Does Training Matter? Exploring the Direct Effects of Training on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Normative Commitment

Effective training can help employees transform missions or policies into practice by performing assigned tasks successfully. However, research on the role of training in the public sector is limited, even rare, in the Chinese... [ view full abstract ]

Effective training can help employees transform missions or policies into practice by performing assigned tasks successfully. However, research on the role of training in the public sector is limited, even rare, in the Chinese context. With a sample of 805 Chinese public employees at the county and municipal levels and a set of controls, this study tests the direct effects of training on job satisfaction and organizational normative commitment. With the use of seemingly unrelated regression, the findings suggest that two training attributes—training availability and training quality—are important in predicting and bolstering positive job attitudes in the public sector. Therefore, this study extends our understanding on training, contributes to supplement research on job attitudes, and implies directions to optimize human resource development in the public sector by examining the role of training in China’s local government.