Workplace Chinese training in a Chinese-managed factory in Morocco: a transfer-sensitive CIPP evaluation

Introduction In overseas Chinese-managed manufacturing settings, local employees' demand for Chinese is shaped by job tasks and cross-cultural coordination. This study examines workplace Chinese training in a Chinese-managed factory in Morocco. Methods Data came from three stage-specific survey waves: pre-course needs survey ( n = 70), mid-course process survey ( n = 22), post-course outcome survey ( n = 7), open-ended feedback ( n = 8), one teacher interview, and attendance and performance records (40 valid score records). An improvement-oriented Context-Input Process-Product (CIPP) framework and training-transfer logic guided descriptive statistics and qualitative thematic analysis. Results Findings show that learner demand was strongly task- and scenario-oriented, and materials and classroom climate were generally evaluated positively. Pacing remained the main challenge for beginners. Attendance was strongly associated with composite performance (Spearman's ρ = 0.90, p 0.001) and remained substantial after removing the attendance component (ρ = 0.78, p 0.001). The evidence did not directly demonstrate workplace transfer but indicated transfer-related conditions, including confidence growth, task-based rehearsal, recoverability after absence, peer support, and organizational time protection. Discussion Workplace Chinese training in production-constrained settings should be evaluated not only by satisfaction or test performance, but also by conditions that sustain participation and enable later workplace use. The findings support a cautious, improvement-oriented interpretation of training effectiveness in a single-site industrial context.