A Critical Examination of Kirkpatrick, Bushnell, Warr et al., and Stufflebeam and Zhang’s Evaluation Models

To fulfill the ultimate intended purposes of successfully determining the outcomes and impacts of human resource research, it is desirable to understand the interplay between existing evaluative methodologies that ensure the seamless alignment of various HR training programs with organizational goals. Among these methodologies, several distinguished models have emerged as prominent contenders in the field of HR training program evaluation. This chapter embarks on a comprehensive exploration, critique, and comparison of four noteworthy evaluation models: Kirkpatrick (Perform. Improv. 45:5–8, 2006), Bushnell (Train. Dev. J. 44:41–43, 1990), Warr et al. (Evaluation of management training: A practical framework, with cases, for evaluating training needs and results. Gower Press, 1970), Stufflebeam and Zhang (The CIPP evaluation model: How to evaluate for improvement and accountability. Guilford Publications, 2017), among others. The selection of an appropriate evaluation model holds the key to deciphering the strengths and areas of improvement within these programs, which ultimately paves the way for their optimization.