Advances in Training Evaluation - Psychological, Educational, Economic, and Econometric Perspectives on the Kirkpatrick Model

Research on the process of training evaluation has progressed in many independent fields. In our study, we combine the unique views on training, and training evaluation from the fields of psychology, education, economics, and econometrics. Psychology and education provide knowledge on how to conduct training, and they emphasize important individual and environmental factors that may facilitate the transfer of skills and prevent skill decay. However, empirical methods offer a sound way of not only testing the underlying theoretical hypotheses, such as Human Capital theory in economics or psychological cognitive theories, but also quantifying individual and operational performance effects. With this multidisciplinary approach, we are able to rethink existing views on the underlying learning mechanisms and generate new insights into this complex and multifaceted economic subject of returns to training.