Efficacy of Management and Employees’ Involvement in HRD Initiatives: The Case of PNG Power Limited

Abstract

Organizational investment in human resource development (HRD) has risen rapidly over the years. The rise in HRD investment is undoubtedly triggered by the belief that HRD is the key to strengthening personal and organizational performance. Yet despite heavy investment in this area, the outcomes achieved are often mixed with varied results. A key issue is the choice of HRD initiatives adopted and how they are implemented to achieve the desired HRD outcomes. Poor initiatives that do not realistically target HRD gaps, combined with poor implementation measures, are most likely to fail. Regular measurement of such is significant not only to determine the impact on key outcomes but is also essential to learn, accumulate evidence, and then use such evidence for improving HRD investment and/or policy. The study’s main objective is to analyse the training and development activities in PNG Power Limited (PPL) from the lenses of management and employees. This research highlights management and employees’ involvement in HRD initiatives which is paramount for organisational development. The study employed a mixed method of analysis and used surveys and interviews to collect data and information. The findings revealed that PPL has organised training programs to develop management skills of non-technical staff and competency-based training for technical employees. However, these training and development activities are perceived to be moderately effective regarding how management and employees are involved. This research concludes that the effectiveness of HRD initiatives through training and development activities is significantly determined by the degree of management and employee involvement. This study contributes to the knowledge of HRD in developing countries, particularly in the Pacific Region. It is hoped that this study will be helpful to improve specific areas requiring change identified in this study and may well serve as inspiration for organisational and policy change across other service organisations in PNG.