Corporations Implementing On-Line Learning Struggle with Technology, IT Departments and Creativity!

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 24, 1998--While over 89% of corporations are planning to use corporate intranets for the delivery of learning and training, most organizations are facing key struggles in their implementation efforts.

Structural barriers of IT resistance, Y2K problems and the newness of the marketplace confront early adopters of on-line learning, according to a MASIE Center report.

"Most executives are supportive of the concept of delivering training to the workforce via corporate networks," said Elliott Masie, President of The MASIE Center, an international thinktank located in Saratoga Springs, NY. "In fact, a number of training organizations are facing enormous pressure from their business units to rapidly implement on-line training, prior to adopting a conceptual or technological model."

The recent scan of Fortune 1000 companies found these trends:

-- 89% of Corporations are now in the process of implementing

on-line delivery of learning and training. Most are starting with IT training and remote sales force training.

-- 67% of organizations reported facing key hurdles in the next year

including gaining the support of the IT department to use networks, increasing bandwidth and a possible IT distraction as Y2K problems are faced.

-- 63% of the respondents indicated that the primary hurdles to

implementation were not technological, but rather cultural and business process issues, including how to price on-line learning and how to build worker and manager respect for non-classroom approaches to training.

-- 72% of the responding learning and technology professionals

indicated that they were seeking products that were not yet in the marketplace. They pointed to a greater range of pre-made content, more simulations and easy to populate templates as necessary future products. In addition, many organizations require greater integration with HR databases.

Other key issues raised included:

-- Creation of industry standards for content production to protect

organizations against obsolete technologies.

-- Ease of use authoring and assembly tools to allow content to be

produced by non-instructional designers.

-- Integration of Knowledge Management and Training efforts.

-- The need to add creativity to on-line learning offerings to go

beyond merely publishing content in HTML.

"The technology and learning capability and industry have bright futures!", said Elliott Masie. "In the next two years, organizations will tackle tough issues and be given the task of evaluating new technologies for their workforces. The signal that this survey gives is that organizations are needing help in the process and invention of on-line learning, not just the implementation."

These issues will be addressed at the upcoming TechLearn '98 Conference, to be held in Orlando, FL on November 15 to 18, 1998. Over 1,200 corporate training, learning and technology executives have already registered for the event. Complete details are available at www.masie.com

For information contact Elliott Masie or Stacy Brownell at 518-587-3522.

    CONTACT: The MASIE Center, Saratoga Springs
              Elliott Masie or Stacy Brownell, 518/587-3522