Date of Conferral
6-25-2024
Date of Award
June 2024
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Business Administration
Advisor
Kenneth Gossett
Abstract
Inefficient training strategies are just one of the many challenges field engineer managers face in the aerospace and defense industry. Aerospace and defense managers and customers are concerned because inefficient training strategies for field engineers impact how well they can effectively contribute to organizational and customer mission success in operations around the globe. Grounded in the Kirkpatrick model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies aerospace and defense managers use to evaluate field engineer training programs. The participants were five aerospace and defense managers who successfully implemented training evaluation strategies. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and a review of public documents. From thematic analysis, three major themes emerged: (a) feedback-driven assessment and adaptive training, (b) on-the-job training/hands-on learning, and (c) performance reviews and cost-effectiveness. A key recommendation is for aerospace managers to identify and use feedback from peers, customers, and senior engineers to refine training programs to ensure that training investments enhance organizational performance and innovation. The implications for positive social change include the potential to enhance employee engagement, job satisfaction, and retention, leading to broader organizational benefits and retention across the aerospace and defense industry.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Nathan D., "Strategies for Evaluating Training for Field Engineers in the Aerospace and Defense Industry" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15971.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15971
