Master’s thesis 2022

Knowledge transfer within complex systems

Mapping the usability and transferability of in-house training in a
large corporation

Alice Sjöqvist & Julia Hammare

Department of Communication and Learning in Sciences
Division of Language and Communication

Chalmers University of Technology
Gothenburg, Sweden 2022



Knowledge transfer within complex systems
Mapping the usability and transferability of in-house training in a large corporation
Alice Sjöqvist & Julia Hammare

© ALICE SJÖQVIST & JULIA HAMMARE, 2022.

Supervisors:
Maria Cervin-Ellqvist, Division of Language and Communication, Department
of Communication and Learning in Science, Chalmers
Johan Fleischer, UNICO Consulting AB

Examiner:
Philip Gerlee, Mathematic Science, Chalmers

Master’s Thesis 2022
Department of Communication and Learning in Siences
Division of Language and Communication
Chalmers University of Technology
SE-412 96 Gothenburg
Telephone +46 31 772 1000

Typeset in LATEX, template by Kyriaki Antoniadou-Plytaria
Printed by Chalmers Reproservice
Gothenburg, Sweden 2022

ii



Knowledge transfer within complex systems
Mapping the usability and transferability of in-house training in a large corporation
ALICE SJÖQVIST & JULIA HAMMARE
Department of Communication and Learning in Sciences
Chalmers University of Technology

Abstract
In today’s society, organizations strive to develop knowledge that is useful within
the work place. In a large corporation, with a lot of employees, standards and
complex system in play, there is a need to structure the information that builds up
the organization. In light of this, the organization needs inclusion for updates and
work methods. The information needs to be spread through out the organization
and in order to achieve that transfer, training sessions could be established.

This master’s thesis was made in partnership with UNICO Consulting and investi-
gates an in-house course implemented at Volvo Cars Corporation. The main focus
was to look at the transferability of the course content and how useful the mate-
rial is for the participants taking the course. The research questions posed for this
master’s thesis objective included what could be done to optimize the training to
benefit the needs of Volvo Cars. Moreover, if the literature on learning theories,
more specifically transfer of training, corresponds to the way that the training takes
place in the organization. Through surveys and observations data was collected from
participants who had taken the course and this thesis examined if the answers, and
the participants perception of the course, correlated with what the literature states
on how organizational development should take place through internal training ini-
tiatives.

The results show that participants have a good overall experience of the course.
The evidence presented in this thesis concludes that a clear objective, definition
of the activities and usability are primary factors for engaged learning. In order
to provide the organization with training that should create effective knowledge
transfer, it is important to have updated material and to receive feedback from both
the participants and the organization. What that entails differs form case to case
and therefore this thesis suggests how to increase transfer in the organisation, with
specific suggestions for the observed course.

Keywords: knowledge transfer, learning strategies, course evaluating, transfer of
training

iii





Acknowledgements
There are many individuals who we would like to thank for contributing with their
time and knowledge to this master thesis. First of all, Maria Cervin-Ellqvist, our
supervisor, for the continuous support and guidance from start to finish. Johan
Fleischer, and UNICO Consulting for making this thesis possible. Furthermore,
we would like to thank everyone involved from the Volvo Cars Corporation training
team, who have helped us on a daily basis by answering all of our questions and who
have made it possible for us to become a part of the organization. Lastly we would
like to thank all the respondents from Volvo Cars Corporation who have answered
our survey and the participants we have had the chance to present the training to.

Thank you!

Alice Sjöqvist & Julia Hammare, Gothenburg, May 2022

v





Contents

1 Introduction 1
1.1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1.1 Specification of issues under investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.2 Volvo Cars as an organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.1.3 The course: Teamcenter V5 for Catia users . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1.4 The hybrid classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2 Learning theories 7
2.1 Overall learning theories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Transfer of Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2.2.1 Learning within an organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.2 Models of transfer of training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2.3 The decision to transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.3 Evaluating training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 Methods 15
3.1 Research approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2 Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3.2.1 Course evaluation from Volvo Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.2 Survey study methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3.2.2.1 Survey questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.2.2.2 Survey respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

3.2.3 Literature study methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.2.4 Observation study methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.3 Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

4 Results 23
4.1 The course evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.2 The survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

4.2.1 Open questions from the survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.3 Direct observations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

4.3.1 Specific course situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

5 Discussion 35
5.1 Optimizing the course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.2 Agreement between the course and learning theories . . . . . . . . . . 37

5.2.1 Enabling transfer for the Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

vii



Contents

5.2.1.1 Determination of the current situation . . . . . . . . 38
5.2.1.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

5.2.2 Enabling transfer through the Training design . . . . . . . . . 39
5.2.2.1 Determination of the current situation . . . . . . . . 39
5.2.2.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

5.2.3 Enabling transfer in the Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.2.3.1 Determination of the current situation . . . . . . . . 41
5.2.3.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

5.3 Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

6 Conclusion 45

Bibliography 47

A Appendix A I

B Appendix B III

C Appendix C IX

viii



1
Introduction

Billions of dollars are today spent on training within organizations to develop and
create a knowledge transfer among employees (Grossman and Salas, 2011). This is
necessary to maintain a competitive advantage as companies grow and change. The
investment in training is significantly related to firm profit growth via the impact
of increased knowledge (Birdi et al., 2008; Kim and Ployhart, 2014), which means
that companies continue to spend much money on training.

An increasing amount of research indicates that investments in training to gain
knowledge in workplaces are related to improved results for the organization in
several aspects (Ford et al., 2018). This is about managing and structure the or-
ganizational memory. It could for example be, but is not limited to, updates on
information, learning new application and/or development of working methods. Al-
though research shows that individual training as a form of learning is needed, there
can still be great difficulties in applying newly gained knowledge in an effective way
in the workplace. It is costly, both in time and money, to have employees away do-
ing training as they cannot perform their daily work within the organization while
attending courses. Therefore, the most useful and effective knowledge transfer is the
goal to strive for.

Transfer was originally defined as “the extent to which learning of a response in
one task or situation influences the response in another task or situation” (Blume
et al., 2010). Nowadays it is rather defined in two dimensions; generalization and
maintenance. Generalization refers to the new knowledge that can be used in a work
context, and maintenance refers to the process about the knowledge and behavior
that persists over time (Baldwin and Ford, 1988; Blume et al., 2010).

This chapter contains an introduction and a background to the objectives of this
master’s thesis. The research questions will be introduced together with a broad
description of the starting point for this study.

1.1 Background
The thesis will review, evaluate and propose improvements regarding an in-house
course at Volvo Cars. It is a four-day course that focuses on Volvo Cars computer
system and their Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) methods. More about the
course will be described further down.

Transfer of training should be at the center of all courses and training, in all or-

1



1. Introduction

ganizations, including Volvo Cars, in order to use newly acquired knowledge. This
is because the knowledge is not useful until it is set into practice, hence that the
extent of transfer is as important as the information itself. The thesis is based on a
specific course at Volvo Cars. However, the literature and conclusions that are used
can be addressed in several situations.

1.1.1 Specification of issues under investigation
The following research questions will form the basis of the thesis:

•
1. What factors could optimize Volvo Cars PLM course so that the participants

gain the right tools to perform their day-to-day work?
• What parts of the course are vital and what parts could be eliminated?
• To which extent do the participants experience knowledge transfer after

participation in the course?
2. Is the workplace learning at Volvo Cars representative and relevant according

to what the literature states about transfer of training?

1.1.2 Volvo Cars as an organization
Volvo Cars Corporation has produced cars since 1927 and its global headquarters
has remained in Gothenburg, Sweden since the start. Volvo Cars has about 23,000
employees, which makes them one of Sweden’s largest employers (Volvo Cars, 2022).
With this in mind, is it understandable that Volvo Cars is a complex workplace and
thus uses complex systems and methods. In order to achieve an equal way of working,
a comprehensive introduction is given for all employees. For example of the systems
and methods used within the company, a course is required to ensure the quality of
future work.

Today, it has become more common for companies to outsource training assignments.
In general, companies are more willing to acquire expert knowledge in areas in which
they themselves do not have much knowledge. This is especially done in the case
of competence development among staff (Hansson, 2016). Volvo Cars also follows
the pattern of outsourcing, and thus outsourced the training assignments. Volvo
Cars has commissioned, among others, UNICO Consulting AB to be responsible for
their product lifecycle management system training. Product lifecycle management,
PLM, is the process of managing the entire lifecycle of a product from its incep-
tion through the engineering, designing and manufacturing stages required. The
system integrates data, process, people, business systems and provides a product
information backbone (Bokinge and Malmqvist, 2012).

One of the courses conducted within the PLM introduction is a four-day course pri-
marily intended for design engineers within construction. The purpose of the course
is for each employee to gain a knowledge base about what Volvo Cars standards look
like. After completing the course, the participants gain access to different computer
systems and applications used within the organization. This thesis will investigate
and be based on this course, which is called Teamcenter for Catia V5 users, with

2



1. Introduction

a focus on the transferability, relevance and usability of the course content for the
participants in their day-to-day work.

