Editorial summary. This is our text summary of an article published by frontiers-orgpsych. Charts, figures, and the author’s full voice are at the original — read it there .
Editorial verdict
Methodologically adequate but contextually narrow. The PLS-SEM results are internally consistent and the mediation finding is credible, but the small single-country sample, cross-sectional design, and self-reported productivity measures limit causal inference — treat the directional findings as indicative, not definitive.
Executive summary
This study investigates the effect of effective training on civil servants' productivity in Somaliland, with transfer of training examined as a mediating variable. Guided by Human Capital Theory and Transfer of Training Theory, the authors hypothesize positive relationships among all three constructs. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, structured questionnaire data were collected from 250 civil servants drawn from a target population of 1,207 employees who had participated in programs delivered by the Somaliland Civil Service Institute. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that effective training exerts a significant direct effect on civil servants' productivity (β = 0.396, p < 0.001) and on transfer of training (β = 0.592, p < 0.001). Transfer of training in turn positively influences productivity (β = 0.359, p < 0.001) and partially mediates the training-productivity relationship (β = 0.213, p < 0.001). The model explains 45.4% of variance in civil servants' productivity (R² = 0.454). The authors conclude that productivity gains are maximized when effective training is accompanied by organizational conditions that support knowledge application, contributing empirical evidence from a largely understudied public sector context.
Key insights
- 1Transfer of training partially mediates the relationship between effective training and civil servant productivity, meaning training's impact on productivity is realized primarily through successful workplace application of acquired knowledge and skills, not through training provision alone.
- 2Effective training explains a strong and statistically significant portion of variance in transfer of training (β = 0.592), suggesting that training quality and design are the primary antecedents of whether skills are transferred to the job.
- 3The model achieves moderate explanatory power (R² = 0.454 for civil servant productivity), indicating that additional unmeasured factors — such as organizational culture, incentive structures, and individual motivation — also contribute to productivity outcomes in the Somaliland public sector.
Practical takeaways
- Organizations that invest in training without creating supportive post-training environments — including managerial encouragement, structured follow-up, and opportunities to practice — may see limited productivity returns from those investments.
- Monitoring and feedback mechanisms aligned to both training outcomes and on-the-job application rates are described in the literature reviewed as critical levers for translating training expenditure into measurable productivity gains.
Frameworks mentioned
Human Capital Theory
A theoretical framework positing that investment in employee knowledge, skills, and competencies increases individual and organizational productivity and economic performance.
Transfer of Training Theory
A framework proposing that the benefits of training are realized only when acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes are effectively applied in the workplace, influenced by trainee characteristics, training design, and work environment factors.
References
- Personnel Psychology (1988).Transfer of training: a review and directions for future research.
- Journal of Management (2010).Transfer of training: a meta-analytic review.
- Human Resource Development Review (2007).Training transfer: an integrative literature review.
- Human Resource Management (2006).An investigation of training activities and transfer of training in organizations.
- Human Resource Development Quarterly (2001).Theories supporting transfer of training.
- European Journal of Training and Development (2015).Examining the relationship between perceived organizational support, transfer of training and service quality in the Malaysian public sector.
- International Journal of Manpower (2014).The impact of training on productivity: evidence from a panel of Italian firms.
- International Journal of Research in Vocational Education and Training (2016).Determinants of transfer of training: a comprehensive literature review.
- International Journal of Training and Development (2010).Transfer of training: the role of feedback in supportive social networks.
- Zeitschrift fur Erziehungswissenschaft (2025).Trainers' knowledge of training transfer: exploration of a crucial yet uncharted concept.
- Cogent Social Sciences (2025).The effect of training on public service delivery effectiveness in public sector organizations: the mediating role of civil servants' performance.
- Econometrica (2022).Managers and productivity in the public sector.
- International Journal of Research in Vocational Education and Training (2022).Workplace learning in china: transferring training into practice to improve performance.
Source & Provenance
frontiers-orgpsych
Hamse Abdiwahab Abdilahi, Abdifatah Ahmed Hurre
August 20, 2026
Research Study
Africa
Original source metadata is preserved. AI analysis is generated separately.
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