Final answer:
Organizations may avoid conducting a needs analysis out of fear of revealing organizational weaknesses, which might expose inefficiencies or suggest a poor reflection on management. This can include concerns around allocating limited resources away from immediate pressures or difficulty in identifying training priorities.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the obstacles organizations cite as the reason to avoid conducting a needs analysis is the fear of revealing organizational weaknesses. This can be due to concerns that uncovering areas needing improvement might expose vulnerabilities to stakeholders or provide evidence of inefficiencies that management would prefer to keep concealed. From the theory of perceived inadequacies to practical hesitations, the reluctance to undergo a needs analysis might also stem from a prevailing culture that is resistant to change or the belief that such evaluations are a poor reflection on those in charge.
Organizations like NGOs, which often run on tight budgets and resources, could find the process of conducting an analysis overwhelming and might be reluctant to divert already limited resources to such an end. Furthermore, there is often a tension between the immediate pressures of administration and funding cycles and the longer-term needs for organizational development and training, potentially leading to an inability to identify training priorities effectively.
Nevertheless, as Arthur et al. (2003) showed, training can be extremely effective when measured through various methods, including employee responses and changes in productivity and profits. Hence, while organizations may cite such obstacles, the benefits of needs analysis in revealing training needs and informing effective organizational planning cannot be understated.