Performance coaching and training transfer in micro, small and medium enterprises of India: examining the mediating role of employee agility

PurposeThe study investigates the role of performance coaching (PC) and employee agility (EA) in training transfer (TT). Research reveals that initially 40% of trainees struggle to apply what they've learned, increasing to 70% after a year, resulting in just a 50% overall training success rate. Following Holton et al.'s learning transfer system (LTS) framework, much research explores the factors affecting TT in various contexts, emphasizing organizational contexts, individual factors and training design, mainly in large corporations. This research, however, delves into the influence of PC (as an organizational context) and EA (as an individual characteristic) on TT in medium- and small-scale Indian enterprises. Building on the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the study also examines how EA mediates the relationship between PC and TT.Design/methodology/approachFollowing LTS framework and building on the RBV theory, the survey research has been designed. Using a validated instrument, data from 411 respondents of Indian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) by SPSS-AMOS.FindingsThe result proved that PC and EA exert a significant and positive influence on TT. Further, the result proved that EA mediates the relationship between PC and TT.Originality/valueThe research is unique and original, as little research are available on the exploration of the interplay between PC and EA within the framework of MSMEs.