STUDENTS' RATINGS OF SATISFACTION WITH INDUSTRIAL TRAINING PREDICTED FROM INSTRUCTORS' LEADERSHIP STYLE AND TRAINEES' PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

Ratings of satisfaction and ability to perform course objectives were obtained from 271 telephone company managers in 20 technical training courses. The purpose of the research was to identify variables which would predict trainees' satisfaction with instruction in an industrial setting. Multiple regression analyses were computed involving several personality measures, biographical and trainees' background data, and trainees' perceptions of instructors' style of leadership. The most significant predictors identified were the leadership-style dimensions of Consideration of Structure and the trainees' post-course ratings of their ability to perform the course objectives. None of the personality variables accounted for significant proportions of variance although some evidence was obtained to suggest differential predictions for men and women in terms of need for job information.