Keywords

1 Introduction

It is a tendency for the development of enterprises in years ahead to construct learning-oriented enterprises [1, 2]. E-learning has the characteristics of learner-orientation, strong interaction, realizable tracking management, etc., and has become the inevitable choice and trend of future enterprise training and development [3, 4].

Since 1998, e-learning has developed rapidly in most of the western countries [5, 6]. USA, as the cradle of E-learning, takes the leading position both in theory and practice. For example, Rosenberg summarized e-learning’s successful experience in foreign enterprises. Sinclair, Joseph mainly researched on the relationship of web-based training and e-learning [7, 8]. Horton, William presented how to build website and increase navigation required software technology, etc., [9, 10]. Clark analyzed people’s learning model and habits with empirical research [11, 12].

Late start of the domestic research focuses on two aspects: one aspect is the study of e-learning concept, characteristics, implementation significance, development trend, etc., [13, 14]; the other aspect is the study of actual operation of e-learning [15, 16]. Feng suggested the elements, procedure, model, and key points in the implementation of e-learning for enterprises [17, 18]. Dai Yong listed the six steps for resource integration of e-learning system and creation of learning organization [19]. Lian Ren, Liu Yi, Jiang Jianping, Wang Wei, etc., have also made influential studies [20, 21].

Combining the e-learning training method and construction of learning-oriented enterprise, with the analysis of correlations between learning-oriented enterprise and e-Learning, this paper constructs e-learning training system based on learning-oriented enterprise, thus to promote the construction of learning organization.

2 Correlations Between E-Learning and Learning Organization

2.1 E-Learning Promotes the Construction of Learning Organization

Five disciplines are personal mastery, improving mental models, building shared vision, team learning, and system thinking. The learner-oriented e-learning emphasizing knowledge sharing and team learning could be applied well in the construction of learning-oriented enterprise.

2.1.1 E-Learning Promotes the Realization of Personal Mastery

Personal mastery, as the spiritual basis of learning-oriented enterprises, provides rich learning resources and continual learning opportunities for employees.

2.1.2 E-Learning is Helpful in Improving Mental Models of Employees

“Mental models” refer to the psychological quality and mode of thinking. E-learning constructs platform for learning together of enterprises and employees, and encourages employees to continuously renew and sharpen their knowledge to promote the knowledge application.

2.1.3 E-Learning Helps Enterprise and Employees Build Shared Vision

Shared vision is common image or vision of people in the organization. With the building of shared vision, enterprise combines the development of enterprise and employee to promote the realization of personal mastery of employees with the setting of e-learning training courses.

2.1.4 E-Learning Enables Team Learning of Enterprise Employees

Team learning is the critical process in the construction of learning organization. E-learning enriches communication method in learning and deepens exchange degree.

2.1.5 E-Learning Helps Employees to Think Systematically

System thinking is the fifth discipline in the construction of learning organization. E-learning exerts system thinking potential by helping enterprise and employees to exercise the four disciplines “personal mastery”, “improving mental models”, “building shared vision”, and “team learning”.

2.2 Learning Organization Provides Support for the Implementation of E-Learning

2.2.1 Philosophy Support

Learning-oriented enterprise advocates philosophies of self-learning, life-long learning, whole learning, team learning, etc. These philosophies have directive function in the implementation of e-learning.

2.2.2 Environment Support

Learning-oriented enterprise has capability of continual study and good learning environment, which needs a training system that can provide learning chances at any time and any place. The presence of e-learning meets the requirements.

2.2.3 Decision Support

In the argumentation process, whether the implementation of e-learning needs scientific and detail demonstration, current environment and leadership attitude of enterprise plays a significant role.

3 Design of E-Learning Training System for Learning Organization

The construction of e-learning training system involves all aspects of enterprises and the rebuilding process of partial management flow as shown in Fig. 33.1.

Fig. 33.1
figure 1

Construction of e-learning training system flow chart

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3.1 Feasibility Analysis

Enterprise should conduct feasibility analysis before the implementation of e-learning.

3.1.1 Analysis of Enterprise Strategy

To analyze if current e-learning implementation conforms to current enterprise development strategy, if the timing is mature, the supporting degree of enterprise high-level leaders, etc.

3.1.2 Human Resource Management

To analyze if enterprise had built up healthy performance assessment system, etc.

3.1.3 Enterprise Technology

Technology condition also determines the implementation effect of e-learning. Enterprise must have corresponding technology department or technicians to provide technology support for e-learning.

