Shamsuddin Ahmad

The relationship between workplace learning and job satisfaction in small to mid-sized businesses in Malaysia

Malaysia has emerged as a major economic force in the Asia-Pacific region. While the recent growth is supported in part by government incentives, much credit can be attributed to the development of small-medium enterprises (SMEs). Recent US studies have found evidence of extensive HRD in small to mid-sizedbusinesses, and otherrecentstudies found higherlevels ofjob satisfaction among employees of small firms. This study measures the nature and extent of HRD; the level of job satisfaction among workers; and determines the correlation between workplace learning and job satisfaction in Malaysian SMEs.

Stimulating training motivation using the right training characteristic

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide human resource practitioners with practical information on the characteristics of a training programme that stimulates training motivation.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses integrative literature reviews of 40 empirical studies on training programme characteristics that have motivated trainees conducted since 1986.Findings – The main characteristics of a training programme that stimulate training motivation are option to voluntary attendance, training reputation, appropriate training design, and the relevance of training for job‐, career‐, and personal‐related needs.Research limitations/implications – For future research, these six training programme characteristics should be empirically researched altogether to identify the factor with the strongest influence on training motivation, in which priorities can be focused on that main factor. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.Practical implications – A n...

Professional journey of the expert teacher educator

Information on the professional journey towards becoming an expert in Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is important to the novice who wants to venture on the same route. The objective of this paper is to explore the CPE journey of the experts and to identify the factors contributing to becoming an expert. Four expert teacher educators from two Malaysian Institutes of Teacher Education were interviewed using retrospective interview approach. Data were analysed and findings as themes were developed. Results showed that involvement with deliberate practice in CPE, individual values, leadership through experience and a positive environment to develop are the contributing factors in the CPE journey towards becoming an expert.

Human Resource Development in Asia – Thriving on dynamism & change: Reflections from 2006 Asian HRD conference

Abstract This article discusses the experiences of the conference management team and the host (Universiti Putra Malaysia -UPM) of the Fifth Asian Conference of the Academy of Human Resource Development, held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from 2 to 5 December 2006. In reviewing the conference, the following sub-topics are used for organizing the contents of the article: HRD in Malaysia; conference theme & overview; participations/country representations and paper streams; keynote addresses; conference assessment; and conclusions. At the end, brief perspectives of the next Asian HRD conference to be held in China are also provided.

Using Clinical Supervision Approach in Graduate Research Student Supervision

The relationship between the supervisor and student plays important role in promoting the students objectives. However, problem of compatibility usually occurs between them and therefore, they both need to know their roles in order to ensure good relationship. The purpose of this article is to investigate related elements in clinical supervision which could be implemented for graduate research student supervision. The article is designed by reviewing and discussing the related findings on the clinical supervision and graduate research student supervision literatures. The element that used in the clinical supervision and graduate research student is studied in order to get better approaches for graduate student supervision practices. With the combination of elements between both approaches, it is hoped that it could provide benefit for relationship between student and supervisor in fulfilling the objectives proposed.