Write an article on training and development in small businesses Paper must be at least 1750 words. The basic purpose of any training and development program is to improve the performance efficiency of the employees and to increase the overall organizational productivity. In order to make this program effective and to ensure that the outcomes justify the investment, it is necessary for the EPAM systems to perform a training needs analysis prior to the execution of the program. This practice may assist the organization to ensure that the training employee receives would match his/her performance requirements. First, it is essential for the manager to identify the root cause(s) behind the poor performance of an employee because a general training policy may not address the actual developmental needs of the employee. If more than one person requires a particular type of training, then it is better for the company to arrange group training so as to reduce the total costs involved. It is clear that setting up a group training session for the firm’s employees would be less costly than arranging training sessions for individuals at different times. In addition, EPAM systems may conduct a cost-benefit analysis before investing in training and development in order to assess whether the training outcomes would substantiate the training costs. Once the training needs are identified, it is vital for the organization to develop training objectives and learning outcomes so as to describe what the trainees/learners will be able to do after the completion of the training program (Wilson, 2005, p.346). The learning outcomes are specifically intended to judge whether or not the training program is a success. While developing training objectives and learning outcomes, the EPAM systems management must ensure that they are in line with the mission and business goals of the organization. The organization should develop content and instructional design in the next phase.&nbsp.&nbsp.