From Return on Investment to Added Value Evaluation: The Foundation for Organizational Learning

Abstract

The problem and the solution. References to training evaluation typically center around the four-level evaluation framework and a return on investment calculation. However, from a practical perspective, there are still issues to be addressed, such as where the evaluation should start, how effect should be measured, and what influence, if any, evaluation should bring to bear on the learning process itself. This article argues that a complete reappraisal of Kirkpatrick is required because the ultimate level for evaluation must be a clear measure of tangible, added value, in monetary terms. Moreover, a determined search for real added value turns a simple evaluation model into a practical tool for organizational transformation through learning.