Organization Learning And Development Ability: A Case Study Of New2U Thrift Shop

Exploring the principles of the focus organization

Discuss about the Organization Learning and Development Ability.

Volunteering in the society is a valuable activity that provides support in increasing skill, confidence and engagement ability of the people. It also helped to create positive impact on the social empowerment perspective. Volunteering reflects a process that utilizes different members of the society within a particular area for the fulfilment of several social requirements. Effective utilization of volunteering technique allows all members of the community to have equal opportunity to live their lives in an appropriate manner. Now, performing all the responsibilities of the volunteer requires sufficient level of skills and knowledge. Otherwise it will be very difficult for the volunteers to fulfil all the objectives of the charity organization. In this report, the focus will be New2U Thrift Shop, which is an additional initiative of Singapore Council of Women’s Organization to provide assistance to people living below the poverty line. The focus organization sells books, pre-loved clothing, households, ornaments and other accessories at a very cheap rate so that it can able to support for the poor families in an appropriate way. The entire operational process of the focus organization is handled by the volunteers. Therefore, it is necessary for New2U Thrift Shop to provide effective training program to all the volunteers in order to fulfil all the objectives of the organization in an appropriate way. For that reason, New2U Thrift Shop has focused on implementation of several strategies so that it can able to provide desired level of assistance to the families living below the poverty line.

As per the article by Salas et al. (2012), proper evaluation of the organizational principles is necessary for providing effective training to the volunteers. For that reason, it is necessary for the New2U Thrift Shop to include different strategies so that it can able to cover all the business principles in an effective manner. Now, the focus organization has made conscious effort in providing assistance to the people below the poverty line. Therefore, it has implemented several types of strategies in order to identify people living below the poverty line effectively so that the prime objectives of the organization can be fulfilled. For that reason, New2U Thrift Shop will have to select trainer with sufficient educational and work experience in providing assistance to the poor.  

Mission and vision:

The mission statement of New2U Thrift Shop is focused towards identifying people who requires immediate help to live their daily life. For that reason, volunteers will have to be extremely conscious in identifying people at the time of selling any products. Furthermore, the focus organization business objective was not to purchase any products for selling in the market. In fact, it focuses on the identification of the effective donors who are willing provide necessary elements to the organization. Therefore, the training facility of the organization also will have to focus towards the effective evaluation of number of families living below the poverty line. The vision of the focus organization also has included effective utilization of quality services so that people living below the poverty line does not have to face any type of ethical issues at the time of purchasing products. Thus, New2U Thrift Shop will also have to focus on providing training on the behavioural aspect so that it does not have to face any ethical issues. Training is also necessary for the volunteers so that they do not diversify people on the basis of caste and region. In fact, effective training will have to be provided to the volunteers for the proper management of the indigenous people living below the poverty line.

Mission and vision

As per the article by Dalhoeven, van Vianen and DePater (2016) proper evaluation of the PESTEL factors are key for effective utilization of training opportunities for the volunteer staffs. For instance, political factors will influence the way people below the poverty line will have to be managed by the focus organization. In fact, people below the poverty line are one of the major issues that political parties utilize in order to gain popularity in the community. Thus, effective utilization of training procedure is necessary so that volunteers can able to handle them in an appropriate manner. Now, people below the poverty line actually create adverse impact on the economical condition of the society (Gray et al. 2013). Therefore, government always tries to provide necessary support services so that they can able to lead their life in an appropriate way. On the other hand, the focus organization has started to utilize several types of innovative technologies in order to fulfil the organizational requirements in an appropriate way. Therefore, it has become essential for the organization to provide effective training facilities to the volunteers so that they do not have to face any types of challenges in using provided advance technology of the organization. In case of environmental factor, both internal and external environment of the focused organization will have to assessed in an effective manner so that training facilities can able to create maximum amount of impact. Now, the focused organization is an extension of Singapore Women council, which will allow the organization to maintain effective structure (Sung and Choi 2014). Thus, volunteered will have to trained so that they can able to understand the internal structure of the organization appropriately, which will create positive impact on the overall performance level. Singapore government has implemented different types of legislative rules and regulations so that charity organizations can able to provide support to the concerned personnel in an effective manner (IBRAHIM 2016). Thus, training session will also have to include providing proper guidance to maintain all the legislative rules and regulations in an effective way.