1.1.3 The course: Teamcenter V5 for Catia users
The course that this thesis is focused on is a four-day training in Volvo Cars PLM-
system; Teamcenter. The participants are mainly newly hired Volvo Cars designers,
but also consultants and individuals who want an update of the different methods
used at Volvo Cars. There are between 5-8 participants attending each course, and
it is mainly performed on site but also remotely. The course is based around a
PowerPoint presentation and an exercise book created by the training team.

The reason for the course’s existence is to organize information in a structured way.
The documentation needed to get a project from start to finish within Volvo Cars is
extensive and there are a lot of different procedures for each employee. Parts of this
documentation are stored in the application Teamcenter and due to the fact that
one individual’s work is used and reviewed by many others, there is a strong need
for synchronicity and alignment in the work methods and result.

The approach during training sessions is generally that a part of the course content is
reviewed and then the participants do exercises in the related area. In the beginning
of the course, all exercises are done together with the teacher on a more basic level.
As the course proceeds the participants work more independently with the help of
the exercise book based on what has been discussed together with the trainer in the
classroom. The exercise book is laid out in a similar way, where the first tasks are
very well described, step by step. Later on, the steps are explained less meticulously,
with the intention that the participants must try to recall what has been done prior
(or scroll back to previous tasks).

The course extends over four days and thus contains a lot of information about
different applications. Table 1.1 describes the different parts that the course contains
and that this thesis has focused on.

Table 1.1: Applications included in the course.

Applications: Resume:
Teamcenter Is a system for structuring and storing data. Teamcen-

ter handles processes; including 3D designs, electronics,
embedded software, documentation, and the bill of ma-
terials (BOM). The system can also share essential in-
formation between multiple domains and departments,
such as manufacturing, quality, cost technology, compli-
ance, service and supply chain. Volvo Cars is using it
to structure the design models for virtual constructions,
furthermore for calculations, requirements and prepara-
tion.

3



1. Introduction

Catia Is the CAD system that is used within Volvo Cars Co-
operation. Here the master data files are created. The
content of these files can be 3D models, 2D drawings
and other supportive documents and annotations.

TCVis Is a tool for analyzing and visualizing the geometries for
the virtual car. TCVis stands for Teamcenter Visualiza-
tion.

KDP Is an engineering database, the database consists of sub-
systems and includes information describing products
from Volvo Cars, everything from a single part to a com-
plete car. In this system the physical car is handled.

Document Portal Is a workbench in Teamcenter which ensure the connec-
tion between the Teamcenter documents and the KDP’s
part numbers.

NGD Editor Is an online application to apply material to the virtual
car. The application is used to visualize the materials
of the car for down stream users and ensure that the car
looks visually pleasing.

BOM/CAD alignment Is an online application where the data in Teamcenter
and the data in KDP is compared within a certain car
or part of a car. It is used to see if there are clashes or if
there are mismatches in the two different databases. The
application will show a pie chart together with regular
"how to’s" if there are parts that are not aligned and
describe the proper solution.

DMU Garage Is a web based garage for the virtual car. The purpose
of the DMU garage is to provide easy navigation to the
different car variants and to ensure a fast load for the car
variants to other applications/programs. It withholds
the information from Teamcenter which is the master,
the garage is a way to present the information in a user
friendly and structured way. All the car variants that
can be found in Teamcenter can also be located in the
DMU-garage.

MIP Is an application designed to see how the mechanical
parts integrate with other parts of the car. MIP stands
for Mechanical Integration Process.

Exter Is a tool to encrypt data and a way to distribute that
data in a safe and easy manner. It is an internal appli-
cation with the purpose to send and receive files towards
suppliers.

The information about this course was obtained by the authors with observations,
training sessions and conversations with the course trainers. All this took place
during an on-boarding period which led to the authors themselves starting to teach

4



1. Introduction

the material and work as trainers at Volvo Cars. As a result, perspectives both as
participants and trainers have been combined with an in-depth understanding of the
system, structure and purpose of the course. Ten courses have been observed and
performed during the time of this study.

1.1.4 The hybrid classroom
As Volvo Cars is an international corporation and due to the global pandemic,
Covid19, the course has recently been offered both face-to-face and online for the
participants. The classroom is set up with training equipment, both hardware and
software, and a smart board where the content can be presented in an educational
way. The individuals who participate online may take over control of an exercise
computer in the classroom via a second meeting tool. This enables them to be in
the virtual meeting and still have a course computer to work from. Moreover, this
set up enables the trainer to see what all the participants are working on and can
easily step in and help if so is needed.

The hybrid classroom enables a learning experience similar to the one which is just
intended for the students attending on-site. There are several things that can be
done to facilitate the learning process for students who attend online and in the
classroom. This can for example be accessibility to the learning material, a well-
functioning professional communication tool and reworking of the learning sessions’
time span (Poskitt et al., 2021). Poskitt et al. (2021) also states that there are some
difficulties with the hybrid classroom, such as the teachers knowledge of whether
the students are overwhelmed or other aspects that may go amiss without the visual
clues that can be obtained if all students attend on-site.

5



1. Introduction

6



2
Learning theories

In the upcoming sections, theories will be presented with the objective to understand
what can be done to provide the best conditions for learning elements. The chapter
begins with a general background on learning theories, followed by a section more
in depth on transfer of training where several models are discussed and used in the
interpretation and analysis of results.

2.1 Overall learning theories
There are many theories about learning that agree with each other but also have
different approaches. In the next section, several well-known learning theories are
presented. These will then be linked to more adapted transfer of training models.

The philosophy of cognitivism states the importance in how the mind receives, or-
ganizes, stores and retrieves the information. It is an internal process and it looks
beyond what is observable (Ally, 2004). Learning is therefore an internal mental
process. The definition of cognitivism, is that learning takes place in a process and
that the information is conceptualized in models for understanding (Philips D. C.,
2014). For a participant in a classroom to be able to acquire what is presented, the
information needs to be organized, sequenced, meaningful and understandable for
the learner. The teacher’s role is to provide the learner with the right tools so that
the learner’s brain can process what is presented.

Another key aspect from cognitivism is repetition, which secures the schematic struc-
ture in the brain (Philips D. C., 2014). Cognitivism is a schemata defined theory,
meaning that every learning opportunity will either update a schema and construct
a new schema. This happens every time a person reads, listens to, observes or tries
out something new. These schemas are used as reference points and will determine
how the new information and knowledge will fit in to what is already known (Philips
D. C., 2014).

Constructivism on the other hand is based on active learning such as observation,
processing and interpretation. The theory is about textualizing knowledge to person-
alize the information with the aim of immediate application and personal meaning
(Ally, 2004). In other words, the theory states that the reality is based on the
learner’s own experiences which indicates that every learning experience is unique
to each individuals.

According to constructivism, learners should construct their own knowledge. Learn-

7



2. Learning theories

ing is not about memorizing facts and theories; it is to create an understanding
that has a meaning to the learner’s previous knowledge (Ally, 2004). The learner is
always in the centre of learning. The trainer is taking an advisory and facilitating
role, where they give the learner the opportunity to construct their own knowledge
instead of issuing instructions (Ally, 2004). Moreover, learning is constructed in the
mind and therefore hands-on activity is necessary but not the only part. Successful
learning will take place when the mind is engaged and able to retain knowledge
(Ally, 2004).
In order to design an effective and favorable training session with a successful learn-
ing experience, the neuroscientific prospective should also play a key role (Dumont
et al., 2010). As the knowledge about the brain has increased with technological and
methodological methods, research have also obtained a better understanding of how
we learn and the factors that can characterise our differences as regards aptitude.
The parts of the brain that are linked to learning can broadly be split in to three
parts, the recognition, strategic and affective networks (Rose et al., 2002).

The ’use it or lose it’ is a principle stating the importance of repetition (Dumont
et al., 2010) is strengthened by how the neurons creates inhibiting connections be-
tween each other. The ones that are active will be invigorated and grow while the
ones that are relatively less active will diminish. With the strengthening the thresh-
old will lower and the task of learning will become easier. The repetitive activity
eventually leads to long-term changes for the synaptic connections. (Dumont et al.,
2010).

These learning theories with different approaches but also with many similarities,
takes place on a daily basis knowingly and unknowingly. If they are valued and
taken into account, significant progress can be made due to conscious choices that
benefits the learner. This results in transfer of training models.

2.2 Transfer of Training
The following chapter presents learning theories on the phenomenon transfer of
training which propagates that knowledge becomes of value only when it is used
(Weinbauer-Heidel, 2018). This refers to aspects on how to achieve an effective
knowledge transfer in organizations.

2.2.1 Learning within an organization
Adapted individual learning is not to be despised; it is a basic requirement for learn-
ing. However, this is not crucial for the knowledge to be applied in real situations.
More things are important in the concept of generalization. For knowledge to have a
meaning, a situation-based learning must take place, where the context depicts real-
ity (Ford et al., 2018). If the knowledge can not be used in the daily work situation,
the knowledge will never be transferred to the workplace.

