Effects of organizational, training system, and individual characteristics on training director scanning practices; Invited reaction: Scanning for performance value; Final word: Scanning construct and its relationship to continuous learning

The usefulness of a training plan is, in part, a function of the scanning process used by training personnel to acquire information relevant for identifying training needs. In a study, survey data were obtained from the CEOs and the training directors of 193 US manufacturing companies to investigate the scanning process and the factors that might affect this process. Results indicated that training directors differed in terms of the proactiveness of information searched, the sources of information used, and the types of information considered to identify training needs. Regression analyses indicated that the centrality of training to the top decision-making body of the firm was a critical factor in obtaining training-needs information from a variety of sources and content areas. In a comment, Richard J. Torraco discusses scanning for performance value. In a reply, Debra A. Major, J. Kevin Ford and Helene Krifcher Felber present an expanded view of the training function, drawing a link between centrality and movement toward a continuous-learning philosophy in organizations.