Skill learnability, the degree to which a particular managerial skill
can be acquired or modified by training and development, is de
scribed and discussed. It is argued that those managerial skills com
prised of large sociallinteractive components and affected by under
lying noncognitive attributes are more difficult to learn than skills
which can be articulated through a common body of knowledge or
technology. Implications for organization resource allocation be
tween selection and training strategies and future research directions
are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Salinger, R.D.Disincentives to effective employee training and development. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Civil Service Commission Bureau of Training, 1973.
2.
McCall, M.W., Jr., Morrison, A.M., & Hannan, R.L.Studies of managerial work: Results and methods (Tech. Rep. 9). Greensboro, N.C.: Center for Creative Leadership , 1978.
3.
Argyris, C.Some limitations of the case method: Experiences in a management development program. Academy of Management Review, 1980 , 5(2), 291-298.
Baumgartel, H., & Jean Pierre, F.Applying new knowledge in the back-home setting: A study of Indian managers' adoptive efforts. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1972, 8(6), 674-694.
6.
Belasco, J., & Trice, H.The assessment of change in training and therapy. New York : McGraw-Hill, 1969.
7.
Byham, W.C., Adams, D., & Kiggins, A.Transfer of modeling training to the job. Personnel Psychology , 1976, 29, 345-349.
8.
Campbell, J.P.Personnel training and development. Annual Review of Psychology , 1971, 22, 565-602.
9.
Campbell, J.P., Dunnette, M.D., Lawler, E.E., & Weick, K.E.Managerial behavior, performance, and effectiveness. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970.
10.
Cascio, W.J., & Gilbert, G.R.Making dollars and sense out of management development. Proceedings of the 40th Academy of Management, 1980, 95-98.
11.
Cronbach, L.J.How can instruction be adapted to individual differences? In Gagne, R.M. (Ed.), Learning and individual differences. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill , 1967.
12.
Cronbach, L.J.Beyond the two disciplines of scientific psychology. American Psychologist, 1975, 30(2), 116-127.
13.
Cummings, L.L., & Schwab, D.P.Performance in organizations: Determinants and appraisal. Glenview, Ill.: Scott, Foresman, 1973.
14.
Domino, G.Interactive effects of achievement orientation and teaching style on academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology , 1971, 62, 427-431.
15.
Eysenck, H.J.Experiments in personality. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1960.
16.
Fayol, H.General and industrial management. London: Pitman, 1949.
17.
Flanagan, J.C.Defining the requirements of the executive's job. Personnel , 1951, 28, 28-35.
18.
Fleishman, E.A., & Fruchter, B.Factor structure and predictability of successive stages of learning Morse code. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1960, 44, 97-101.
19.
Ghiselli, E.E.The validity of occupational aptitude tests. New York: Wiley, 1966.
20.
Goldberg, L.R.Student personality characteristics and optimal college learning conditions: An extensive search for trait-by-treatment interaction effects. Instructional Science, 1972, 1, 153-210.
21.
Goldstein, Irwin L.Training in work organizations. Annual Review of Psychology , 1980, 31, 229-273.
22.
Hawrylyshyn, B.Management education—a conceptual framework. In Taylor, B. & Lippitt ,
23.
G.L. (Eds.), Management development and training handbook. London: McGraw-Hill, 1975.
24.
Hemphill, J.K.Dimensions of executive positions. Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, Bureau of Business Research , 1960 .
25.
Hinrichs, John R.Personnel training. In Dunnette, M.D. (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology . Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
26.
Hofstede, G.Perception of others after a T group. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1975, 11(13), 376-377.
27.
Jensen, A.R.Varieties of individual differences in learning. In Gagne, R.M. (Ed.), Learning and individual differences. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill , 1967.
28.
Kelly, J.The study of executive behavior by activity sampling. Human Relations, 1964, 17, 277-287.
29.