Moreover, there are factors impacting generalization as measured by trained knowl-
edge and the effectiveness of the use, for example work climate, support and work

8



2. Learning theories

constraints (Blume et al., 2010). Additionally, there are cases where the newly
acquired knowledge is used extremely rarely. The skills deteriorate in these cases
which therefore can lead to a lack of motivation to use the knowledge, even fewer
opportunities to practice the skills, constraints or lack of rewards (Ford et al., 2018).
This can also be linked to the principle ’use it or lose it’ which was mentioned earlier.

From a review of 13 studies done by the US Army Research Institute, where skill-
based tasks were performed in an operational environment, some key factors were
found (Hagman and Rose, 1983). The four most important factors were:

• Increasing the amount of task repetitions
• Testing during training
• Spaced practice
• Implementing different working methods and equipment during training

In order to maintain the learned knowledge, two decisive factors were shown. The
first factor is about the number of steps to complete the task and the second factor is
to be present during the training (Hagman and Rose, 1983). Another meta-analysis
found that the effect from overlearning (task repetition) is crucial for learning. The
degree of overlearning does matter, more repetition is better (Driskell et al., 1992).
The type of task and the length of retention interval is also crucial for retention
of knowledge. These statements are in good alignment with cognitivism arguments
regarding the importance of the learning process and cognitive schemas.

2.2.2 Models of transfer of training
A model of transfer process was presented in 1988 in Baldwin’s and Ford’s review of
transfer of training (Baldwin and Ford, 1988), see figure 2.1. This model has become
the most commonly cited model for transfer of training (Blume et al., 2010). The
model includes training inputs, training outputs and conditions of transfer. Train-
ing inputs are divided into three main categories; trainee characteristics (cognitive
ability, self-efficacy, motivation and perceived utility of training), training design
(behavioral modeling, error management and realistic training environments) and
work environment (transfer climate, support, opportunity to perform and follow-
up). Figure 2.1 shows that trainee characteristics and work environment have both
direct and indirect effects on the transfer. For example motivation from a trainee’s
characteristics can have a direct effect to enable transfer (link d) and similarly, su-
pervisor support from work environment has a direct effect on transfer (link e).
Furthermore, these mentioned categories (link d and link e) also have an indirect
effect to the extent that they affect the level of knowledge learned (link b and c),
for example through perceived utility of training and transfer climate.

In a meta-summary of how to transfer knowledge created by Ford et al. (2018),
they have summarized the most important attributes about training transfer, see
figure 2.2. Based on the different stages, figure 2.2 explains factors that impact
transfer and points to implications to achieve better teaching. In the stage personal

9



2. Learning theories

Figure 2.1: Model of transfer process based on Ford et al. (2018) model.

characteristics, factors like personality and ability, learning states, motivation and
efficacy are included. Furthermore, in the factor personality and ability, it is written
about the implication cognitive ability and conscientiousness that have the greatest
relationships to transfer. The summary from this stage is that individual differences
should be expected and design the learning based on that fact. The next stage is
training design and implementation, which includes, among other things, learning
strategies and demonstration. The overall outcome for this stage is to incorporate
and use well-known learning principles for the training design, for example multiple
learning strategies. In addition there are two more stages; work environment and
transfer measurement. Moreover, it is important to provide opportunities to apply
trained skills immediately on the job. In other words, the preferred way to achieve
transferred knowledge is to invest a lot in facilitating transfers and continuously
work with follow-ups and improvement work within the organization.

Figure 2.2: Summary of how to transfer knowledge based on Ford et al. (2018).

10



2. Learning theories

Sometimes it can be difficult to use the theoretical inventions in practice. Several
models have been developed about how the interface between transfer research and
transfer practice should be linked. Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) has developed twelve
practical tips for transferring the learned knowledge to creating behavioral changes,
as shown below:

Enabling transfer for the Participants

1. Transfer mission: the extent to which the participants have the desire to im-
plement what they have learned.

2. Self-efficacy: to which extent the course participants are convinced that one
can master acquired skills in practice.

3. Transfer volition: the extent to which the participants show their ability and
willingness to devote attention and energy to the implementation of the be-
havioral change, even when there are obstacles and difficulties.

Enabling transfer due to the Training design

4. Clarity of expectations: how well course participants already before the ed-
ucation know what to expect from the training, before, during and after the
education.

5. Content relevance: the extent to which course participants experience the
educational content as well matched with the tasks and requirements in their
work.

6. Active practice: the extent to which the education provides opportunities to
experience and practice new behaviors that are desirable in work contexts.

7. Transfer planning: the extent to which the transfer is prepared during the
training.

Enabling transfer in the Organization

8. Opportunities for application: the extent to which situations are made possible
where newly acquired behavioral change can be applied.

9. Personal transfer capacity: the extent to which course participants have the
capacity, in terms of time and workload, to successfully apply the newly learned
skills.

10. Support from supervisors: the extent to which participants’ managers / su-
pervisors actively demand, monitor and support transfer.

11. Support from peers: the extent to which colleagues assist course participants
with transfer.

12. Transfer expectations in the organization: the extent to which course partic-
ipants expect positive consequences from applying what they have learned or
negative consequences as a result of non-application.

The levels above have a clear connection to the model from Ford et al. (2018), where
similar divisions of categories are made. In addition, theory of the formative assess-
ment process has many similarities to these mentioned models. Wiliam’s (2011)
describe formative assessment as an iterative learning process that is constantly on-
going. The goal is to create a culture where the student takes responsibility for their

11



2. Learning theories

own learning, which is in correlation to Ally (2004). Formative assessment can be
achieved through five strategies according to Wiliam (2011), see below.

1. Clarify and understand the expected learning objects.
2. Create activities that elicit evidence of learning
3. Provide feedback that benefits learning
4. Let the students become peer teachers for each other
5. Let students become owners of their own learning

Strategies 1 and 2 correspond to Enabling transfer due to the Training Design from
Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) model. Strategies 3 and 4 correspond to Enabling transfer
in the organization and the last one strategy 5 corresponds to Enabling transfer for
the Participants. All the mentioned steps are important to achieve an effective and
favorable learning. From the social perspective on learning, Wiliam (2011) indicates
that strategy 4 - peer teacher, is one of the most effective way to increase learning.
This aspect is supported by several researchers who state that learning increases
through collaboration (Dewey, 1916; Kyndt et al., 2013; Puzio and Colby, 2013;
Capar and Tarım, 2015).

2.2.3 The decision to transfer
In the discussion of transfer of training, it is important to keep in mind that to
which extent transfer occurs depends on each individual trainee. When transferring
training, each individual decides what knowledge to transfer and what they leave
behind (Baldwin et al., 2009). In other words, it means that each individual trainee
personalizes the training process to fit their own conception of needs in their context.
The knowledge must be relevant to each individual for transfer to happen. The
decision to transfer is a key factor in the research of transfer. The choices that the
learner makes go on throughout the learning process and play a significant role, if not
the most significant of them all. Furthermore, research shows that initial attempts
to transfer had a decisive impact on the subsequent learning process (Huang et al.,
2017). The conclusion is that education needs to be adapted so that each individual
chooses to learn exactly the things for which the training is created.

2.3 Evaluating training
As mentioned earlier, there are many theories and models for how knowledge transfer
should take place. In order to actually know whether a training has been successful
or not, some form of evaluation is required. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016)
created a four-level training evaluation. This is the most commonly used training
evaluation model and includes the following levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and
results (Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick, 2016). Level one is about the participant’s
attitude and reaction to the training, which has become standard in training. Level
two is examining whether learning has taken place during the training and if the
knowledge is used afterwards. Level three and four are used much less nowadays.
Level three is about how new knowledge and behavioral changes are transferred to

12



2. Learning theories

the workplace, and level four is about how the training affects the organization’s
results (Bates, 2004).

The Kirkpatrick model has been used in for-profit companies for over 30 years,
although it has been criticized by several researchers in the field (Bates, 2004).
According to Bates (2004), there are 3 reasons why Kirkpatrick’s model has received
such attention and impact in organizations. First of all, the model created a way
to understand training evaluation in a systematic way (Shelton and Alliger, 1993).
It created a system for talking about training benefits and outcomes. Furthermore,
Kirkpatrick’s fourth level has created an opportunity to discuss training in business
terms, which is needed for training to have an impact and be taken seriously in the
organization. Finally, the model simplifies a very complex issue into manageable
partial solutions. To use the model, no advanced tools are required, a few variables
that are collected after the training are enough to evaluate the effectiveness of the
training.

13



2. Learning theories

14



3
Methods

This chapter contains the strategies and explains the methods used for this master
thesis. Initially described is the research approach followed by the data collection
and the analysis.

3.1 Research approach
The research questions posed for this master’s thesis have been considered against
several different methods to be able to achieve the desired result. The thesis will
therefore consist of four parts; a literature review, a course evaluation, a survey
study and an observation study for collection of both qualitative and quantitative
data. When choosing methods, Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model has been taken into
account (Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick, 2016).

