The Impact Of Training Strategies On Organizational Effectiveness: A Case Study Of Sony Sugar Company

ABSTRACT

Many studies show a positive correlation between staff training and firm productivity,

explaining why firms, including Kenyan Sugar Sector Finns, use it. However, many training

programs exist leading to choice dilemma. Some firms employ particular training programs

and reap the benefit in terms of improved perfonnance, while others employ other training

programs and do not. This variability shows that some particular training programs have

greater contributory magnitude to organizational effectiveness than others. Unfortunately,

little is known on the extent to which each training program impacts on performance, or, the

contributory magnitude each training program has on organizational effectiveness. This study

therefore investigates the impact of training strategies on organizational effectiveness of Sony

Sugar Company. Specifically, it has detennined the magnitude of contribution each distinct

training strategy has on the overall performance of the firm.

A cross sectional sample survey was used to provide a representative sample. Proportionate

Stratified Random Sampling method was used in selecting a sample size of 146 permanent

workers from all the departments for this study. Open and closed ended questionnaires were

used to gather primary data from respondents. Secondary data has also been used. For data

analysis, descriptive statistics has been used. Data collected summarized in tabular form, and

presented in graphs. The study found that different training programs have differently distinct

contributions to organizational effectiveness at various function departments. It also found

that SonySugar uses more frequently training strategies with minimal contribution to

organizational ,effectiveness, and less frequently training program; with greater contributory

effect on finn. perfonnance. It therefore recommended a stoppage of repeated usage of

seminars and conference training methods with inferior contributions to perfonnance, and

instead, adoption of a more frequent usage of role playing and mentoring methods with

superior contributions.

Secondly, the study recommended that a generalized /overlapping implementation of training

programs to all departments should be avoided.

This study is V!ry important as it is to significantly boost performance of the Kenyan Sugar

sector finns by eliminating ad hoc implementation of training programs which always leads

to additional costs at no returns.