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There is growing evidence that an organization's training climate can influence the effectiveness of formal and informal training activities. Unfortunately, there is limited data regarding the psychometric properties of climate measures that have been used in training research. The purpose of this article is to examine the construct validity of a training climate measure. Results from content adequacy, reliability, aggregation, and convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity assessments provide support for the measure's use in diagnostic and theory testing efforts.
Keywords: training climate; training effectiveness; construct validity
One of the growing areas of research in the training and development field focuses on the nature and types of factors outside formal learning contexts that may influence the acquisition and application of new knowledge and skills (Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2001). Although many variables may influence the effectiveness of training and development efforts, an organization's training climate appears to play an important role. For example, previous research has demonstrated that an organization's training climate is instrumental in preparing individuals for formal development activities and achieving desired learning objectives (e.g., Tracey, Hinkin, Tannenbaum, & Mathieu, 2001) and in helping to ensure that individuals successfully transfer their newly acquired knowledge and skills to the job upon completion of formal training (e.g., Holton, Bates, & Ruona, 2000; Rouiller & Goldstein, 1993; Tracey, Tannenbaum, & Kavanagh, 1995; Thayer & Teachout, 1995).
The mounting evidence regarding the relevance of the work environment, and training climate in particular, has shifted attention toward broader and more integrative models of training effectiveness. For example, Kozlowski and Salas (1997) presented a multilevel, systems model of training implementation and transfer that described the ways in which variables at one level of analysis (e.g., work environment) may influence or interact with variables at other levels of analysis (e.g., individual motivation to attend training). Research based on this and related models has generated some needed insight regarding work-related factors that may influence training success and failure; however, theoretical and measurement ambiguities exist. In particular, and as Kozlowski and Salas concluded, "The conceptualization of 'supporting work environment' has not been seriously addressed" (p. 257) within the training literature. Although the nature and relevance of constructs such as "perceived organizational support" have been established and linked to a variety of work-related attitudes...