Abstract:

In recent times, human capital is recognized as the essential driver of organizational competitiveness, and organizations are, despite economic downturns, investing in employee development. Because investment comes along with learning and development, it requires the same level of accountability as other organizational functions, involving executives with high expectations for results.
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a systematic and balanced approach to measuring the impacts of sales training programs in the industry of IT solution sales. In order to achieve accountability with the suggested measurement model, it involves not only micro-level measurement criteria but also firm-level indicators which establish linkages between organizational training, its impact on human capital and skill formation and the effects on corporate performance. The research areas of sales and knowledge management with a special focus on IT solution sales as well as corresponding evaluation methods are examined. In addition to the literature review, a survey research was conducted to scrutinize reasonably applicable measurement levels for the evaluation of sales training programs in IT solution selling and performance indicators for each stage.
The key findings of the thesis are integrated into a measurement model capturing a balanced view of the domains in an organization that are impacted by sales training programs. The developed model consists of the five measurement levels of training input, sales people attitudes and learning, sales behaviour, business results and return on investment. A set of easy and nonetheless accurate metrics for each measurement level that are especially meaningful in the IT solution sales industry are suggested. Finally, the findings are discussed and implications for both academics and practitioners are drawn.

Keywords:

Vocational Training, Professional Development, Web-based Training, Blended Learning.