Learning Executive’s Confidence Index, 2015 Q4

The Learning Executive Confidence Index (LXCI) assesses the expectations of learning executives for the learning function in organizations for the next six months. ATD publishes the LXCI each year in January (for Q4 of the previous year), April (Q1 of the current year), July (Q2 of the current year), and October (Q3 of the current year).The LXCI is measured on a 100-point scale; a higher index score reflects a more optimistic outlook for the learning function in organizations and a lower index score reflects greater negativity. An index score of more than 50 indicates more positive than negative responses. The LXCI score is based on learning executives' six-month forecasts for four key indicators: the ability of learning executives to meet organizations’ learning needs the impact of learning on corporate performance the perception of the value of learning within organizations the availability of resources needed to meet learning needs. The LXCI is modeled after the Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence, which rates CEOs’ expectations for the economy on a quarterly basis. Learning executives’ expectations regarding the importance of and investment in learning have declined from Q3 2015. The current LXCI score is 64.3, a drop from last quarter’s score of 68.0. The difference is statistically significant at p < 0.05.The score is lower than any in 2014 and the first three quarters of 2015; during this period, it ranged from 65.7 to 68.8. However, it is important to keep in mind that the current score is still 9.2 points higher than the historic low of 55.1 from Q1 2009, and 5.6 points below the historic high score of 69.9 from Q4 2013.