The above analysis has highlighted the fact that concerned trainer will have to sub-divided the entire training process in different sub-parts so that it can able to cover all possible aspects of the requirements in an effective manner (Moser 2012). For instance, at the initial step, training will have to provided on the way to introduce itself to the possible customers. This is extremely important, as effective introduction can influence the entire communication process. Furthermore, as the focus organization does not sells all the products collected from donation, volunteer training will have to developed in such a way so that volunteers can able to influence potential donors to donate more on helping people living below the poverty line. Furthermore, the focus organization often utilizes different types of events and promotional campaigns so that it can able to influence customers in an effective way. Therefore, training will also have to be provided on effective utilization of the events and promotional campaigns so that the organization can able to fulfil all the requirements in an effective way (Ford 2014). Thus, the entire training process will require two weeks timeframe, which will cost around $5000 for the organization. Thus, initially the focus organization will have to focus on the gathering effective financial support from the women council so that the training program can be conducted in an effective way. However, effective utilization of training procedure will add value to the organization in fulfilling all the aims and objectives in an appropriate way.     

Influence of PESTEL factors in providing effective training opportunities to the volunteer staffs

As per the article by Noe et al. (2014), effective utilization of training procedures require proper support for each of the volunteers. Thus, New2U Thrift Shop will have to develop training procedure in such a way so that it can able to fulfil all the requirements of each individual. For instance, if a particular volunteer requires assistance in managing the customers effectively, training will have to focused more client management perspectives. On the other hand, Ji et al. (2012) have highlighted that it is necessary for any training process to include practical experiences, as it will help volunteers to understand the situation in a much more effective way. Therefore, trainer will have to influence volunteers to handle any particular situation, so that it can able to boost up their confidence level. Now, trainer will also have to evaluate present level of knowledge and skills of each employee, as it will help to develop an idea regarding the potential of the volunteers. Now, New2U Thrift Shop will have to fulfil different types of requirement in order to fulfil all the objectives of the operational process. Therefore, effective evaluation of the knowledge and skill level of the employee will help the organization to divide the entire responsibilities in a much more effective way.

Thus, trainer will have to develop each volunteer for specific responsibilities, which will fulfil the prime objective of the training procedure. Now, New2U Thrift Shop depends on donors for the collection of products that later has been sell to people living below the poverty line. Therefore, volunteers will have to implement specific techniques in order to convince people to donate for the betterment of the community (Jehanzeb and Bashir 2013). Thus, trainer will have to test convincing power of the volunteers for the role of convincing people to donate for the poor living below the poverty line. Thus, the entire training process will have to be divided under different sections as per the role of the volunteers (Sangvigit, Mungsing and Theeraroungchaisri 2012). For that reason, trainer will have to conduct different sessions for different volunteers in order to fulfil organizational objectives in an effective manner. In fact, trainer will have to provide continues focus on the performance level of the volunteers after the completion of the training program. This continues evaluation process will help trainer to evaluate the kind impact that training program has able to create on the performance level of the employees (Abdullah et al. 2014). It will also help to evaluate the necessary areas that a particular volunteer needs to improve so that the efficiency level of the operational process can be fulfilled in an appropriate manner.

Cost associated with the effective training and development procedure

In order to design effective training program, the focus organization will try to utilize four distinctive learning styles provided by “Honey and Mumford Learning Styles”. As highlighted by Torraco (2016) Honey and Mumford Learning Styles is primarily developed on the basis Kolb theory, which focuses on the effective implementation of training procedure. Now, as the focus organization only trying to include only volunteers for the fulfilment of organizational responsibilities, Honey and Mumford Learning Styles will help to develop individual perspectives regarding the provided responsibilities. The theory has provided four systematic steps so that the prime objective of the training program can be fulfilled in an effective manner. Thus, trainer of New2U Thrift Shop will also have focus on these steps including planning, experiencing, reviewing and conducting so that all the volunteers can able to necessary support from the training program (Jha 2016). Planning process reflects pragmatist learning style where trainer need to evaluate the best possible way to conduct the entire training process so that it can able to fulfil requirements of the organization. Thus, in this step, trainer needs to conducts several types of experiment in order to identify the best possible method for providing effective training to the volunteers. The planning process will have to be evaluated based on the kind of difficulties or problems that volunteers will have to face in order to gain competitive advantage in the market.

In the next step, trainer will have to focus on the implementation of the selected strategies from the previous steps. Thus, the step will utilize activist learning style where volunteers will be put into several situations so that they can able to gain practical knowledge (Elnaga and Imran 2013). For that reason, in this step, training procedure will include activities like problem solving, brain storming, puzzles, role-play so that volunteers can able to enhance their present level of skills. Thus, trainer will have to conduct interactive learning session and group work opportunities in order to identify present level of knowledge and skills of the volunteers. On the other hand, volunteers will have to be very open-minded to go through all the implemented tests and procedures with a positive mind set. The next step of the implemented planning process will have to focus on reviewing of the performance level of the volunteers. For that reason, trainer will have to focus on observing the performance level of each volunteer during the training process. As per the article by Khan et al. (2016), observing the performance level at the time of training process is crucial o enhance the quality of the provided training procedure. For that reason, trainer of New2U Thrift Shop will focus on the effective utilization of different strategies like self-analysis, paired discussion, feedback from others, coaching, observing activities, etc. that eventually will allow the trainer to identify the prime areas of improvement. Finally, the implemented training procedure will focus on concluding the implemented training program effectively. For that reason, trainer will focus on utilizing theorist learning style where trainer will implement several types of theories, models, quotes, statistics, and background information that will eventually add value to the implemented training procedure (Fletcher and Robinson 2015). The conclusion step will also focus on the identification of the areas where volunteers will have to focus for the future development.