Komaki, J., Heinzmann, A.T., & Lawson, L.Effect of training and feedback: Component analysis of a behavioral safety program. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1980 , 65(3), 261-270.
30.
Kraut, A.Developing managerial skills via modeling techniques: Some positive research findings. Personnel Psychology, 1976 , 29, 325-328.
31.
Latham, G. & Kinne, S.Improving job performance through training in goal setting. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1974, 59, 187-191.
32.
Latham, G.P., & Saari, L.M.Application of social-learning theory to training supervisors through behavioral modeling. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1979 , 64(3), 239-246.
33.
Luthans, F., & Lyman, D.Training supervisors to use organizational behavior modification. Personnel, 1973, 50, 38-44.
34.
Manners, G.E., & Nason, H.K.The decline of industrial research causes. Research Management , 1978, 21, 8-12.
35.
McGehee, W.Cutting training waste. Personnel Psychology, 1948, 1, 331-340.
36.
McGehee, W., & Thayer, P.W.Training in business and industry. New York: Wiley, 1961.
37.
McKeon, W.J.How to determine off-site meeting costs. Training and Development Journal, 1981, 35, 116-122.
38.
Miles, W.G., & Biggs, W.D.Common, recurring, and avoidable errors in management development . Training and Development Journal, 1979, 33(2), 32-35.
39.
Miner, J.B.Implications of managerial talent projections for management education . Academy of Management Review, 1977, 2(3), 412-420.
40.
Mintzberg, H.The nature of managerial work. New York: Harper and Row, 1973.
41.
Mirabal, T.E.Forecasting future training costs. Training and Development Journal, 1978, 32(7), 78-87.
42.
Morse, J.J., & Wagner, F.R.Measuring the process of managerial effectiveness. Academy of Management Journal, 1978, 21, 23-25.
43.
Moses, J.L., & Ritchie, R.J.Supervisory relations training: A behavioral evaluation of a behavior modeling program. Personnel Psychology, 1976 , 29, 337-343.
44.
Neuhauser, J.J.Business games have failed. Academy of Management Review, 1976, 1(4), 124-128.
45.
Nord, W.Beyond teaching machine: The neglected area of operant conditioning in the theory and practice of management. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 1969, 4, 375-401.
46.
Peters, L.H., & O'Connor, E.J.Situational constraints and work outcomes: The influence of a frequently overlooked construct. Academy of Management Review, 1980, 5, 391-397.
47.
Peters, L.H., O'Connor, E.J., & Rudolf, C.J.The behavioral and affective consequences of performance-relevant situational variables. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance , 1980, 25, 79-96.
48.
Sayles, L.R.Managerial behavior: Administration in complex organizations. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964.
49.
Schneider, B.Person-situation selection: A review of some ability-situation interaction research. Personnel Psychology, 1978, 31, 281-297.
50.
Smith, P.C.Behaviors, results, and organizational effectiveness: The problem of criteria . In Dunnette, M.D. (Ed.), Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1976.
51.
Somers, G., & Roomkin, M.Developing reliable data on training in industry. Monthly Labor Review, 1974, 97, 33-37.
52.
Stewart, R.Studies of managerial jobs. International studies of management and organization, 1972, 2, 7-37.
53.
Terborg, J.R.Validation and extension of an individual differences model of work performance . Organizational Behavior and Human Performance , 1977, 18, 188-216.
54.
Thelen, M., Fry, R., Fehrenbach, P., & Frautshi, N.The therapeutic videotape and film modeling: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 1979, 86, 701-720.
55.
Umstot, D.D.Organizational development technology and the military: A surprising merger ? Academy of Management Review, 1980 , 5(2), 189-201.
56.
Walker, J.Human resources planning. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980.
57.
Waters, J.A.Managerial skill development. Academy of Management Review , 1980, 5(3), 449-453.
58.
Watson, C.E.Management development through training. Menlo Park, Calif. : Addison-Wesley, 1979 .