Parts of the findings from the survey will be presented statistically as diagrams
and graphs of the participants’ perception of the course together with a qualitative
mapping of their perception. To further complement the entirety of this study’s
objective, direct observations were obtained in the classroom. According to Bryman
(2016), direct observations as a research method enables a greater understanding
and generation of ideas, theory and conclusions. Moreover Lavrakas (2008) states
that a mixed method is suitable when the goal is to obtain both quantitative and
qualitative answers for the data analysis. The mixed method survey design also
enables the ability to address and uncover the state and possible problems within a
key group of interest (Lavrakas, 2008), like the survey examined for this thesis.

To ensure that the answers from the survey were reliable, it was important to pro-
duce accurate data with caution and carefully selected questions. In order for the
questions to have a fair outcome, no interpretative aspects were given, i.e. it should
not be possible to misinterpret the questions. The validity measures the relevance
of the survey and a high validity corresponds to a high relevance (Esaiasson et al.,
2007). To ensure a high validity, the surveys respondents were limited to the em-
ployees who worked within the organization. Moreover the credibility was taken
into account. It can be explained as the sincerity of the research findings as for
the qualitative part of the survey of a study (Bryman, 2016). This refers to open
questions in the survey.

Bryman (2016) also states that the questions in the survey should be transferable.
To be transferable means that if the questions that have been stated in the survey

15



3. Methods

were to be used in another context they should still be able to constitute the same
objective. The reader should therefore be provided with a broad description to get
an overall picture where the background and aim for the survey and study are clearly
stated.

3.2 Data Collection
Both primary and secondary data collection have been carried out in this study.
Primary data refers to the data that has been generated for this research while
the secondary data is data that was collected for another purpose earlier (Kempf-
Leonard, 2004).

As the base, secondary data from a course evaluation from Volvo Cars was used. The
evaluation is standardized and distributed to courses held within the organization.
The course evaluation is sent to the participants after completing a course with the
aim of gaining an idea of the course experience, get feedback and obtain knowledge
for all the different courses that is provided within the organization. This includes
the environment, the teacher, and the overall impression.

The primary data was generated from a new survey that was constructed for this
thesis and distributed to the course participants that took the Teamcenter for Catia
V5 users course. With the knowledge gained from the course evaluation, additional
questions were included in the survey to ensure that the research questions for this
study could be answered and discussed. The survey was constructed to investigate
the usability of the course content and determine what the course participants had
learned. As another base the aspects of transfer of training were considered in order
to obtain answers which possibly could correlate with the learning theories presented
in Chapter 2. The aim and questions are further explained in the upcoming sections.

3.2.1 Course evaluation from Volvo Cars
The course evaluation from Volvo Cars was created to ensure a good standard for
the courses provided within the organization. This course evaluation is shown in
Appendix A. After every completed course, the evaluation was sent out to the par-
ticipants. For this thesis the course evaluations between year 2013 - 2021 were used,
with 358 answers. The frequency of respondents was not available. The evaluation
included six closed questions with a ranking scale from 1-6 about the teachers per-
formance, how well the training met the expectations and how useful the activities
included in the training would be in the participants work. Included in the course
evaluation there was also one open question where the participants were supposed
to explain what part of the course they thought would be the most useful in their
work.

3.2.2 Survey study methodology
The upcoming section will present the questions from the survey that were con-
structed for this thesis and motivate why they were included.

16



3. Methods

During the process of creating the survey several factors were taken into account to
improve the chances for a higher response rate. According to Esaiasson et al. (2007),
it is of importance to have a clear distinction between the different questions. More-
over, the structure of the survey and the order of the questions should have a natural
flow, to ensure that the survey is easy to understand and decrease the threshold for
the respondents to complete the survey. To further motivate the respondents to take
the survey, the design of the questions was optimized to shorten the time estimated
for the respondents to complete the survey. Lastly, it was important to ensure that
the survey looked aesthetically pleasing, which in this case meant that the survey
gave a professional and simple impression. Esaiasson et al. (2007) advocates that
this is a vital part and required when setting up the best conditions for increasing
the number of respondents.

The survey consisted of nine questions where the respondents answered the questions
with either an ordinal scale or with a short self-written text. The survey was sent
out to individuals who had participated in the course in the last two years, 2020-
2022. Since some of the participants took the course a long time ago, the survey
focused on the participants’ current use of the applications included in the course.
To minimize the risk of statements of the course experience itself which could be
modified by the participants over time (Persson, 2016). In a survey like the one
designed for this thesis it is important that the results from the questions represent
and describe how common different answers are in a certain population of people,
for example different employees at Volvo Cars with different assignments and work
titles. Therefore, the questions must be unambiguous and contain relevant answer
options (Persson, 2016).

The survey was an online survey on the platform Microsoft forms. The participants
filled in the survey on their own and submitted it themselves. The survey was
distributed via e-mail at one specific time with one reminder. This type of survey was
thus cost-effective, especially concerning the time commitment for the participants
(Lavrakas, 2008). Furthermore this method gave the opportunity to reach a large
number of employees who had the possibility to voluntarily contribute with their
opinions, compared to sending an interview request to a few course participants.

3.2.2.1 Survey questions

The survey that was established contained nine questions of different types to gain
both quantitative and qualitative answers, shown in Appendix B. For the ranking
questions, a scale from 1-4 was given to force the participants to fold in one direction
or another i.e. not give the option to respond with a neutral statement. This differs
from the course evaluation which has a scale between 1-6.

The answer alternatives must be in a logical order according to Persson (2016). The
ranking question also required the respondent to focus on the question itself and it
is therefore of importance that the intention of what is ranked is clear. Furthermore,
the answer options had to be comprehensive and mutually exclusive. This was taken
into account and thus, four response options were considered appropriate.

17



3. Methods

The first question in the survey asked about the respondents work title, and aimed
to distinguish if it was possible to see a connection between the participants’ expe-
rience of the course and its degree of difficulty, compared to what the individual is
working with. The second question asks the participants when they took the course.
Esaiasson et al. (2007) means that it is relevant to determine how the perception of
the course might change over time and to take time span in to consideration due to
outside factors.

Question three and four gave the respondent the chance to answer how much prior
knowledge they had in the applications CATIA and Teamcenter. This to determine
what information is needed to be presented, especially in the beginning of the course,
and to be able to shape the course according to the participants’ starting point.

The next two questions, question five and six, are ranking questions and the respon-
dent answered how often they use the different applications that is introduced in
the Teamcenter for CATIA V5 users course. Question five had four different choices
Never, Monthly, Weekly and Every day, which corresponded to how often the appli-
cations took part their daily work. The next question asked about the participants
perceived needs regarding the different applications introduced during the course.
Question five together with question six aimed to determine if the participants found
the various parts of the course helpful and usable. For the questions that were either
multiple choice or rank, the participants would show their thinking and opinion by
ticking one (or more than one) box (Peterson, 2000). This allowed the respondents
to choose from a set of prepared answers, combined with a last alternative "Other"
for further self-established options.

In order to narrow down and give the respondents the opportunity to answer in
their own words, question seven was given as an opened ended question. In the
survey, including an additional question, with a qualitative answer is favored, where
the respondent is given the opportunity to think for themselves in addition to given
alternatives (Creswell, 2017). Moreover, the answers were not limited to just appli-
cations, and the goal for the questions was to see if the course contributed in other
means than the use of applications, such as methodologies, strategies and other ways
of thinking to be able to transact the different task assignments.

As is stated in a report by Statistics Sweden (Persson, 2016) a survey benefits from
a structure that has broader and easier questions in the beginning and narrowing it
down as the survey is progressing. Question eight asks the respondents if they feel
that the course is needed, has contributed to their work and if it gave the right tools.
It can be perceived as a more challenging question. To place this question near to
the end of the survey also assumes that the respondents have thought through the
course during previous questions and can thus give a more qualified answer than if
it had been one of the first questions.

The last question for the survey is also an opened ended question and gave the
respondents the chance to comment what they would like to learn if they were to
take the course today, for example something that already is included but maybe
could be enhanced or modified, something to add that is relevant for their work

18



3. Methods

tasks, or something else.

3.2.2.2 Survey respondents

The survey was sent to 20 participants from year 2022, 80 participants from year
2021 and 64 participants from year 2020. See figure 3.1 for the distribution over
years.

Figure 3.1: The distribution over years of people who received the survey.

In total the survey was sent to 192 recipients, but certain factors had to be taken
into account regarding the response rate. Among the people that the survey was
sent to some might have changed jobs and thus their answers were not as relevant.
Furthermore, this is mainly a course for new employees and in some cases the par-
ticipants have not had the time to get the right access before the course starts.
When this occurs the participant’s manager might be the one on the sign-up list
and therefore the one who got the survey and not the intended participant who took
the course. As a result, there might be incorrect information among the employees
in question. With this in mind, the list of participants was reviewed and revised as
closely as possible to minimize possible errors and the final number was thus 164
individuals.

The survey was e-mailed to the participants’ work e-mail, Volvo mail, to ensure
the anonymity of the data collection. All data is only stored on Volvo’s servers.
The participants received a reminder after about one week and after another week
the survey was closed. To get the participants motivated to contribute with their
knowledge and experiences, an introductory text was written in the email and for
the survey. The text explained the purpose of the survey and the value of the
participants’ responses.

