TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

The Impact of Training and Development on Diplomats' Performance at Work: Case Study of Libyan Foreign Ministry Affairs

Abstract

This paper highlights the importance of training and development for diplomats working in foreign affairs ministry in Libya. This paper presents a case study of Libyan foreign ministry. Training and development (T&D) activities identify and ensure, through planned learning programs, the development of key competencies that enable individual diplomats to perform to the best of their ability, aptitude, and attitude on the job. This paper presents a proposal for training and development of a Libyan diplomat.

The Impact of Training and Development on Diplomats' Performance at Work: Case Study of Libyan Foreign Ministry Affairs

Introduction

The training and development functions have evolved to contend with and respond to social and economic events, as well as being highly influenced by changes in management trends and philosophies (Arthur, 2008). Effective training provides opportunities for people to perform in new functions and to be promoted into new situations. One answer in an ever-changing work environment was the development of a training system called job support, which did not require the employee to learn every process step by step, instead, to know where to find the information. Second, communication issues and interpersonal concerns in a more diverse workplace became prime issues. A third development was the incorporation of behavioral role modeling, which stressed the use of observation, modeling, and vicarious reinforcements to change human behavior. Multi-million-dollar training facilities endowed with computer-based training and technological innovations were built to meet these challenges.

Business theorists recognized that employees represented a vital resource as important as capital and thus should be managed and developed to facilitate competitive advantages. Gaining a competitive edge by managing people more effectively became increasingly important, thus leading researchers to rethink old training theories and reframe them in a modern context. However, a diverse workforce facing more complex problems made this a difficult task. Teams—their size, composition, dynamics, diversity, and processes—became the central focus of training initiatives.

Problem Statement

One aspect of training in Libya is frequently overlooked — the mutual learning that takes place from a cohort or a batch that joins the foreign ministry in a particular year. Even when entry training is abbreviated, the ones who join in a particular year, and undergo training and their first desk jobs in the foreign ministry together build a huge set of personal connections and 'batch identity'.

Aims and Objectives

The main objective of this paper is to:

Highlight the importance of training and development in diplomatic service in Libya.

To address the current trends prevailing within the diplomatic training paradigm within Libya.



Research Question

In this paper, we will address the following research question.

Q1: Does effective training and development play vital role in prolonging a dimplomat's career?

Conceptual Framework

Diplomacy requires strategizing and planning. A diplomat must understand human behavior in difficult situations. However, this does not mean being cunning, shrewd, or crafty (Rana, 2007). Nor does it mean being machiavellian, manipulative, duplicitous, or calculating. Rather, diplomats negotiate, mediate, and convince others in a way that ...