Competency-Based Training and Work Performance of the Sales Workforce in a Telecommunication Company
Competent workforce is crucial for any organisation facing the global challenges and competition. Competency is very much linked to employee performance; and with proper competency and capabilities, it will increase productivity. The objective of the study is to examine the level of generic sale...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2004
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/331/1/549588_T_FPP_2004_17.pdf |
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| Summary: | Competent workforce is crucial for any organisation facing the global
challenges and competition. Competency is very much linked to employee
performance; and with proper competency and capabilities, it will increase
productivity. The objective of the study is to examine the level of generic
sales competencies of the sales workforce in a telecommunication
company. Since competency-based training is an important element and
antecedents for the competency level, the study examined the preferred
learning styles of the respondents using Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory.
The study also examined the relationship between the dependent
variables (work performance) and selected independent variables.A self-administered questionnaire was used as a mode of data collection
with a sample size of 289 respondents. All instrument items used in the
study were constructed by the researcher except for Kolb Learning Styles
Inventory. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and
percentage were used, besides t-test, ANOVA, Pearson Product-Moment
Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis were used for the
statistical test.
The findings indicated that the preferred learning styles among the sales
workforce were converger. In this style, they were motivated to discover
the relevancy or “how” of a situation. The respondents also perceived that
competency-based training was moderately effective, where only about 50
percent of the respondents were satisfied with the program. The major
areas that required further improvements were contents of the module and
instructional methods.
The study found that the competency level of the sales workforce was
average. The study also found that there were weak relationships
between work performance and respondents’ age, working experience,
effectiveness of competency-based training and competency level. Eight
competencies were found to have significant relationships with work
performance; these were interpersonal skill, teamwork, business
understanding, analytical thinking, marketing skill, selling skill, product knowledge and sales strategy. Regression analysis confirmed that two
variables contributed to the work performance; they were teamwork and
business understanding.
This indicated that the competency of the employees and the teaching
method should be considered as an important element for the employees’
performance and effective intervention programs needed to be carried out
to narrow and ultimately close the gap. |
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