3.2.3 Literature study methodology
The literature study was a qualitative text analysis. The search for relevant lit-
erature started off broad to get an overview and was then limited with relevant

19



3. Methods

keywords to direct the subsequent research (D O’Gorman and MacIntosh, 2014).
To obtain relevant literature and ensure answers to the research questions, different
databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, Sage Research Methods and Business
Source ultimate were used.

When searching for literature, it is of the utmost importance to be source-critical
and consider aspects like authenticity, time, dependency and tendency (Leth and
Thurén, 2000). This was done throughout this study and the literature used has
been reviewed carefully. Key words that were used includes but are not limited to:
knowledge management, transfer of training, organizational learning and organiza-
tional development.

3.2.4 Observation study methodology
Due to the possibility to participate in the four-day course, direct observations
was also a method for this master’s thesis. Direct observation as a method aims to
examine the processes and structures that in a set context may be difficult to explain
(Esaiasson et al., 2007). The method aimed to seek knowledge of how people acted
within the specific environment and social setting, and to observe levers of transfer.
The direct observations were a form of action research, which is a comprehensive
research where the effects of practical and theoretical strategies in learning sessions
are observed (Clark et al., 2020). This type of methodology is suitable when the
researcher has a strong corporation with the social setting and learning experience
that is observed.

To make the observations, assorted notes were taken during the course. The ob-
servation took place under approximately ten course occasions, where observations
were made both as attendees and trainers. This resulted in an understanding of
both perspectives and was used as information regarding specific situations but also
to identify tendencies. During the time that the observations were done, the authors
for this thesis were both present. This enabled an assurance in the interpretation
of the observation as it could be discussed at once. The participants’ engagement
and comprehension could then be compared with the different assignments in the
course, which became the main focus for the observation methodology.

In order to ensure relevant information from the observation, Kirkpatricks’ evalu-
ation model, presented in 2.3, was used as a inspiration. What was looked at was
the participants’ attitude to the course in its entirety, what questions were asked
and how the participants commented on what was presented. Furthermore, whether
they were satisfied or not at the end of the course. If there was a different experience
for those who attended on site or remotely and what factors could contribute their
experience.

3.3 Analysis
After completing the data collection, an analysis was started to find explanations and
conclusions related to the research questions. The analysis started with organizing

20



3. Methods

and categorizing the raw data from the survey to make it easier to perform tests.
The tests were chosen based on the type of data that was collected and based on this
thesis research questions. A categorization was done on one of the survey questions,
professional role, where the division was made in consultation with a Volvo Cars
employee, who had a lot experience from the corporation and is a PLM-trainer,
as a guide. The participants who had answered the survey were divided into five
occupational groups: engineer/developer, product owner, analyst, consultant and
other. The descriptive statistics were performed mainly in MS Excel. Here, both the
primary and secondary data were used as a basis. The primary data was used mainly
to see the usefulness of the course’s different applications and how the perception
was from different work roles together with what level of transfer the participants
experienced. The secondary data was used to get an overall impression of the course
over the years.

To investigate whether different groups responded differently, Pearson’s χ2-tests were
used with a confidence interval ≤ 0,05. Pearson’s χ2-test is a statistical hypothesis
test (Devore, 2012). The choice to use Pearson’s χ2-tests was based on what was
sought, a comparison between different groups instead of producing statistics based
on normal distribution and mean value.

Pearson’s chi-square tests are used to assess goodness of fit, homogeneity and inde-
pendence (Wikipedia contributors, 2022). The first establishes whether an observed
distribution differs from a theoretical distribution. Homogeneity compares whether
the different groups using the same categorical variable, and the independence check
whether the variables are independent of each other. From these three assessments,
a hypothesis is created about how the data should be distributed based on the
theoretical distribution.

The tests gathered for this thesis showed if there were any statistical bias between a
certain group and a certain answer. χ2-tests are based on the comparison between
observed frequencies and expected frequencies. If the hypothesis is true, the observed
and expected frequency should be very similar. This in turn means that if we square
the difference of observed and expected frequency, we get a small number (p ≤ 0,05).
χ2-test is created for data with ordinal scale or nominal scale. The purpose of the
tests were not to show exactly where the differences are, but rather to show that
correlations exist between different group constellations and how it interacts.

There were two open questions in the primary survey:
• Question 7: In addition to the mentioned applications in question 6 did you

learn something else that was valuable to your work?
• Question 9: If you were to take part in a Teamcenter course today, what would

you like to learn?

The answers to these questions were examined and divided into different clusters
based on relevance to the thesis questions and the literature study. Recurring an-
swers and answers strongly linked to the literature were given the highest priority.
Thereafter the answers were rewritten to useful points that could easily be presented
as a result.

21



3. Methods

Regarding the direct observations, they did not follow any specific analysis method
but were rather used as a supplement to the survey, this to observe and evaluate
difficulties in the course. Notes were taken during the course sessions and a summary
was made after each occasion of the course, approximately ten occasions. This
summary was then compared with the literature and the data collected for the
survey and the course evaluation.

22



4
Results

This chapter presents the results gathered during this master’s thesis. Data from
the course evaluation and the survey will be presented and interpreted together with
the observations from the classrom.

4.1 The course evaluation

The course evaluation was sent out by Volvo Cars included three relevant questions.
The questions have a six-point scale, where the scale starts at one which corresponds
to "Not good", and ends with number six which corresponds to "Very good". In other
words; the higher the number, the more satisfied the participant was with the course.

In the course evaluation there was a question about the overall impression of the
course, see figure 4.1. It is a good overall impression and hardly anyone answered
a one or a two for this question. 7% are a little dissatisfied and answered a three.
25%, 42% and 25% correspond to the answers 4, 5 and 6. This means that 92%
rated the course above the average grade. Overall, the participants are satisfied
with the course, where the majority answered the second best grade, number 5.
This indicates that the course is appreciated and needed within the organization.
However, an result like this one could possibly give an indication that some might
have given a rating based the course itself rather than the information aimed to help
them perform their work. If the participants do not know the intentions and main
goal of the course, they can not rate the course based on the right parameters.
There is a clear pattern that participants over the years have responded in a similar
way, see figure 4.2. There is a lot of data from the year 2014, hence it has a
higher peak than the others. The evaluation has been sent out sporadically to the
participants over the years. For this reason, there is a significant difference in the
numbers of answers from the different years, even though the course has been run in
an equivalent way. However, the positive response pattern is similar. Most answers
are found on the right-hand side of the scale, with a majority on the answer option
5. Since the answers are similar over the years, the following results will contain
data from all the years between 2013-2021.

23



4. Results

Figure 4.1: Overall assessment of the course.

Figure 4.2: Overall assessment of the course between year 2013 and 2021.

The next question is about how well the activity met the participants’ expectations.
The result is very similar to the question above. Around 10% answered a three or
lower. This in turn means that 90% chose alternatives 4,5 or 6, where the division
is approximately equal. This is also a good result for the course with satisfied
participants. However, this is a question that can be a bit difficult to interpret
as the expectations that the participants have, coming in to the course, can vary.
Moreover, how prepared and motivated the participants are for the course also has
an impact. If they have read the purpose and content of the course, they probably
have completely different expectations compared to someone who is not prepared.
The same logic can be used when looking at the time frame, e.g. how long the

24



4. Results

participants have been working within the organization and how familiarized they
are with the standards and procedures.

Figure 4.3: How well the course meet the participant’s expectations.

The last question of interest from the course evaluation, is about how useful the
outcome of the activity will be for the daily work, see figure 4.4. Here, 44% answered
a six, which corresponds to "Very useful". The answer options 5 and 4 received 48%
of the answers and option 1, 2 and 3 have together received 9 % of the answers. This
question is very important for Volvo Cars’ business as it is costly to have its staff
away on training, especially a four-day course. In summary, the result is good with
91% of the answers on the upper grades. However, a discussion can be held about
why not all answered the highest rating, which should be the end goal in the design
process of a course. Moreover, it can be difficult to know what is useful when the
participants are new to their professional role.

Figure 4.4: How useful the outcome of the activity was in the participants work.

25



4. Results

4.2 The survey

The following results are based on the survey that was created and sent out to col-
lect data for this thesis. Figure 4.5 refers to the first question in the survey and
explains what the participants were working with, their professional title. Most of
the respondents are developers, more exactly 29 respondents, which correspond to
56 % of the answers. Developers commonly have an engineering background and
could work in all the stages of a car project. 6 people are managers, for example
Lead Engineers, who is responsible for a team. Three employees are working with
calculation and analysis and four respondents are consultants from other organiza-
tions. Lastly is a group of ten respondents, other. Within this group are professional
titles such as thesis worker, technician and supplier.

The result regarding the professional title is not very surprising. This question was
asked as an open question where the division has been done manually afterwards. On
the other hand, it would probably have been an advantage to have set alternatives
that were more specified, in order to be able to use these answers for further analysis
with the questions about applications. From the results that followed, it is difficult
to draw conclusions based on work title as the majority of respondents ended up in
the same group.

