I wish to structure my comments about the feature article by Wendy L. Richman-Hirsch from two perspectives: (1) the perspective of transfer of training and (2) the perspective of human performance improvement. Clearly, the two perspectives focus on somewhat different questions. The question from the transfer of training perspective is, How can we assure that what is learned during training is used by trainees in another setting after the training? The question from the performance improvement perspective is, How can we assure that the training once implemented will help solve problems that will result in higher levels of human performance?
From the perspective of transfer of training, Richman-Hirsch' s study generally confirms what many HRD researchers and other professionals already know well. That is, training alone does not ensure that trainees will necessarily use what they have learned during training (Acosta-Amad and Brethower, 1992;Brethower, 1996;Broad and Newstrom, 1992). The researcher explores two promising areas for increasing the probability that new learning will be used after the training: goal-setting and self-management. She points out that there is an extensive literature on these two topics, each of which has been shown to affect performance. She places each of these variables in the context of transfer of training so that the relative effectiveness of the two can be more fully understood. The study explores whether the two skill areas-goal-setting and self-management-could support the transfer of the training to other training that participants might receive in the future. The skills might be perceived to support transfer of training, and furthermore, the skill sets might also support other valuable work-related performance. In addition, Richman-Hirsch explores a third set of variables that has been emerging in the transfer of training literature. She considers the possibility that some work environments are simply more supportive of the new learning than others.
In spite of the interesting perspective of the study, one glaring limitation is that the research design relies on the use of self-report data. Questionnaires