Perceptions of a Learning Organization and Factors Within the Work Environment That Influence Transfer of Training in Law Enforcement

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine law enforcement officers\u27 perception of factors within the workplace that influence transfer of training and their perception of the organization being a learning organization. The study actually had three parts. First, it intended to investigate the perception of law enforcement officers regarding factors within their work environment that influence or impede the transfer of training process (specifically, organizational support and transfer climate/culture). Second, it intended to determine the perception of law enforcement officers concerning the promotion of their organization\u27s learning practices, learning culture, and the continuous learning environment at an individual, team, and organizational level (a learning organization). Lastly, it intended to determine if there was a difference in the perception of law enforcement officers related to transfer of training and a learning organization utilizing the variables of rank, posting, gender, years of service, and age. The participants included law enforcement officers within a Caribbean police department. The two theories employed as the theoretical framework for this study are the training transfer process model by Baldwin and Ford (1988) and the Watkins and Marsick\u27s (1997) framework of learning organization, the dimensions of learning organization. Data was collected using qualitative and quantitative methods (focus groups and a paper and pencil version of the Dimension of Learning Organization - A). A pilot study was conducted to establish the integrity of the data collection methods and evaluate the viability of the focus groups. The conclusions that emerged from this research indicated that subordinates and management did not perceive the organization as one that provided support for transfer of training within the work environment. As it relates to the officers\u27 perception of their organization as one that promotes a learning practices and culture, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning at an individual level (group mean = 3.26 with a standard deviation of 0.91). As it relates to the team or group level, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning (group mean = 3.10 with a standard deviation of 1.12). As it relates to the organizational level, the law enforcement officers had a neutral perception of the organization as one that promoted learning practices, learning culture, and continuous learning at an organizational level (group mean = 3.40 with a standard deviation of 1.07). However, this does not mean that the officer\u27s individual scores were in this range