Meridian Knowledge Solutions, Inc. to Expand E-Learning for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers CHANTILLY, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 6, 2001 Meridian Knowledge Solutions, Inc. (Meridian KSI Meridian KSI, now known as Meridian LLC is a division of Visionary Integration Professionals based in Chantilly, Virginia USA. Meridian Knowledge Solutions Inc. (Meridian KSI or MKSI) was founded in 1997 by CEO Paul Somerville, Elizabeth Harris, Malcolm Patel, David DeVaux and Jen ), an industry leader in web technologies for e-learning, announced that it has developed a comprehensive online learning and knowledge management system for AstraZeneca, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, headquartered in London with its U.S. headquarters in Wilmington Delaware. In the U.S., AstraZeneca is using Meridian KSI's Knowledge Centre as its "Corporate University," AstraZeneca University (AZU AZU University of Arizona AZU Arreplegats de la Zona Universitària (Spanish) ). AZU provides a central point of access for both online and classroom-based training and development opportunities to meet the needs of the company's varied functional areas, from Drug Development to Field Sales and Marketing to Operations, each of which represents a "college" within the virtual university that is focused on specific users. The site enables collaboration between teams by offering a unique tool to share information. "Meridian KSI's Knowledge Centre enables us to more efficiently manage our employees' training and development requirements to meet individual and organizational needs," said Paul Nichol, Leader, Learning Technologies Center, AstraZeneca. "The system will also reduce development time and costs for training programs, and allow employees to study course material at a self-determined pace." The Meridian KSI Knowledge Centre is an e-learning packaged business application now used by more than 30 corporate and government organizations worldwide. The infrastructure of the system creates an actual learning and knowledge management portal that integrates traditional learning with on-line learning. AstraZeneca will combine Meridian KSI's knowledge management technology with commercial off-the-shelf Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) is a term for software or hardware, generally technology or computer products, that are ready-made and available for sale, lease, or license to the general public. (COTS) and customizable courses, like project management or PC applications training, and with internally developed, functional area specific courses. Course materials and online assessments are available to enrolled employees. Employees will receive course evaluations A course evaluation is a paper or electronic questionnaire, which requires a written or selected response answer to a series of questions in order to evaluate the instruction of a given course. and documentation of accomplished training. The university is complete with an independent learning center, auditorium, library, coffee shop, bookstore, student chat rooms, functional area colleges, and a career center. AZU will effectively manage AstraZeneca education and training materials in an environment proven to promote cost-effective employee learning. Meridian KSI will support the system on an on-going basis, providing software upgrades customized to meet the company's needs. "This e-learning and knowledge management system enables AstraZeneca to better manage the training and development needs of its employees," said Paul Somerville, Meridian KSI president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . "AZU will give the company's sales staff instant access to the latest product training materials right from their browsers." Paul Somerville and Paul Nichol will be speaking at the Online Corporate University Week(TM) 2001 Conference in the Westin Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida Palm Harbor is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 59,248. Culture Palm Harbor is roughly 45 minutes from downtown St.Petersburg and Tampa. on Thursday, February 8, 2001, at 11:00 a.m. Their topic is "Building an Enterprise-Wide Infrastructure". About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AZN AZN Asian ) is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of ethical (prescription) pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the top five pharmaceutical companies in the world with healthcare sales of $15 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, oncology, anesthesia (including pain management), cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS See Continuous net settlement. CNS See continuous net settlement (CNS). ) and respiratory products. In the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , AstraZeneca is a $7.4 billion healthcare business with more than 10,000 employees. For more information, visit the AstraZeneca web site at http://www.astrazeneca-us.com . About Meridian KSI Meridian Knowledge Solutions, Inc. (Meridian KSI), headquartered in Chantilly, Va., is a privately held, leading provider of e-learning and knowledge management products and services. Meridian KSI's paramount product, the Meridian KSI Knowledge Centre, is a dynamic online learning and knowledge management infrastructure that integrates courseware delivery, administrative documentation, knowledge mapping, collaboration tools A collaboration tool is something that helps people collaborate. The term is often used to mean collaborative software, but collaboration tools were being used before computers existed, a piece of paper can for example can be used as collaboration tool. , knowledge capture, and specialized applications. Clients include Bank One, the National Association of Purchasing Management, the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Sycamore sycamore: see plane tree. sycamore Any of several distinct trees called by the same name though in different genera and families. In the U.S. the term refers to the American plane tree or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis), a hardy street tree. Networks, and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals. Meridian KSI closed out the 1999 fiscal year with revenues in excess of $1.5 million and will close 2000 with over $3 million in revenue. For further information, visit the Meridian KSI Web site at www.meridianksi.com or call 703/322-9565. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion