1. Effects of social network activities on training transfer and goal setting among Malay women business owners
DR HJH NORLINA MOHAMED NOOR, MUHAMMAD OMAR, PAULINE ACHAN, SUSANA WILIAM JALIL UiTM CAWANGAN SARAWAK, KOTA SAMARAHAN

2. OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION
INTRODUCTION
METHODOLOGY
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION
Training has become an essential element that contributes towards organizational success as it emphasizes the enhancement of skills and knowledge development among employees that ultimately raises the productivity of the workers (Au, Altman, & Roussel, 2008)
Further efforts were carried out in the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011) where skills training was given “special emphasis in developing human capital in order to meet industry requirements and drive productivity improvements to move up the value chain.”
It is already known among human resource practitioners that training effectiveness is measured through positive training transfer whereby the trainees are able to generalize and maintain the skills, knowledge or behavior from the training setting into their work environment for a certain period of time until new skills or knowledge emerge (Baldwin & Ford, 1988).

4. INTRODUCTION---continue
However, since the process of evaluating the training programs to detect the existence of training transfer is quite complex and dynamic (Blume, Ford, & Baldwin, 2010) not many employers or organizations are willing to do so.
Several antecedents were shown to influence training transfer such as trainer’s competency, training design, training delivery and opportunity to use, as highlighted in the training transfer model (Baldwin & Ford, 1988)
According to Bossche and Segers (2013) there are three roles played by social networks in facilitating training transfer. The structure of the social networks that relate to the size, the relational features such as the depth and the frequency of interactions that take place in the network and the people outside the networks, will influence the training transfer process.

5. Methodology Longitudinal study Respondents Hierarchical regression
Instrument
Hypotheses
Data was collected immediately after training and four months after training
participants attending training programs organized by INSKEN, MARA AND JPW Wilayah Persekutuan (September-December 2010)
was used to investigate the moderating effect of social network before training on training transfer and goal setting of Malay women business owners
Questionnaire based on two models: Training Transfer Model (Baldwin and Ford,1988)and Model of Excellence (McLagan and Bedrick, 1983
Four hypotheses were developed: Interaction of social network before training moderates the relationship between:
Training content and goal setting
Training delivery and goal setting
Trainer competency and goal setting
Opportunity to use and goal setting among Malay women business owner

6. Social network before training
Conceptual framework
Training content
Training delivery
Goal setting
Trainer competency
Social network before training
Opportunity to use
INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
*The framework was based on Training Transfer Model (Baldwin and Ford, 1988) and Model of Excellence, McLagan and Bedrick 1983)
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
MODERATING VARIABLE

7. Analysis and results 2ND PHASE NUMBER/FREQUENCY
1ST PHASE
NUMBER/FREQUENCY
Number of questionnaires distributed
331
Number of questionnaires returned
231
Number of usable questionnaires
133
Effective Response rate
57.6%
2ND PHASE
NUMBER/FREQUENCY
Number of respondents involved
133
Number of respondents called for interview
100
Number of successful interview 66
Effective Response rate
66%

8. Analysis and result Factors Frequencies (N) Percentage (%) Age
Below 30 years 24
25.2
30 to 40 Years 58
39.8
41 to 50 years 43
28.5
More than 50 Years 8
6.5
Education
SRP 5
6.9
SPM 77
55.3
STPM 19
12.6
Diploma 17
13.0
Degree/Masters
7.3
Others 7
2.8
Having Family with Own Business
Yes
57.9 No 56
42.1

9. Analysis and result
Model 1
Model 2
Model 3
Model 4
Std β
Control variables:
Respondents having family with business backgrounds
-0.019
0.026
0.027
0.023
Model Variables:
Training content
0.397
0.395
0.374
Training delivery
0.270
0.267
0.241
Trainer competency
0.157
0.192
Opportunity to use
0.098
0.093
0.081
Moderating variable:
Interaction of social networks before training
0.030
Interaction terms:
Training content*Before Training
-0.035
Training delivery*Before Training
-0.092
Trainer competency*Before Training
0.140
Opportunity to use *Before Training
0.062 R2
0.000
0.521
0.522
0.540
Adjusted R2
-0.007
0.502
0.499
0.503
R2 Change
0.001
0.018
F Change
0.049
34.517
0.217
1.227
Significance F Change
0.825
0.642
0.303
Durbin Watson
1.890
Note: *significant at p< 0.05 level, ** significance at p< .001 level

10. Discussion
The findings of this research concluded that interactions or social networking before training does not moderate the relationship between the training transfer determinants and goal setting of the respondents.
This is due to the fact that the majority of them attended the training based on the invitation of close friends, or online information from the organizer’s websites.
Only active trainees had contacted the organizers and enquired about the training program. Before training, the trainees only knew the name the location of the training programs and basic information on the content of the training.

11. Conclusion
The stakeholders, especially the organizers, need to encourage interactions with future trainees in order to ensure that the training provided achieves its objectives
Discussion with future trainees is neccessary to ensure that only the needed training programs are offered and that they can fully benefit from such programs. Providing interactive activities on the website can help trainees to interact with the stakeholders.
As highlighted by several studies on networking, social networks are very important especially for business owners and corporations in order to obtain the latest information, advice, guidance and opportunities for their business success (Senik, Scott-Ladd, Entrekin, & Adham, 2011), to improve business performance and growth (Bruderl & Preisedorfer, 1998; Elfring & Hulsink, 2003; Kristiansen, 2004; Miller, Besser, & Malshe, 2007; Ostgaard & Birley, 1996) and to remain sustainable (Prasad, Tata, & Guo, 2012).