Evaluating Training and Development Programs - Case Study Example

Case 5 - HRM Evaluating Training and Development Programs Part1. Brief about the Organization Background of the Organization Establishedin the year 1976, Apple Inc. (Apple) is one of the highly renowned players in the global technology as well as communication device manufacturing and marketing business industry. Since the period of its inception, Apple has been observed to render remarkable performance by delivering cutting edge technology based products and accessories that provide unique experience to each of its valuable buyers across the world. The organization has garnered its strong brand value by offering exclusive personal computers (PC), media devices and mobile communication, digital media players along with selling a range of products related software, hardware, services, networking solutions, peripherals and third-party digital content and a range of application programs (Apple Inc., 2011). Size, Supervisory Structure and Nature of Employees of the Organization With reference to company profiling, it has been identified that Apple is one of the major and leading technological brands and has achieved rapid organizational growth due to its continuous focus on innovation. The organization possesses greater flexibility in its operations, which facilitates each individual to provide ideas and information in order to develop the process of its different business operations. Observing the current size of the organization, Apple has achieved its commendable positioning due to its striving performance in both meeting desired commercial goals and interests of its associated stakeholder groups. In relation to the financial performance, the technology giant has accomplished a commendable growth rate, which is comparatively higher than rivals present across the global technology and communication device manufacturing industry. The annual sales growth of Apple has been recognized to be significantly elevating with 65.07 billion (52.73%) in 2010 and in the year of 2011 the growth rate was 108.6 billion with 66.90% of annual growth (Market Watch, Inc., 2015; Bloomberg, 2015). The following figure describes the unprecedented growth of Apple during the period from fourth quarter 2013 to the year-end of 2014. Fig: Unaudited Summary Data of Apple Inc., 2014 (Source: Apple Inc, 2014) As per the month of September 2013, Apple incorporated nearly 80,300 numbers of full-time equivalent employees across the globe. The company also unites an additional 4,100 full-time equivalent temporary employees and contractors. In order to efficiently perform the sales and marketing activities, Apple has also been observed to comprise nearly 42,800 total full-time equivalent employees, who are responsible for its retail operations located across different nations in the world (The U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2013). In the context of supervisory structure, the company has been witnessed to have a strong hierarchical arrangement of executive members assigned for different strategic and operational functions within the organization. The following figure depicts the supervisory structure of the company: Fig: Supervisory Structure of Apple Inc. (Source: Apple Inc., 2015) Part2. Training Topic or Theme and its Benefits Competitive training and development initiative can be regarded as a major component of developing a learning environment, which is crucial for Apple to successfully retain and encourage employees with innovative skills required to obtain the optimal goals of the organization. Corresponding to the robust growth in innovation and marketing concept, the training and development programs in Apple have also been observed as one of the most integrated parts in human resource management (HRM) orientation of the organization. The organization incorporates a well-planned and structured training and development platform that substantially empowers the competitive position of the company’s marketing as well as research and development segments. Training Program Topic or Theme In relation to the recent observation, Apple is likely to increase its investment of millions of Dollars to equip appropriate training and development environment for its employees irrespective of their job roles they are associated with in the organization. In this regard, the programs such as Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) can be duly accepted as one of the major initiatives of Apple in terms of nourishing skills and competency levels of the employees from different segments ranging from strategic division to operational and marketing lines. The program provides a wider scope to each individual employee to carry out and implement different innovative operational activities. Moreover, the program is also identified to be more effective in terms of encouraging employees to increase their productivity and innovation skills of producing or marketing the cutting edge technology based products and services of Apple (Apple Inc., 2015). In relation to the recent day context, the SEED program of the organization is extended from nine to tenure of eighteen months during the year 2013. Since the inauguration of the SEED program, more than 48,000 employees from their different job roles have taken part in different training and development classes in the program (Apple Inc, 2013). Benefits Obtained from the Training Program During the training period, a number of beneficial aspects have been acquired. The primary topic or area of the training program is to acquire an in-depth understanding about the process of training and development program that can substantially improve the skills and abilities of the employees irrespective of their responsibilities within a particular organization. Furthermore, the newly incorporated program provides an added advantage to the employees to enhance their knowledge base and develop their cognitive skills. With the development in the level of knowledge, the employees will be able to handle diverse situations effectively and enhance their ability to sustain in the dynamic environment. In this regard, the major benefits gained by the implementation of the training program in Apple have been briefly explained hereunder: Quality, Simplicity and Innovation According to the training programs conducted in Apple, the organization significantly focused towards improving three core values of each employee such as their