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force development, and policy revision
(see Figure 2).
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
CASE STUDIES
When people within an organization plan
to use distance training and education,
there are several barriers to their efforts
that they are likely to encounter. Consideration
of barriers faced by other organizations
may help leaders find solutions to
reduce or to minimize obstacles in their
own organization. Using a content analysis
of 32 in-depth case studies of leading organizations,
Cho and Berge (2002) explored
solutions to the barriers faced by organizations
when they use distance education
In a traditional, in-person training situation,
registration for the course, documentation,
payment, and travel arrangements
(if any)—all the functions that are normally
thought of as involving the organization—are
completed, for the most part,
before classes begin. Once instruction
starts, the direct interactions that learners
have with their instructors become paramount.
This may not be the case in the distance
training and education classroom.
Opinions from learners in distance education
classes indicate a halo effect as they
suggest that they attribute responsibility
for a much broader scope of barriers to the
instructor compared to what they would
in a traditional setting. For instance, the
organization’s communication infrastructure
is generally not under the direct control
of the instructor, yet such operability
issues as access, network stability, and
technical support are an inseparable part
of elearning. Thus, often learners do not
make as clear a distinction between issues
normally under the responsibility of the
organization from those under the instructors’
control (Keast, 1997; Moore, 1994).
Administrative structure and organizational
change are important issues that
need to be considered simultaneously. Several
of the case studies examined by Cho
and Berge (2002) indicate the primary
importance of organizational culture or
norms, paired with administrative structure,
when an organization implements, or
plans to implement distance training
(Berge, 2001b; Bunn, 2001; Crow &
Rariden, 1993; Keast, 1997; Moore, 1997;
Olcott & Wright, 1995; Shrivastava &
Souder, 1987). Technical infrastructure and
technical support are also closely linked
with other barriers such as user access, student
support, social interaction, and quality
of learning. It appears that when there
is strong support from upper management,
aligned with organizational norms
and culture favorable to DE, other barriers
will be minimized or reduced in intensity
(see Table 5 and Appendix B).
CONCLUSIONS
Technology is one major factor that is helping
to drastically change the world economy.
Changes in society and the
marketplace demand changes in the workplace
that include a shift in the focus of distance
training and education from
instructing to learning. The need for a flexible,
knowledgeable workforce, capable of
making many decisions that are consistent
with management's objectives is driving a
new intensity in the area of talent management.
Distance training requires a great deal of
organizational support if it is to be moved
to center-stage and become part of the profile
of the enterprise. This will only occur
as a result of a cultural shift from valuing
education/training to valuing learning and
strategic planning that requires commitment
from the top echelon of the organization.
To make that kind of investment in
time, resources, and effort, there must be
mission critical business needs that are
being address by distance learning (Kearney
& Ottley, 2002). To develop enterprisewide
capabilities for sustaining distance
training and education, it takes continuous
effort to link project management, pro-
8 Distance Learning Volume 4, Issue 4