Introduction
The current job market shows an emerging trend of replacing the job role of “Training Manager” with that of “Organization Development Manager.” This might be reflective of changing preference in diction, or it might be indicative of a more significant, long-lasting philosophical change in business. As business becomes more complex, the business world must grow and evolve; successful companies must be more flexible than ever before, and the way that companies and employers see their employees is also shifting. Some might argue that the changing terminology reflects only a pedantic shift rather than an actual evolution in thought; however, when discussing the roles of training and development in an organization, it becomes clear that there are very significant differences between a training manager and an organizational development manager. These differences might be mobilized to great effect by companies in different industries or even in different positions within the same industry; however, the movement to use of an organizational development manager rather than a training manager reflects shifting paradigms within the business world.
The focus of this discussion will be to draw clear lines between the different roles of training and development within the organization, and to underscore the role of leadership in the modern business world. Although every industry has its own structures and systems, overall trends in management can certainly be observed; even cases that are different can provide valuable insight into the distinctions that can be drawn between training and development in the workplace. This discussion will argue that training and organizational development are two separate issues that must be addressed within the context of an organization. Companies that utilize training management strategies are employing different strategies than those utilizing organizational development strategies; these differences are both significant and important for organizations of all sizes and organizations within all different industries.
Training Management
Training Management is the traditional school of thought for businesses: training consists of teaching people the critical skills that are necessary for them to perform their duties within the organization as a whole (Foxon et al., 2003). Training is a fundamental part of any organization, of course; without training, there would be no way to communicate the appropriate skill set to a new employee, and there would be no way to train an existing employee to take over a new position. However, training development programs tend to be limited to the scope of responsibility that an employee has in his or her current role within the organization. Training also becomes an issue when the company or organization has chosen to implement some sort of institutional change; employees must be trained to use new systems or follow new processes (Rothwell, & Kazanas, 2003; Foxon et al., 2005).
Organizational Development Management
Organizational Development Management is a new understanding of the role of leadership within an organization. Although it is fundamentally important that employees be trained to do their current job, it is also important, according to new business paradigms, to develop employees’ skills in other areas, allowing them to progress upward through the company and expand their horizons outside the scope of their current role (Wilson, 2014). Organizational development places greater value in the employee than just their current role within the company; an organization that is able to develop employees is an organization that engenders employee loyalty, as well, because the company seems to value the employee’s contribution and skill set as a whole. Organizational development management might also pertain to the development of new goals and new core competencies within the organization; it is predicated on the theory that greater development of employee base knowledge is good for the betterment of the company or organization as a whole.
Analysis: Differences between Training and Development
There is a definite diction shift happening in the business world, but the shift is not only a shift in diction: it is a paradigm shift. Businesses are seeing their employees as assets rather than expendable pieces more and more in this day and age, and the shift towards the use of “development management” instead of “training management” certainly reflects these changes. Instead of completely abandoning the training management aspect of an organization, it is important to meld the two positions. This will ensure that employees have access to information and training for their current position, and that they have the ability to expand upward into new positions with greater responsibility.
Training and development have long been considered different conceptual ideas in the business world, and the movement towards development—the development of employees into workers more capable than they were prior to employment—reflects the growing emphasis on the value of knowledge and skill in the modern business world. While there are still many companies that do not offer the level of upward mobility that many would like, even entry-level retail positions are offering development programming for employees. It might be some time before employers completely abandon training management structures, but some of the most forward-thinking companies in the business world are currently shifting in this direction (Wilson, 2014; Cohn, Khurana, & Reeves, 2005; Noe, 2014; Smith & Mazin, 2014).
The Role of Leadership in an Organization
Leadership sets the tone of an organization: for this reason, it is immensely important to the overall success of an organization. When leadership is able to elicit support and creativity from employees, the company is more able to succeed. A company—or even part of a company—without an effective leader is less able to find success in that organization’s industry. Leadership provides opportunities and guidance to the individual employees of the organization, but it also serves as an institutional knowledge base for that organization as a whole (Smith & Mazin, 2014). Leaders are responsible for communication between different levels of the organization, as well as for more knowledge-based tasks like organizational goal-setting (Cohn, Khurana, & Reeves, 2005; Noe, 2014).
There are, of course, many pieces of literature written on the importance of leadership in an organization, and the role of the leader within the organization as a whole. Organizational leadership has been broken down by type and industry; there have been psychological studies done on the efficacy of certain leadership types within different industries (Smith & Mazin, 2014). The study of leadership within the business world is immensely complex. However, one of the most important considerations for any individual in a leadership position is the overarching goal for the organization. When choosing whether to pursue training management structures or organizational management structures within his or her organization, a leader must understand the difference between these courses of action to determine which management strategy best fits with the overall goals of the organization.
Discussion and Conclusions
Leadership plays one of the most important roles within an organization. Although a business is made up of many different levels of employees, it is the leadership within the organization that provides the foundational basis for the atmosphere within the organization as a whole (Cohn, Khurana, & Reeves, 2005). The organizational environment and atmosphere also plays a significant role in the development of the organization as a whole. An organization that values flexibility and creativity in employees—and rewards this kind of employee—is going to be the kind of organization that is able to adapt to the changing needs of a market (Ford, 2014). Conversely, a strictly hierarchical organization might be able to produce extremely efficiently because of their hierarchical structure, but will be less effective as an innovative force (Cummings & Worley, 2014).
Organizational development management and training management are both important facets of an organization, but an effective organizational development manager will be able to fulfil both roles. Training is a fundamental part of an organization’s development, but it cannot be the only facet of development within the organization (Noe, 2014). Instead, a healthy mix of training and development should be used to best prepare an organization for any potential changes and shifts in the marketplace (Cummings & Worley, 2014). The new reliance on an organizational development manager in opposition to merely a training manager reflects a changing tide in the business world, and a movement towards recognizing the autonomy and individuality of each employee within the organization. Without this change, businesses will lack the flexibility necessary to respond to all the variables in the industry and in the business world as a whole.
References
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Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2014). Organization development and change. Cengage learning.
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Noe, R. A. (2014). Employee training and development. McGraw-Hills Education, Singapore.
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Smith, S. A., & Mazin, R. A. (2011). The HR answer book: an indispensable guide for managers and human resources professionals. AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn.
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