Team training in the skies: Does crew resource management (CRM) training work?

    Authors

    E. Salas; C. S. Burke; C. A. Bowers;K. A. Wilson

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Hum. Factors

    Keywords

    COORDINATION; AVIATION; COCKPIT; ATTITUDES; CRITERIA; Behavioral Sciences; Engineering, Industrial; Ergonomics; Psychology, ; Applied; Psychology

    Abstract

    The aviation community has invested great amounts of money and effort into crew resource management (CRM) training. Using D. L. Kirkpatrick's (1976) framework for evaluating training, we reviewed 58 published accounts of CRM training to determine its effectiveness within aviation. Results indicated that CRM training generally produced positive reactions, enhanced learning, and promoted desired behavioral changes. However, we cannot ascertain whether CRM has an effect on an organization's bottom line (i.e., safety). We discuss the state of the literature with regard to evaluation of CRM training programs and, as a result, call for the need to conduct systematic, multilevel evaluation efforts that will show the true effectiveness of CRM training. As many evaluations do not collect data across levels (as suggested by D. L. Kirkpatrick, 1976, and by G. M. Alliger, S. I. Tannenbaum, W. Bennett, Jr., & H. Traver, 1997), the impact of CRM cannot be truly determined; thus more and better evaluations are needed and should be demanded.

    Journal Title

    Human Factors

    Volume

    43

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2001

    Document Type

    Review

    Language

    English

    First Page

    641

    Last Page

    674

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000175102800012

    ISSN

    0018-7208

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