Stimulating Workplace Learning through Training Characteristics and Motivation to Learn (Merangsang Pembelajaran di Tempat Kerja Menggunakan Ciri-ciri Latihan dan Motivasi Belajar) Siti Fardaniah Abdul Aziz Mohd. Nasir Selamat (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) ABSTRACT The present study seeks to identify the effcacy of training characteristics that stimulate motivation to learn; and training effectiveness for workplace learning. Data 1 were collected by administering a survey on self-perception from a sample of academic staff in a Malaysian public university. The fndings indicated that training design followed by training reputation and familiarity of training content are the most important training characteristics for workplace learning. Interestingly, trainees who perceive training as relevant will also perceive training as reputable. Meanwhile, motivation to learn plays the role of mediator and the option for voluntary attendance plays the role of moderator. The fndings can be used to produce training guidelines that ensure training effectiveness not only for workplace learning, but all training programmes in Malaysia. Keywords: Human resource development; employee training; training characteristics; motivation to learn; training evaluation ABSTRAK Artikel ini bertujuan untuk membentangkan hasil penyelidikan tentang ciri-ciri latihan yang merangsang motivasi belajar dan keberkesanan latihan bagi meningkatkan pembelajaran di tempat kerja. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah tinjauan terhadap persepsi responden, di mana sampel diambil daripada staf akademik di sebuah universiti awam Malaysia. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa reka bentuk latihan diikuti oleh reputasi latihan, dan persamaan kandungan latihan dengan pengalaman pelatih adalah ciri-ciri latihan yang paling penting untuk meningkatkan pembelajaran di tempat kerja. Menariknya, pelatih yang menganggap sebuah latihan sebagai relevan juga menganggap latihan tersebut mempunyai reputasi yang baik. Sementara itu, motivasi belajar memainkan peranan sebagai perantara yang signifkan, manakala pilihan untuk menghadiri latihan memainkan peranan sebagai moderator. Hasil kajian boleh digunakan untuk menyediakan ciri-ciri latihan yang tepat dalam usaha untuk menjamin keberkesanan latihan bukan sahaja untuk meningkatkan pembelajaran di tempat kerja tetapi juga dalam latihan umum di Malaysia. Kata kunci: Pembangunan sumber manusia; latihan pekerja; ciri-ciri latihan; motivasi belajar; penilaian keberkesanan latihan INTRODUCTION Training programme characteristics (TPCs) are necessary to guarantee training effectiveness (Nikandrou, Brinia, & Bereri, 2009; Siti Fardaniah & Shamsuddin, 2011). Some researchers fnd that appropriate TPCs can stimulate motivation to learn in order to foster training effectiveness (e.g., Facteau, Dobbins, Russell, Ladd, & Kudisch, 1995; Bell & Ford, 2007). However, empirical studies examining the relationship between TPCs, motivation to learn and training effectiveness within a single study are limited, especially in Asian countries. Extant studies fnd that training effectiveness for workplace learning can be stimulated by appropriate TPCs, including the relevance of training; content familiarity,; the reputation of training; training design; and the option to attend training (Siti Fardaniah, Shamsuddin, Norhasni, Sidek, & Bahaman, 2011; Towler, Watson & Surface, 2014). Meanwhile, Siti Fardaniah and Shamsuddin (2011) argue that the effect of TPCs on training effectiveness can be improved if the right TPCs are structured to stimulate the motivation to learn. In addition, a signifcant number of studies prove that motivation to learn can improve training effectiveness, especially learning performance (e.g., Cannon-Bowers, Salas, Tannenbaum & Mathieu 1995; Tracey, Hinkin, Tannenbaum & Mathieu 2001; Chen & Chih 2012). Different researchers identify different TPCs and some TPCs are referred to by different terms. For example, training reputation is identifed as a reaction to training by Nease (1999); training framing by Tai (2006); and attitude towards training by Rowold (2007). A comprehensive explanation of TPCs affecting training motivation and effectiveness in extant studies has not been empirically examined thus far (e.g. Siti Fardaniah et al. 2011; Siti Fardaniah & Shamsuddin 2011). Interestingly, Artkl 14 (48) (Dis 2016).indd 173 31/01/2017 16:06:46 Jurnal Pengurusan 48(2016) 173 – 185 http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/pengurusan-2016-48-14