-end analysis (i.e., TNA) result demonstrates a
performance gap, if your firm is rolling out a new

system or product, or if your organization is implementing a
cultural change initiative that requires all
management to become proficient, such as real-time coaching
feedback, then your analysis will continue as
you identify the input objectives. These are activities that make
up the session, program, or project. These
parameters are necessary because they define the scope of the
project in terms of answering questions
about topics such as needed resources, cost of the project,
employees involved, scheduling, setting, and
locality. It is here that you identify the characteristics of the
target audience, identify the critical skills to be
taught, and write the measurable learning objectives based on
the needs you discovered. The first objectives
will be input objectives, usually shared with the sponsors or
stakeholders of the project. An example of an
input objective might be the following statement: This project
must be introduced by July 1 (timing parameter),
be within 2% of the sales department’s budget (costs), and be
implemented in the Western Region (location).
You will continue to develop the other learning objectives:
reaction, learning, application, impact, and return-
on-investment (ROI) objectives (Phillips & Phillips, 2008).
As mentioned above, as early as the analysis phase, you identify
the characteristics of the target audience;
many organizations typically have employees from several
generations. This article indicated below explores
the concept of intergenerational communications, which will
become more and more important as the older
workforce retires and is replaced by millennials.
Hadar, G. (2015). Learning preferences of millennials in a
knowledge-based environment. Proceedings of The
European Conference On Intellectual Capital, 141-149.

The ADDIE model begins with an analysis phase. A more
detailed overview of this phase can be seen in the
following video:
Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE analysis
CD77B301A20&index=1
To view the transcript of this video, click here.
Reaction objectives are important for three reasons: (1) They
explain to the participants why they were
selected to attend. It gives them the WIIFM (what’s in it for me)
and, therefore, is meant to motivate the
participants. (2) They express the necessity for the program, and
if it is presented in a logical and rational
way, it gains buy-in from the audience. They see that it is
appropriate and of value to them and their role
within the company. (3) Clearly written reaction objectives
measure the first level of success (Level 1),
providing meaningful feedback that offers direction to higher
levels of accomplishment (Phillips & Phillips,
2008).
Reaction objectives are all about perception. The reaction
objectives must be clear to ensure that participants
engage and want to acquire the knowledge, information, or
skills that are required by the program. Try to
keep reaction objectives aimed at the content of the program

rather than non-content issues, such as the food
or hotel service. Here are some examples of reaction objectives
where employees answer on a five-point
scale; they should rate each statement 4 out of 5.
& Phillips, 2008).
According to Philips & Philips (2008), learning objectives
(Level 2) are focused on performance and written
with action verbs, conditions, and criteria. In Mager and Pipe’s
(1997) criterion-referenced instruction, learning
objectives also include conditions and criteria. See the
following short video for a different but similar training
process model:
CD77B301A20&index=1
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEAnalysisTranscript.pdf

Crombie, S. (2013, May 1). Criterion referenced instruction –
Robert Mager [Video file]. Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/UHWX1ZPcJHQ
To view the transcript of this video, click here.
Level 2 objectives must be observed or heard behaviors to
demonstrate that learning has occurred; they are
clearly worded, specific, and outcome-based. They may contain
all three components: performance,
condition, and criterion. These are examples of learning
objectives:
score of 80% or better in 20 minutes on
the ADA policy quiz.
the meeting, you will be able to develop a
business case lite using a given a
template.
successfully complete the system procedures for
setting up new clients in 15 minutes (Phillips & Phillips, 2008).
The next level of objectives (Level 3) are application
objectives; they define the actions employees will take
after the program of instruction is over (Phillips & Phillips,
2008). The application objectives should tell them
what they are expected to do on the job with the knowledge or

skills they learned while in training. This also
involves the expectations of their supervisors and peers.
Truthfully, while in the classroom or learning
environment, a participant will learn a great deal that is not
always necessary on a day-to-day basis. For
example, a participant may not use all of the steps involved in a
transaction to update an account in the new
system; there may even be a shortcut allowed back on the job
that was not discussed in class. Participants
may have passed all of the tests and performed well in the
learning environment, but once they get into their
work environment, they will need support from their managers
and peers. Participants should also have clear
application objectives that describe what success will look like
back on the job. Being able to use the
knowledge, skills, and information learned in class while on the
job is also referred to as transfer of training
(Phillips & Phillips, 2008).
Examples of application objectives are shown below:
skills daily.
minimum of 10% of their current
customers to offer the new product-line service within two
months.
ways to increase the department’s level of
employee engagement and report these back to their managers
within 30 days (Phillips & Phillips,
2008).

According to Phillips and Phillips (2008), impact objectives
(Level 4) are very important to most senior
executives; they represent the business need that required the
needs analysis. The key business measures
should be impacted by the program; these objectives are often
confused with Level 3 objectives, but the way
to distinguish between the two levels is to remember that the
Level 3 (application) objective is an activity and
the outcome or consequence of the activity is Level 4 (impact).
For example, this is an activity: Employees will
contact a minimum of 10% of their current customers within
two months to offer the new product-line service.
To achieve an outcome, the employee must perform differently
than he or she did before (by offering the new
product line service), and the outcome of this activity
(improvement in productivity) is a common indicator of a
Level 4 impact.
Impact objectives consist of measures related to the skills and
knowledge learned in the program; they reveal
measures that are collected and available straightforwardly, and
they tell us what the participants have
achieved as a result of the program. Impact objectives involve
hard and soft data; the hard data types are
focused on output, quality, cost, and time. The soft data is
focused on the work environment, customer
service, and job satisfaction measures.
This is an example of impact (Level 4) objectives: After the
close of the program, the resulting conditions
should be seen: The average number of new accounts that have
opened due to the new product-line service
should increase from 200 to 250 per month in six months.
Absenteeism should be decreased by 15% within
the next nine months (Phillips & Phillips, 2008).

