Effect of Online Training Motivation on Online Training Effectiveness: A Pre-Experiment of Kickstart Business Program in Malaysia

The effect of training motivation on training effectiveness in face-to-face training programs has been researched widely; in which, training motivation was found to be the most influential factor affecting most face-to-face training programs’ effectiveness. However, research reporting the effect of online training motivation on online training effectiveness have received little attention especially studies involving experimental design. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to prove the effect of online training motivation on online training effectiveness using a pre-experimental design among 172 participants who attended an online training program named the Kickstart Business Program that was organized in Malaysia. Findings indicated that there was a significant increase of business startup learning among participants as measured before and after the completion of online training; in which, the online training motivation had almost a large effect size and explained 54.9% variance in the online training effectiveness. This has proven that online training motivation also has an influential effect on online training effectiveness as consistent as in most face-to-face training programs. Findings are important as a proof for training providers to organize online training programs especially when the numbers of online training programs have increased since pandemic COVID-19. Additionally, future researchers are recommended to study factors affecting online training motivation and online training effectiveness and to determine its similarity and dissimilarity with face-to-face training programs.