TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN MINISTRY OF WORKS IN THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Abstract

Private and public companies today face intense challenges brought about by globalization and economic uncertainty. To remain competitive and thrive in a knowledge-driven economy, organizations must adapt by transforming their internal culture, an essential step for both business survival and growth. It is widely recognized that many organizations place significant emphasis on training and developing their human resources, as a well-trained and skilled workforce constitutes a critical component of an organization’s competitive advantage. In the current global landscape, emerging technologies are rapidly reshaping economic cycles, significantly increasing both the number and the capabilities of new and existing business competitors. The study employed various statistical tools to analyze the data. The Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test was used to compare two independent populations, particularly in assessing differences in perceptions or responses. The weighted mean was applied to determine the general tendency or central opinion of the population. Additionally, ranking was used to establish the priority or order of identified factors, while percentage was utilized to represent the proportion or distribution of responses within the dataset. The findings indicate that the Training and Development (T&D) program activities of the Ministry of Works (MOW) in the Kingdom of Bahrain are moderately implemented, with varying degrees of effectiveness across key components. These components include Training Needs Assessment (TNA), Training Design (TD), Training Implementation (TI), Support Staff and Facilities (SSF), and Training Evaluation (TE). Survey results show that administrators generally perceived the T&D activities as more effective than did employees, particularly in the areas of training implementation and training evaluation. This discrepancy highlights the need to align perceptions and enhance communication between management and staff to improve overall training effectiveness. The research highlights the current status and effectiveness of the Training and Development (T&D) program activities implemented by the Ministry of Works (MOW) in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The findings underscore the need for a comprehensive strategic and operational plan to address existing gaps and ensure that training initiatives are better aligned with both organizational objectives and employee development needs. To enhance the impact of the T&D program, the study recommends implementing more systematic training needs assessments, improving the allocation and management of resources, upgrading training facilities, and establishing continuous evaluation mechanisms to monitor and sustain program effectiveness over time.