With the ultimate objective being ``executive delight'', the training department's present endeavour is to equip its employees with the latest information and technology which can be fruitfully employed to help them excel in their work areas. Thus, while specialised programmes catering to specific departments like sales or service are undertaken, some other programmes like managerial effectiveness, internal customer orientation or team building, which are cross-functional, are also carried out.

``Based on the categorisation of our employee training needs into attitudinal and competency development, we organise two types of training modules. The first is managerial and behaviourial, while the second is technical training, '' says Sudhir Singh, deputy generalmanager (human resources).

Under the first module, the company deals with concepts like decision-making and problem-solving, time management, motivation, team building and interpersonal communication. In the `technical training module' the company runs specific need-based programmes for different departments.

This year, the company organised programmes like `effective verbal communication' for the secretary and executive level personnel besides programmes like managerial effectiveness or time management for managers and sales and service staff, respectively. Programmes like customer handling and team building are in the process of being organised specifically for the service personnel at the national level.

As regards service, which is the bane of a consumer electronics company, Singh states: ``We have to not only gear up and motivate our own service personnel but also have to bring the authorised service personnel on par with our own service staff, to bring a consistency in the quality of service andcustomer satisfaction levels.''

Thus specific training sessions are carried out for the authorised service personnel where, in addition to providing them technical training on the product, they are made familiar with the company's approach and developments within the company.

In addition to in-house programmes, the company also takes the help of outside agencies like the National Institute of Sales (NIS). The essence of such a programme, conducted last year, was to train the sales team on strategic and systematic channel management and develop their skills to acquire effectiveness as a person. On the same lines, the company proposes to carry out a special `executive development programme' this year for its sales personnel to broaden their outlook and perspective by exposing them to various management concepts, so that they can be prepared to take up higher responsibilities in the future.

The factory employees are also given on-the-job training at Samsung's various overseas manufacturing facilities, fromtime to time. Prior to the commencement of production at the colour television facility at Noida, 36 employees from their manufacturing department were sent for three weeks of overseas factory training at Samsung facilities in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Singapore. Apart from this, a number of instructors from Korea visited India to provide training to both the production and service staff.

The employees of Samsung India also get an opportunity to participate in overseas employee training programmes organised by the parent company. Two such on-going programmes are the `core manager programme' and the `21st century cosmopolitan programme,' which are of 18 months and 12 months duration, respectively.

Says Singh: ``I think the ultimate test of our seriousness in training is brought out by the fact that in the appraisal form of our employees, we lay a greater emphasis on areas like attitude and competence, unlike just judging an employee by his/her key responsibility areas.''