Relevance of Education & Training in a Business Environment.

Overview & Synopsis

Today's workplace must employ knowledgeable, flexible, efficient, and adaptable workers who are lifelong learners. Adult learners need to be updated on the latest changes in the structure of the business environment. Business programs must respond to corporate and personal development needs by designing curriculum that embraces the management skills required by a changing business world. Because of workplace changes, managers need to cultivate change skills (such as flexibility, efficiency, and adaptability) in themselves and workers. People and corporations are undergoing paradigm shifts, where the accepted reality of their world is changing. Businesses are recognizing innovative ways to increase productivity by redesigning entire critical business processes and using technology to support the new designs. Business leaders must know how to attract, train, and retain "knowledge workers." E-learning offers 10 major advantages to the business world and work force: real-time learning; learner-centric training; learning-on-demand, which can help attract, train, and retain key workers; personalized individual training; ownership and empowerment; simulation; collaboration; training anytime and anywhere; cost effectiveness; and quantifiable return-on-investment. Employee education methods must be flexible and cost-efficient. The need for organizations to promote and capture learning at the individual, team, and organizational levels has fueled considerable interest in the concept of the learning organization. Online learning is effective and efficient. (Contains 15 references.) (YLB)