https://youtu.be/UHWX1ZPcJHQ
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_CrombieTranscript.pdf
The highest level of objectives is (Level 5) ROI. The decision
to collect data for this level of analysis should be
taken seriously; not all training programs and projects require
this level of analysis. Today, however,
executives are requiring that high profile, expensive, and key
strategic programs must be accountable and
good investments. To show that the programs or projects are
credible, executives are demanding that an ROI
calculation is produced. Briefly, ROI converts the data to
money, isolates the effects of the project or program,
and compares the money to the cost of the project or program
(Phillips & Phillips, 2008). A cost-benefit
analysis is used in addition to comparing net program benefits
to program costs; the comparison is expressed
as a percentage when multiplied by 100. Preparing to construct
ROI objectives and to evaluate a program at
this level must be carefully and deliberately executed. ROI
certification is a worthwhile endeavor for any
executive or human resource professional (Phillips & Phillips,
2008). A video describing the ROI process and
certification is listed in the suggested readings section for this
unit.
Once most of the objectives for a program are completed, you
will begin the design phase of the program,

and you will start thinking about how you will assess each
objective, select the course format, and create the
instructional strategy. Part of your instructional strategy
concerns the content presentation. If you are planning
to do a PowerPoint presentation, you will want to watch the
video below.
Hall, J. (2014, September 22). Instructional design industry
leader, Melissa Marshall presentation [Video file].
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/9MRFIcz_AXs
Also, watch this quick overview of the design phase to see what
is included.
Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE design phase
The development phase includes several curriculum
development activities such as creating a sample and
developing the course material based on your design strategy
and then conducting a run-through to gain
feedback. For an example and more details, view the video
below.
Jclarkgardner. (2011, September 25). The ADDIE development

You are now at the implementation phase, and there are three
parts: training the instructor, preparing the
learners, and arranging the learning environment. An overview
of the implementation phase is covered in the
next short video.
Jclarkgardner. (2011, October 8). The ADDIE implementation
The last phase, evaluation, has two types: summative and
formative evaluation. The video below discusses
this phase and provides examples.
Jclarkgardner. (2011, October 8). The ADDIE evaluation phase
You should now be ready to read the instructions and begin the
Unit V PowerPoint Presentation assignment.
https://youtu.be/9MRFIcz_AXs
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_HallTranscript.pdf

ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEDesignTranscript.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEDevelopmentTranscript
.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEImplementationTranscr
ipt.pdf
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_ADDIEEvaluationTranscript.p
df
References
Forest, E. (2014). The ADDIE model: Instructional design.
Retrieved from
http://educationaltechnology.net/the-addie-model-instructional-
design/
Mager, R. F., & Pipe, P. (1997). Analyzing performance
problems or you really oughta wanna: How to figure
out why people aren't doing what they should be, and what to do
about it. Atlanta, GA: Center for
Effective Performance.
Phillips, J., & Philips, P. (2008). Beyond learning objectives:

Develop measurable objectives that link to the
bottom line. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.
Tang-Quick, T. (n.d.). ADDIE instructional design model.
Retrieved from
http://ged578.pbworks.com/w/page/39335825/ADDIE%20Instru
ctional%20Design%20Model
Suggested Reading
In order to access the following resources, click the links
below.
Jiffy Lube has a unique training program called Jiffy Lube
University. This article looks at one of the central
figures to this program who is the manager of learning and
development for Jiffy Lube International. This
article presents a great example of a training program for
employees.
Bates, S. (2016). Giving employees a license to learn. HR
Magazine, 61(4), 54-56. Retrieved from
The book mentioned in the Unit V Lesson is a classic resource
in the field of human resource management,
and it is a staple for any HR professional’s library; if you are
interested in owning the book, you may research

the book on the Internet using the information below. This book
provides a step-by-step approach to solving
performance issues in an organization.
Mager, R. F., & Pipe, P. (1997). Analyzing performance
problems: Or, you really oughta wanna – How to
figure out why people aren’t doing what they should be, and
what to do about it. Atlanta, GA: Center
for Effective Performance.
More and more training is being developed in an online setting.
This article looks at how to use the ADDIE
model to develop e-learning.
Neal, B. (2011). e-ADDIE! T+D, 65(3), 76-77. Retrieved from
The video below contains an interview with Patti Phillips, the
President/CEO of the ROI Institute, an
organization that helps businesses measure the success of their
initiatives and maximize ROI. In the
interview, she discusses her thoughts on training.
ROI Institute. (2014, January 2). Patti Phillips, the ROI
Institute: Return on investment models for training
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/AZeHwZdr83U
The relationship between training and the performance of a firm
is not always clear. This article aims to show

this relationship and why it is important.
http://educationaltechnology.net/the-addie-model-instructional-
design/
http://ged578.pbworks.com/w/page/39335825/ADDIE%20Instru
ctional%20Design%20Model
https://youtu.be/AZeHwZdr83U
Thang, N. N., Quang, T. & Buyens, D. (2010). The relationship
between training and firm performance: A
literature review. Research & Practice in Human Resource
Management, 18(1), 28-45. Retrieved
from

Learning Activities (Non-Graded)
Non-graded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in
their course of study. You do not have to
submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for
further guidance and information.
Check for Understanding: Crossword Puzzle
Click here to download a crossword puzzle that reinforces the
terms covered in this unit. You can also
complete an interactive version of this crossword puzzle by
clicking here.
ness/MHR/MHR6451/16P/UnitV_CheckforUnderstanding_Cross
wordPuzzle.pdf
http://play.shareapuzzle.com/55083/UnitVCheckForUnderstandi
ng.htm

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