A New Look at Learning for the Organization

摘要

This paper examines two features of end users in organizations learning to use the systems and software (S&S) implemented in the organization. One, it reiterates the importance but failure of end user involvement in the learning process. The implications of this failure are emphasized. Two, it posits that the learning which is done in a distant learning mode—as opposed to the traditional lesson delivery method—might be suited to insure that the enduserismore fully involved in learning to use the S&S. As such, the paper does not arrive at strong conclusions but rather asks questions from the literature that need to be addressed before any new technology is introduced in large numbers in the work place. The importance of end user involvement in the process of learning to use new S&S is well documented and has been the subject of work since at least the 1980s (Pressman, 1987; Immon & Caplan, 1992; Kronke & Hatch, 1994). A recurring theme in these studies is the importance of the people factor (Nickerson, 1998). What this means is that the delivery of S&S to an organization must not omit the human component of an information system, although this is often done.