Figure 4.5: Professional title of the participants

The results from figure 4.6 show that the vast majority of the participants have
previous experience of Catia. The answers for this question show that 15,4% of the
participants had no earlier experience of Catia before taking this Teamcenter course.
The course does not focus on Catia and does not require advanced Catia knowledge.
However, Catia is included and used to a relatively large extent throughout the
course in order for the course content to have meaning and relevance. This means
that the participants’ prior knowledge still influences the outcome of the course.

26



4. Results

Furthermore, the result based on prior experience of Teamcenter as an application
shows that the participants have a mixed level of knowledge, see figure 4.7. Some of
the participants, 17%, have a lot of experience and 37% have none. The rest of the
respondents have either a little or some experience. These results are important in
deciding what level the course should be at.

Figure 4.6: Participants’ previous experience of a Catia course.

Figure 4.7: Participants’ prior knowledge of Teamcenter

For question number five the participants had to rank how often they are using each
application in their daily work, figure 4.8. The result shows that Teamcenter, Catia
and TCVis are the most common ones among the respondents. About 80% use all
of these weekly. The DMU Garage, Document portal and KDP are used to some
extent, around 50% are using them weekly. The least used applications are EXTER,
BOM/CAD alignment, MIP and NGD Editor, where the latter is highly specialized
and is never used more often than monthly.

27



4. Results

Figure 4.9 shows the result of the question about relevance of each application
included in the course. The result agrees quite well with the previous figure, how
often the application is used in daily work. The applications that deviate slightly
are EXTER, MIP and NGD, which many consider unnecessary to include in the
course (more than 80 %). As for KDP and BOM / CAD alignment, the participants
are divided. There are about as many who think that the applications are relevant
as those who do not. The other applications have a majority of respondents who
believe that they are important to include in the course.

Figure 4.8: Description of how often the participants use each application.

Figure 4.9: Participants’ attitude to the relevance of different applications.

28



4. Results

Figure 4.10 shows the result from the last question in the survey. The question
concerning if the participants would be able to perform their daily work without an
introduction course in Teamcenter. The largest proportion, 44% answered Maybe,
34% answered that they would not be able to do their job without the course and
22% had not needed the course. From the results it can be interpreted that many
do not need an introductory course to perform their daily work. This gives an even
greater reason to update and adapt the course content to the participants needs.

Figure 4.10: The participants’ answers to whether they could perform the daily
work without an introductory course in Teamcenter.

In table 4.1 the results from the χ2-tests are stated. There is a bias between pro-
fessional title and how often the participants use Teamcenter (p = 0.004). Further-
more, the professional title also has a decisive factor in terms of how relevant the
participants think it is to introduce Document Portal (p = 0.032) and BOM/CAD
alignment (p = 0.043) during the training. The result shows that calculation and
analysis engineers almost never use Teamcenter and they do not think BOM/CAD
alignment or Document portal are relevant to include in the course.

In addition, a bias were discovered between how often Teamcenter is used and how
often Catia, TCVis and DMU Garage is used. For the first two, Teamcenter and
Catia, the χ2-tests show a p <0.001 and for for DMU Garage it is p=0.007. Figure
4.11 shows a bias between answers of how often the participants use Teamcenter and
how often they use Catia. From the figure it is clear that those who use Teamcenter
daily also use Catia daily. Similarly, it is the people who rarely use Teamcenter
who also rarely use Catia. A similar outcome is shown in Appendix C, where the
participants that use Teamcenter a lot, also use TCVis and DMU Garage more
frequently.

The tests show that there exist a bias in how often the participants use DMU Garage
and how often they use TCVis (p = 0.047) and BOM/CAD alignment (p = 0.008).
The result turns out to be that the more one uses DMU Garage, the more TCVis
and BOM/CAD alignment are also used. Besides that, the use of the DMU Garage

29



4. Results

is also linked to the outcome of the relevance of Document Portal (p = 0.036) and
BOM/CAD alignment (p = 0.027). In Appendix C this is presented to its full extent
with figures.

To conclude, these results should be used in the creation of the course content. The
results state that there exists a bias between what applications that are used and the
professional title. If the participants do not use the applications, it is not essential
to spend time on them. In the same way, if the applications are used a lot together,
for example applications such as Teamcenter and TCVis, these should have a greater
focus during the course.

Table 4.1: Test for significance between professional title and different application.

Test for significance between Chi-square test forsignificance
professional title and how often one use Teamcenter p=0.004
professional title and relevance of Document Portal in the course p=0.032
professional title and relevance of BOM/CAD alignment in the course p=0.043

Figure 4.11: How often Teamcenter is used in bias with how often Catia is used.
(p <0.001)

4.2.1 Open questions from the survey
The results of the two open questions are presented below. The answers have been
analyzed and categorized, and it is these categories that constitute the results. The
first question with an open answer was question seven and asked if the participants
learned something else that was valuable to their work. After compilation, two
categories emerged; Answers about deeper understanding of everything around and
answers about tips and tricks in different applications, as shown in table 4.2.

30



4. Results

The next question, question nine, that required an open answer was about what the
participant would want a Teamcenter course to include, if the participants were to
take the course today. After compiling the answers, it turned out that the following
categories are most sought after; More about TCVis, advanced functions in TC, tips
and tricks and a recap opportunity. Examples are shown in table 4.3.

Table 4.2: Categorization of survey response from the question; In addition to the
mentioned applications in question 6 did you learn something else that was valuable
to your work?.

Grouping Survey answer

Deeper understanding
of everything around

App Laucher CADPDM Tools, like Rescue Save and
how the Options under CATIA V5/Product/Electrical
affects CATIA environment.
I got a deeper understanding of HOW teamcenter is
working and why we do some things.
Agile WOW/VIRA, Pecca Procost, Lotus Notes, etc.
I have learned lots of different things that I will use
in the future.

Tips and tricks
in different applications

Tips and tricks in TcVis, very useful.
How to handle mirrored parts (Left hand and
Right hand) in Teamcenter and CATIA.

31



4. Results

Table 4.3: Categorization of survey response from the question; If you were to take
part in a Teamcenter course today, what would you like to learn?.

Grouping Survey answer

More about TCVis. More capability on TCVis
Would like to learn more about TCVis and how to
manipulate 3D-models in that software

Advanced functions
in TC

Structure of the CAD data for all components.
I think what I would have dive deeper into is MCI,
apply material and etc. and especially for me that
are supplier
Regarding flexible relatives how connect more than
one file...

Tips and tricks

Tricks to create stuff faster. Optimizing layouts with
shortcuts. Functions that you do not know of but is
really good for work. How to find stuff easy.
More detailed detail level and fix and tricks.

A recap opportunity
A quick recap for a couple of hours about everything
thought in the training will be useful.
From my experience was this very good to repeat how
Volvo Cars works that is different from CEVT, and
repeating is a way to learn.

4.3 Direct observations
What became clear during the time that the course was observed was that the
participants have an overall good experience. Examples of what those observations
were included, but was not limited to, the participants reactions when finishing
an assignment, the questions asked during the training and the direct feedback at
the end of each course day. Another clear factor that was observed was that the
participants professional title had impact on their perceived workload in the course.
Moreover, the reactions when the trainers presented a new section of information
from the course content and the participants acknowledged parts that was related to
their work, a greater motivation and inspiration immediately appeared. The course
design is customized to fit individuals with some to no experience of the applications
that are included during the four days of training. The course starts on a basic level
with exercises together with the trainer to then progress and have the participants
working more on their own closer to the end of the course.

The exercise book works as the foundation and provides an explanation of what
needs to be included, both by being presented by the trainer, talked about in the
classroom and used in practical exercises in the training environment. This aims to
create a situation similar to the participants’ upcoming day-to-day work. There are
specific characteristics of the exercises that works well for the participants and the
same occurs for those tasks that are more challenging to execute. The design off
the exercise book starts off with clear step by step actions and by the last exercises

32



4. Results

just gives clues on all the steps in the procedure. What has been observed is that
the participants rely on the book to different degrees. There are some that clearly
rather ask the trainer and some who prefer to go back and forth in the book to find
an explanation on what to do next. The distinction was mostly defined during the
last two exercises called The scenario (and is accounted for two paragraphs further
down).

Due to the fact that there are different trainers responsible, there is a natural ex-
planation to a slight variation in the outcome and what the participants will com-
prehend after the training. This may possibly be related to how long the trainers
have been involved with the course, but also who have taught the trainer during the
on-boarding process and lastly, the trainers’ interests and prior knowledge.

4.3.1 Specific course situations
The Scenario exercises are the participants’ chance to test their newly acquired
knowledge. The two exercises include all the crucial steps learned during the
course. It is important that the participants are working independently since it
works roughly like an exam element for the course even though the trainers are
there to help where help is needed. What was observed here is that the participants
joining online are more hesitant to ask questions when they encounter problems.

There is one part of the training where the participants are supposed to Change the
ownership with each other. This exercise has a good intention, but due to the fact
that the observed courses have been offered as a hybrid classroom, the option to
attend remotely has created some difficulties. When the participants are supposed
to talk with a peer, the observation was that it became difficult to distinguish who
was saying what with participants who were attending online. Another factor here
is that the participants rarely know each other and with some people attending the
course remotely with only a short presentation on day one, they can be reluctant to
take the initiative to start a conversation. With all participants in the classroom,
and a better introduction of each other, the collaboration between the participants
increases.

Another situation that was observed in the classroom was that the participants might
not have read the whole email sent out before the course. As mentioned before, the
participants need to apply for access and if they have not done this before the start of
the course, other logins need to be used. If the course participants are not prepared
for the course, it takes away unnecessary time for all participants and sometimes
the content must be adjusted.

33



4. Results

34



5
Discussion

The results for this master’s thesis will be discussed in this chapter. The discussion
will be divided into two sections, the first discussing the optimization opportunities
and the second comparing how well what has been stated in the results corresponding
to the learning theories discussed above. Conclusions and possible further measures
will be presented.

5.1 Optimizing the course
The first research question, ’What factors could optimize Volvo Cars PLM course so
that the participants gain the right tools to perform their day-to-day work?’ could
incorporate many different aspects, such as personal prioritization of what generates
most profit, what is considered the most important and the meaning of optimization.
Therefore two sub-questions were posed; the first asking which parts of the course
were vital and what could be revised and the second asked to what extent the
participants experience knowledge transfer after completing a course.

The results from course evaluation show that the overall impression of the course
is good and that it meets the participants’ expectations. Due to the fact that a
majority of the people taking the course are new to the organization, a good aspect
to keep in mind is that some might not know what they will find useful in their work.
When the survey for this thesis was constructed, questions were not asking for the
participants experience of the course but rather focusing on what applications are
used in their line of work i.e. the relevance and applicability of the course content.

From the survey it can be deduced that parts of the course on which a lot of time is
currently spent are not used in the capacity expected outside the course, see figure
4.8. One application that this is true for is Document portal. The result showed that
only a little over 10% use it every day and 25% have never used the application.
This while the course talks about, and has exercises, for this application as a main
focus, both during the second and third day of the training. It is also the other
way around where the participants have answered that some applications that are
briefly mentioned in the course are used more often than expected. Here the DMU
Garage is one example. A lot of the participants are using this application but in the
content of the course it plays a small part. It can be deducted from the observations
and the course evaluation that the participants are satisfied with that approach,
however, there is no answer in this thesis to what the participants think when they
have evolved in their professional role.

35



5. Discussion

Important to keep in mind when looking at the results, chapter 4 figure 4.8, is that
the actions that the application provides are not taken into account. A good expla-
nation to this phenomenon is again the DMU Garage. The application provides a
virtual garage, with an overview and timeline, and enables the virtual car projects
to be opened in other applications (i.e. Teamcenter and TCVis) where work and
progress can be made in the project. The correlation of the usability in the appli-
cations is shown in Appendix C. To optimize the course after what applications are
used the most is therefore a good way to structure the content creation of the course.
However, applications are intended for different purposes and attributes, and can
therefore be fully explained and elaborated with more or less time.

The result stated that the participants wanted an overview to be able to see con-
nection between the applications, even though some applications are rarely used
according to the survey, see table 4.2. If the applications that rarely are used would
be eliminated from the course content the overview would be compromised and the
objective would change.

As a result from the observations it was confirmed that participants came in to the
course with different backgrounds and knowledge, which resulted in different starting
points. The conclusion can thus be that for some everything will be new information
and for others the same information will be repetition. With the overall objective for
the course, that the participants should learn as much as possible, it is arguable that
the participants prior knowledge should be taken into account. A possible solution
could therefore be that participants can enter a course on a fair level to them. This
is possible if the trainers provided the course on, for example, two levels, one where
there is no prior knowledge needed and one where the participants have worked in
these applications before. This would provide a more effective training where the
trainers could prepare relevant information and at the same time keep the group
of participants aligned with each other during the exercises. Moreover, a division
can be made with the argument that different professional roles have different usage
of the applications. This also points to an easier transfer with knowledge that will
be used and incorporated in their daily work. One enabling factor that Weinbauer-
Heidel (2018) presents is to ensure opportunities for application, which means that
there should occur situations where the participant can apply their newly gained
knowledge to make it stick. If the course would have a varying content depending
on the participants professional title the threshold for transfer would be lowered.

Moreover, the hybrid classroom can be an aggravating factor. Having some partic-
ipants in the classroom and some attending online creates a lot of extra work for
the trainer, which was observed in the classroom. First of all, both the participants
and the trainer will get a better introduction in the classroom compared to the ones
attending online. Since the group will spend four days together, they start to get
to know one another already on the first day. This seems to affect the participants
online as they ask fewer questions and will from time to time seem like they are
away from their computer, which Poskitt et al. (2021) also states. Secondly, the
hardware equipment in the classroom is of great help with both speakers and screen
sharing during the predominant part of the course, but during some exercises that

36



5. Discussion

the participants take on in the classroom the sound level increases. The participants
help each other and ask the trainers for help as well. However, when the trainer is
about to help the ones online, it is often pointed out that it is difficult to hear what
the trainer is saying due to the noise in the background.

Despite the fact that the hybrid classroom has clear disadvantages, the course has
evolved and entered another phase where the trainers do not have to travel and
present the course in different parts of the world and can now do it from the same
classroom regardless of where the participants are located. The suggestion is thus
not to eliminate the course online but to provide the choice for the participants to
either participate remotely or in the physical classroom and exclude the combination
of the two. This would benefit both the trainer and the participants, whether it is
a course remotely or on-site.

The meaning of optimizing could include several aspects depending on professional
title and prior knowledge. The goal should be that the participants feel that they
have the right tools to be able to perform their work after attending the course. De-
pending on the professional role, the content of the knowledge transfer will vary due
to applicability. However, in order for the course to fit the majority of participants
from Volvo Cars, the course needs to have an overview and be kept on a fair level
to create a knowledge base. This results in some smaller parts of the course being
included to provide an overview, even if the parts are used less frequently.

5.2 Agreement between the course and learning
theories

The upcoming section is about the research question that refers to if the course
is relevant and representing what the literature states about transfer of training.
It will include a discussion based on theories presented in chapters 2. The the-
ory chapter has also inspired the structure of the discussion, which corresponds to
transfer of training research with a main focus on Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) and the
twelve points that enables transfer. The first section is about enabling transfer for
participants, followed by the enabling of transfer due to the training design and
lastly enabling transfer for the organization, similar to Weinbauer-Heidel (2018), as
described in 2.2.2. Every section is divided into two subsections; determination of
the current situation and maintenance. Determination of the current situation gives
a general picture of the course based on the results of the course evaluation, survey
and direct observations. Furthermore, suggestions for improvement based on theory
are discussed under the subsection maintenance.

5.2.1 Enabling transfer for the Participants
The following section focuses on the participant and how the individual can affect
the transfer of training themselves. Enabling transfer for the participants focuses
on the participants motivation, self-efficacy and transfer volition (Weinbauer-Heidel,
2018).

37



5. Discussion

5.2.1.1 Determination of the current situation

The answers from the survey can be interpreted as the overall impression of the
course being very good, see figure 4.1. The course has looked similar for many years
and the impression does not seem to have changed remarkably, as presented in figure
4.2. In terms of the usefulness of the course, the results vary slightly, but with a
continued positive attitude.

Due to the participants having backgrounds that differ from each other, the learning
process also differs. Looking at the course from the perspective of cognitivism, the
participants will be able to take on the presented knowledge if the information fits
into their cognitive schemas. In other words, the more puzzle pieces they have, the
more easily they will take in the course content (Ally, 2004). With that in mind,
previous experiences will play a vital part if the information in the course does not
have a previous connection in the schema for the participants.

The observations generated, among other things, the participants’ individual per-
spective, and resulted in that prior knowledge seem to have a key impact in what
is perceived as easy and what is considered more difficult. Some of the participants
ask a question rather than search for the answer on their own. The survey showed
that the professional role is not as important but rather the time that the partic-
ipant has been working within the organization and also what characteristics the
participants have. Notable is also that the respondents from the survey did not
have a remarkable difference in their professional titles, see figure 4.5. There is one
group which stands for 56% of the respondents while the rest are divided in four
groups. This can result in conclusions that do not correspond to reality. To further
strengthen the argument made previously, the direct observations show the same
tendencies, i.e. that the participant’s previous experience plays a role the course
contents relevance.

During the first day of the course, a part of the introduction is that the participants
get to answer a question regarding their expectations for the course, as mentioned in
the result under section 4.3. This is a great way for the trainer to get a forecast on
what the participants know and need to obtain during the training. Furthermore, the
trainer will be able to adapt the course to the participants’ needs and motivate them
by drawing references to the participants’ own needs, corresponding to Weinbauer-
Heidel (2018) aspects of transfer of training.

5.2.1.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer

To achieve efficient transfer of training, motivation, attitude and ability for each
participant are the key elements to focus on (Weinbauer-Heidel, 2018).

