Training effectiveness among general insurance agents and intention to transfer training as mediator

The role of training for the improvement of skills and knowledge has long been acknowledged. General Insurance agents who are exposed to effective training generally possess the technical knowledge, skills and attitudes to carry out their tasks. In Malaysia, the insurance companies have been investing generously in training so as to enhance the agents’ knowledge and accomplishments. Nevertheless, the present human capital, especially in the financial institutions, falls way below expectations. The theoretical framework of this survey was developed based on past research and the underpinning theory of planned behaviour. This work tested the direct and indirect relationship between training system expectancies, learning style and self-efficacy, also known as the adaptation of belief, and intention to transfer training and training effectiveness among the General Insurance agents in Malaysia. A total of 380 agents representing all the General Insurance companies in Malaysia participated in the survey by filling out the study questionnaires in 2015. The Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) approach was utilized to test the hypotheses. The results of the direct relationships between the independent variables (training system expectancies, learning style and self-efficacy) and the dependent variable (training effectiveness) show that they influence training effectiveness. At the same time, it was found that all the independent variables do not significantly influence the mediator, that is, intention to transfer training, on its role of attaining training effectiveness. The indirect relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable when the mediating variable was incorporated into the relationship, does not support intention to transfer training as a mediator. The theoretical contributions, policy implications, limitations of the study and suggestions for future research were discussed as well.