quality, innovation and simplicity levels. The training programs of the organization is an effective set of practices that help superiors to identify key potential of each individual and implement appropriate learning mechanism to revitalize their skills and competency level. It furnishes quality of the workers to increase their capability of delivering quality-based products and services in accordance with the primary objectives of the organization. Moreover, it also helps employees to comply with a simple way of practicing guidelines that further help them to stimulate their performance of developing cutting edge products as per the expectations of the customers. In addition, Apple consists of an incredible record in delivering innovative products and services in line with the changing market trends in the technology and communication device producing industry. Subsequently, the training programs of the organization also include exceptional series of training classes centrally focused on evaluating ideas and perception of the employees and turning them into reality by delivering cutting edge products (Apple Inc., 2015). Part3: Training Goals and Objectives of the Organization and Evaluating Learning Outcome Training Goals and Objectives The primary goal of the training programs in Apple is to ensure that the programs are designed with adequate quality, consistency as well as accessibility of different learning programs across the globe. The training programs delivers appropriate and justifiable training courses required for any academic or commercial training centers of the company. The mechanism commensurately provides a major assistance to the organization to meet its optimum training goals (1Apple Inc., 2015). In relation to the objectives, the following are a few of the major set of practices that helps Apple to obtain its training goals successfully. Educate Suppliers The training programs are designed to improve knowledge and skills of the employees in different operational and strategic fields. Moreover, it also is inclined towards improving knowledge of its suppliers regarding regulatory policies and practice guidelines along with their rights, occupational health and safety along with the organization’s code of conducts (Apple Inc, 2014). Educating Responsibilities The training program in Apple also encompasses supervisors, managers and other hierarchical executives to clearly understand their defined roles and responsibilities within the organization. Moreover, the training courses also include an effective set of learning mechanism that improves managerial capability and decision-making capability of the individuals. Additionally, offering wider opportunity to the employees to improve their professional skills is also a major aspect in the company’s training program (1Apple Inc., 2015). Exceptional Learning Experience Increasing learning experience of each individual is one of the major objectives of the training program in Apple. In this regard, the Apple Authorized Training Centers (AATC) is one of the major initiatives of the company, which facilitates and offers wider opportunities for the experienced and motivated entrepreneurs to set up their own AATC. The program is also renowned for providing wider scope and opportunities to the authorized training centers to gain knowledge and improve their skills to meet the needs and expectations of the customers. Therefore, improving performance and capabilities of the AATC is also a crucial objective of Apple to stimulate its renowned position in the competitive telecommunication and technology based product business industry (Apple Inc., 2013). Offering World-class Support The training program in Apple is also designed to provide quality based training programs to the internal business divisions and authorized entrepreneurs. In this context, the training programs help the participants by delivering support in the training as well as exam development activities. Additionally, the objective of the training program is also focused on offering adequate support to improve skills and competencies in different marketing and online exposure related activities (Apple Inc., 2015). With regard to the experiences gained from the training program in Apple, major learning that is obtained regarding the role of training program in nourishing strategic and operational capability of the employees. The program would help in developing the overall traits of the employees and develop their relevance on various concepts to meet with the dynamic external environment. This training program incorporated within the organization enables employees and other associated groups to obtain a critical understanding about the key HRM policies and practice guidelines along with different other aspects of Apple. In relation to the current business practices of the company, the training program can also be considered as one of the most effective elements in Apple to achieve commendable performance in the global technology and communication device manufacturing industry. The developed program is even observed to be enhancing the ability of the individual employees to meet the diverse situational needs and even enhance their individual abilities to perform. The implemented program is substantially observed to increase knowledge, skills and abilities of the employees to achieve major growth in innovation (Apple Inc., 2015). References 1Apple Inc. (2015). Apple Certified Trainer Program. Retrieved from http://training.apple.com/act Apple Inc. (2015). Supplier responsibility. Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/uk/supplier-responsibility/empowering-workers/ Apple Inc. (2014). Q4 2014 Unaudited summary data. Retrieved from https://www.apple.com/in/pr/pdf/q4fy14datasum.pdf Apple Inc. (2013). Apple Authorized Training Center Program overview. Retrieved from http://training.apple.com/pdf/AATC_Program_Overview.pdf Apple Inc. (2011). Form 10K (Annual Report). Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/AAPL/1352035942x0xS1193125-10-238044/320193/filing.pdf Bloomberg. (2015). Apple Inc. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?ticker=AAPL Market Watch. (2015). Annual Financials for Apple Inc. Retrieved from http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/aapl/financials The U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2013). Apple Inc. Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000119312513416534/d590790d10k.htm Read More