After being in a transition period after the pandemic, the direct observations show
that the participants who are in the classroom generally have a different attitude
than the participants who are attending remotely. The participants in the classroom
are not as hesitant to ask questions, neither directed at the trainer nor at the
participant sitting at the computer next to him or her. The collaborative exercises
work well when all participants attend on-site and are preferred by Wiliam (2011)

38



5. Discussion

among others, in order to gain new skills and knowledge. This aspect forms the
conclusion that this training should be held on-site as much as possible.

Baldwin et al. (2009) states the importance of motivation, and that it is up to the
individual in question to make the choice to transfer. In order to increase motivation
and thus also the transferability, there must be a clear purpose for the course. An
assurance that the content is useful and necessary in order for the participants to
be able to carry out the work required for their role. This could be obtained with
more in-depth information about the course that the participants can attain before
applying for a greater objective. Moreover, acquiring background information about
the participants beforehand will enable the trainer to tweak the information to fit
the crowd.

Adapting the course content according to prior participants’ suggestions enhances
the chances of a course that is both transferable and useful. As presented in table
4.3, participants expressed a desire that the course include more repetition and
an overview of how all the different actions and applications are connected and
interdependent. Wiliam (2011) stated that students should become owners of their
own learning, and that is a reason to allow the participants to influence the course
and its content, and adapt the course in accordance with these wishes.

To conclude, the participants’ attitude can possibly play a vital role for their ability
to attain the knowledge and transfer the information to their professional role. A
way to accomplish that is to make sure of the objective for each learning session and
ensure a relevance to each individual attending the course.

5.2.2 Enabling transfer through the Training design
The overall objective of the course is that the participants should be given the right
tools to be able to perform their work in a correct and efficient way according to
Volvo Cars standards. In order to achieve the enabling of transfer the training design
should be considered. To attain transfer for the training design is for example clarity
of expectations, content relevance and active practice (Weinbauer-Heidel, 2018).

5.2.2.1 Determination of the current situation

As mentioned, the participants have to present their expectations of the course.
They also update the trainer on their previous experiences in Teamcenter, which
makes it easier for the trainer to set the starting level. In connection to this, a short
introduction is held about what the next four days will include. The purpose of
this introduction is to clarify what the participants can except of each day and the
result afterwards, which is one of the aspects that Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) states.
As Baldwin et al. (2009) pointed out, the participants choose to learn themselves,
which means that the trainer needs to be aware of what the participants expect and
what they want to learn. From the results and figure 4.3, it can be deduced that
the expectations are quite clearly in line with the outcome of the course.

The goal for the course is that all participants should feel that all content in the

39



5. Discussion

course is relevant and useful. In the current situation, 44% answered the highest
grade on the question of the usefulness of the course material in their daily work.
The majority of the participants gave a good rating on the question. However, the
goal have be to make everyone attending think that the usability is maximized as
much as possible, even though it is hard for a course with different attendees each
week.

Shown in the results is that there are some applications that are used more often
than other, for example Teamcenter and Catia in the top for most used and MIP
and NGD Editor at the bottom, see 4.8. This outcome was along the lines of the
hypothesis. The applications that are used the least can be declared as "supportive"
applications for the primarily applications. The training design could therefore be
refocused with the basic idea of emphasizing the active learning for the applications
that are used the most, since active learning increases transferability (Wiliam, 2011).
With this in mind it is easier to justify the relevance of the content, which is one of
the enabling factors Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) points out.

The course already contains relatively many different learning methods, such as
presentation, exercises with the trainer and exercises carried through on their own.
Wiliam (2011) states that formative assessment can be channeled through activities
that elicit evidence of learning, in this case can resemble exercises where the partici-
pant test their own knowledge. However, this can be expanded further where active
learning should take a greater place.

In order to keep the different areas of focus separated during the course it is nec-
essary to to ensure a clear objective for each part of the course, in line with Ally
(2004). What can be perceived as confusing is that there are similarities between
the applications but some functions differs between them. To minimize the confu-
sion, the purpose and usefulness must be crystal clear for each application. The
trainers try to separate and explain these as much as they can, but with a mixed
result shown from the observations in the classroom. The trainers have different ex-
periences and backgrounds, which means that some have more knowledge in certain
areas. In addition, participants need to understand that the content will become
more clear as they precede with the course, and will be able to understand where
the differences are for the different applications.

5.2.2.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer

To achieve efficient transfer through the training design, the expectations, content
relevance, active practice and transfer planning are the key elements to focus on
(Weinbauer-Heidel, 2018).

To be able to construct the optimal course with content that Volvo Cars’ organi-
zation needs, transfer planning has to take place. There must be a high clarity of
expectations, both from the participants, the supervisors and the trainers (Wiliam,
2011). With similar expectations from the organizations divisions, a course can be
created based on the right starting level and essential content.

Another aspect for the training design is to continuously update the material so that

40



5. Discussion

exercise examples and slides correspond to reality and therefore ensure relevance.
Volvo Cars is constantly working on development, it therefore requires that the
training material matches the updates and give the content a correct relevance.

There should be an active learning where both the participants and the trainers
can be involved and influence the outcome of the training session. As it is a four-
day course, there is a great amount of information to be processed, which means
that the participants must have time to learn in their own way. This is best done
through many repetitions, variation in the working method and getting time to
reflect (Hagman and Rose, 1983). Furthermore, overlearning is critcial for transfer,
which means that the participants should do the same thing over and over until the
knowledge has been transferred (Driskell et al., 1992). Nevertheless, different kinds
of activities can be created to practice a certain type of task in order to create strong
referent points (Philips D. C., 2014), i.e. repetition but with a slight variation.

Both Wienbauer-Heidel’s (2018) and Wiliam’s (2011) models suggest that feedback
from both the trainers and other participants improves the learning. For this reason,
more collaborative exercises should be added to the course material. It could be even
better if pair exercises were preformed at the beginning of the course, were they can
get to know each other, with the intention that the participants could help each
other throughout the whole course.

The training design can therefore have a vital impact on the level of transfer that
the participants experience. If the content can be tweaked, without changing the
entirety, the outcome could increase motivation for the participants and the relevance
of the material. Moreover, one of the stronger benefits of the course is active learning,
which will enable the participants to get a good indication of the standard way of
working and purpose of the applications.

5.2.3 Enabling transfer in the Organization
Enabling transfer in the organization contains, among other things, opportunities
for the participants to use the new knowledge, support from their supervisor and
transfer expectations from the organization (Weinbauer-Heidel, 2018).

5.2.3.1 Determination of the current situation

The time frame given for the course is four full days. Within the time frame, mate-
rials have been added and removed to get a good common thread and a favorable
result for the participants. The four days are always in a row, which can be seen as
both positive and negative. Driskell et al. (1992) state the importance of task recep-
tions as the same time as Hagman and Rose (1983) point to the benefits of spaced
practice. In a four-day course like this, transfer learning becomes very concentrated,
with no opportunity to have space between the learning sessions.

The course is mainly developed for design engineers at Volvo Cars, which means that
the participants will have many opportunities to apply the new knowledge gained
from the course and also ensure the personal transfer capacity. Other professional

41



5. Discussion

roles may however not get that same opportunity. For example the minor usage of
Teamcenter, TCVis and DMU Garage for calculation and analysis engineers stated
in section 4.2. Not having the opportunity to use their new knowledge can make
the participants forget the standard way of working within Volvo Cars. This is a
common position of many researchers, such as Hagman and Rose (1983) and Ford
et al. (2018). Repetition is important to maintain the knowledge gained during the
training session.

The course is mandatory to gain access to the system, which means that supervisors
must ensure that their employees take the course. For this reason, there is an obvious
support from the manager for the participant to show up at the course and learn the
material, which Weinbauer-Heidel (2018) states as one enabling factor for successful
transfer. However, the feedback and support afterwards is more unclear. It probably
differs between the departments and who is asked. An argument for continuing
the feedback all though the organization is that all actions will be noticed, as the
organization is affected and a lot of people work within the same project.

5.2.3.2 Maintenance to ensure transfer

To achieve efficient transfer of training in the organization, opportunities for ap-
plication, transfer capacity, support from supervisors and peers and lastly transfer
expectations in the organization are the key elements to focus on (Weinbauer-Heidel,
2018).

According to Weinbauer-Heidel (2018), Ford et al. (2018) and Wiliam (2011), feed-
back is a crucial aspect of learning. Of course, the trainer must be responsible for
the feedback and give advice for learning the new knowledge during the course,
in order to constantly take the participants to the next level of training. However,
feedback from colleagues and managers is equally important for retaining knowledge
long term.

Similarly, more parameters need to be achieved for knowledge to be maintained in
the long term. From the results in table 4.3, it could be deduced that several partic-
ipants had wanted a rehearsal opportunity later in time, to rehearse the knowledge.
For this, the organization must ensure that there are opportunities for rehearsal for
both the participants and the trainers, and that there is a functioning administra-
tion. This opportunity does not have to be that long, but it must be encouraged
and accepted by the managers. After all, it is time that disappears for the partic-
ipants’ usual tasks. On the other hand, the long-term result should be favored for
the organization and the individual that can execute their work in a effective and
correct manner.

Fi