As per the article by Tarique (2014), selection of the delivery method is crucial for the successful utilization of training. Different organizations utilize different delivery technique based on the requirements of the organization. The prime three training delivery methods are the lecture method, the discussion method and simulation method that most often utilize in several organizational platforms. The lecture method reflects the most basic way of implementing training procedure where trainer will provide lecture to the fellow audience. This particular strategy is very popular where trainer has to develop basic idea about several things of the organization. Generally, lecture method is utilized in formal venue where the entire training procedure is based on the effective utilization of one-way communication technique (Barrett et al. 2015). For that reason, proper utilization lecture method requires superior knowledge and skill level from the trainer. On the other hand, discussion method focuses on two-way communication strategies between trainers and trainees. Unlike lecture method that is primarily dependent on the quality of trainers, the discussion method allows trainees to involve in the training process actively. Therefore, it often helps organization to fulfil prime objective of implementing training and development session. It also allows everyone associated with the training program to provide inputs regarding a particular subject. Finally, stimulation method focuses on the minimum utilization of debates, discussions and interactions. In fact, it tries to provide each trainee a simulation where everyone has to perform expected responsibilities. As per the article by Ahmad, Johnson and Storer (2015) simulation can be of different forms like games, quiz, and real life activities. Therefore, it is up to the trainer regarding the selection of effective simulation process. However, the focus organization will try to utilize discussion method, as it will help to engage all the volunteers in an effective manner (Bolhuis, Schildkamp and Voogt 2016). Furthermore, discussion method will help trainer to evaluate the present level of knowledge and skills of the volunteers, which eventually will create positive impact on the effective fulfilment of the organizational responsibilities.        

For the effective utilization of the evaluation technique, the focus organization will consider Kirkpatrick's (1960) model that has been regarded as the most popular evaluation model of the implemented training program. As per the article by Senna et al. (2013) Kirkpatrick's model has the capability of adding value to the implemented formal or informal training procedure. It utilizes four levels of measures that allows trainer to cover all possible areas regarding the assessment of effectiveness of the implemented training procedure. The four principles of the model including reaction, learning, behaviour and results will also allow organization to identify the future scope for the effective implementation of the training program. The first principle, reaction focuses on the effective evaluation of the degree to which training program is favourable to the volunteers (Lee and Sidhu 2013). Furthermore, it will also allow trainer to identify regarding the degree to which the implemented training program has able to capture the attention and engagement level of the trainees. Thus, it will also provide an idea regarding the best possible way to utilize training program so that it can able to create desired amount of impact on the fulfilment of the organizational objectives. In the second level, the prime focus will be on the effective evaluation of the learning pattern of the volunteers at the time of training process. Thus, it reflects the degree to which volunteers has able to acquire the intended skills, knowledge, attitude, commitment and confidence   from the training program. It also helped to evaluate the attitude level of volunteers in gathering new information or skills that is essential for fulfilling all the responsibilities effectively. In this level the focus will also be on the effective evaluation of the past and present level of knowledge of the volunteers, which will indicate the kind of impact training program has able to create on the mind of the volunteers. The third step will focus on the evaluation of the degree to which volunteers able to apply what they have learned in the training session. This is very important, as it will help to evaluate the actual outcome of the implemented training program (Adeoye 2012). Finally, Kirkpatrick's model has focuses on the evaluation of the results of the training program. In the result, the prime focus will be on the effective evaluation of the overall impact that training program has able to create for the successful completion of the organizational responsibilities. Thus, it can be mentioned that with the effective utilization of the Kirkpatrick's model, the focus organization will able to evaluate all possible aspect of the training program in an effective way.

Conclusion:

The above discussion highlights the fact that effective utilization of the training program is necessary for utilizing all the volunteers towards the fulfilment of the organizational responsibilities. Specifically, as volunteers do not have any financial benefits from the organization, it is essential that they can have effective amount of support for the development of effective career. Thus, the prime objective of the training program will have to focus on enhancing the present level of motivation of the volunteers, which will create major positive impact on the effective fulfilment of the organizational responsibilities.

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