Training interventions: fulfilling managerial ends or proliferating invaluable means for employees? : Some evidence from Iran

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the current state of employee training practices in a sample of Iranian‐based organisations. Design/methodology/approach – The research approach adopted for the study conforms to qualitative research in the form of multiple case study design. Semi‐structured interview is adopted to collect qualitative data. To enhance the validity of the information derived from the interviews, the interview data are supplemented by some observations and examination of the related documents. Findings – Data from managers and employees from different functional areas support a capital approach to employee training. The results further indicate that the current approach to training has an upward impact on employee turnover. Overall, the data suggest that the effect of training on employee motivation and productivity is indirect through management's approach and orientation towards training. This, in turn, causes a gap between employee's expectation and perception toward the effectiveness of organisational training. Research limitations/implications – There is no sufficient evidence to correlate directly the contribution of training programmes to the overall performance of both employee and organisation. The need for more empirical data should focus on more rigorous testing of the implications of the current state of training interventions for other human resource management practices. Practical implications – There is a fundamental need for the Iranian managers, first, to reconsider their understanding of and rationale for training interventions; second, to realise the increased importance of employee training in achieving sustainable competitive advantage in the long term; third, to encourage employees to recognise their training needs; and last and fourth, to recognise the importance of employee training in enhancing organisational commitment. In respect of the management of international companies wishing to exploit business opportunities in Iran, there is a need on their part to know the Iranian culture, its difference from other Middle Eastern countries, and therefore to overcome such existing cross‐cultural challenges. Originality/value – The degree to which the adoption of training strategies reflects new and different attitudes and practices among the non‐managerial employees is seen to be a major shortcoming of previous research. This study addresses such limitation by collecting data from multiple perspectives in the novel context of the Middle East with a particular focus on Iran.