Evaluation of laboratory management training

The purpose of this study was to determine if motivation to manage increased simultaneously with planned-for cognitive learning of management. A management course designed to stimulate cognitive learning was studied. It was presented to supervisors in hospital, independent, and public health laboratories. Two groups of 22 and 26 participants, respectively, were identified to be studied. Measures of cognition and motivation were taken before and after training. The analysis revealed statistically significant increases in cognitive learning in both study groups. The analysis of motivational data did not reveal a statistically significant increase in motivation to manage for either group. It was concluded that it is possible to stimulate cognitive learning of management if such learning is consciously planned. It was also concluded that under the experimental conditions, motivation to manage does not increase when it is treated as incidental to the planned-for cognitive learning.