3.2 Training Demand Analysis

Training demand analysis is conducted from three aspects, which are organization analysis, person analysis, and task analysis.

3.2.1 Organization Analysis

Which is to analyze the availability of enterprise strategy orientation, organization structure, organization behavior information, and training resources?

3.2.2 Person Analysis

The overall quality of human resource directly determines the training requirements.

3.2.3 Task Analysis

Task analysis is conducted in specific operating post.

3.3 Making Training Objective

Enterprise should make training strategy objective according to enterprise development strategy and determine enterprises’ and employee’s personal objectives to be achieved from e-learning implementation combining training demand analysis, thus to confirm the position of e-learning in the whole process of informatization or enterprise development.

3.4 Construction of E-Learning Training Model

System framework of e-learning includes three sections, which are hardware, learning management system (LMS). and learning content (namely courseware) (Fig. 33.2).

Fig. 33.2
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E-learning system construction

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3.4.1 Building Hardware Facility

Enterprises can choose to build their own websites or link to Internet, and establish internal training website through Internet.

3.4.2 Building LMS

Learning management system (LMS) is the basic platform for e-learning implementation. Enterprise LSM typically includes the functions below:

  • System management;

  • User management;

  • On-line test;

  • Course management;

  • Learning module;

  • Team learning;

  • Enterprise can bring in LSM method to build e-learning.

3.4.3 Making Learning Content

It is mainly about the making of courseware. Three modes could be adopted to make courseware: Bring in directly from e-learning courseware supplier, cooperation, and customization from special agency, self-development.

3.5 Application of E-Learning Training System Inside the Department

In actual implementation of e-learning training, enterprise should adopt methods step by step. They can perform trial training in a small range like core department and subcompany; then make evaluation and assessment of experimental training, collect feedbacks from employees and leadership; next, further improve learning method and platform; and at last, popularize gradually.

3.6 Implementation of E-Learning Training Inside the Enterprise

E-learning implementation is a training revolution for enterprise, and both enterprise and employees need to establish new training philosophy. In implementation, enterprise shall build good learning atmosphere, and introduce and promote e-learning method to employees via formal and informal channel.

3.7 Establish Training Evaluation System

Evaluation can be conducted from four levels: response level, learning level, behavior level, and result level.

Response evaluation: It is mainly to ask employees for their impressions in e-learning training, feelings on practicability of e-learning, etc.

Learning evaluation: Measure the improvements of employees in the master of knowledge and technology in e-learning by written examination, technical operation, work simulation, etc.

Behavior evaluation: Evaluate if employees have any changes in behavior after training and if they use the learned knowledge from e-learning training at work.

Result evaluation: Evaluate from higher level organization, which is if organization runs better because of the e-learning training. The main content to be evaluated is: production value, accident rate, employee turnover rate, employee morale, customer satisfaction, etc.

4 The Problems Needing Attention for the Application of E-Learning System in Learning-Oriented Enterprise

4.1 Change the Understanding of E-Learning Training

E-learning will become a useful tool of enterprise training and work support; Enterprise leaders should abandon the past concept of “training is a waste”.

4.2 Combine E-Learning with Traditional Training

The implementation of e-learning does not mean to totally repudiate the traditional training method. Actually, both traditional training method and e-learning has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, mixed teaching method is better to be adopted in on-line training.

4.3 Value Later Stage Software Development and Provide on Line Service

Some enterprises only pay prior attention to hardware construction period while building e-learning system, and neglects management in later stage. Considering this, enterprise not only should value hardware construction, but also pay more attention to software development.

4.4 Integrate Enterprise Culture

Enterprise culture is the sole of enterprise. Both the permeation of enterprise culture and philosophy, and the construction of impact of culture atmosphere need the help of training to realize.

4.5 Lay Stress on the Integration of Learning Resource

E-learning, as a new kind of training method, will take people to a fresh new learning level, but we should also see the existing problems in current e-learning implementation. And enterprise should adopt effective way to solve the problem and strengthen industry cooperation at the same time to realize the integration of learning resource and promote the healthy orderly development of e-learning.

All in all, the introduction of e-learning system has provided strong support for the improvement of employee comprehensive quality and effective sharing and transfer of knowledge, and helped enterprise to form the knowledge sharing and using among talents, and the virtuous circle of new knowledge creation by talents, thus to ensure and improve the core competitiveness of enterprise continuously.