Research in progress

Citation

(1999), "Research in progress", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 14 No. 7/8. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmp.1999.05014gab.001

Research in progress

Research in progress

The sociological implications of learning technologies in a multinational company in Asia

Keywords: Training techniques, Technology-led strategy, Distance learning, Self-development, Asia

An interview via e-mail with Roger Byrne, HRD Director, DHL International, Asia Pacific and Middle East Region, who is currently conducting research within his organisation, by News Editor, Maggie McCourt-Mooney.

From reading an outline of your research it appears that your hypothesis, based on a review of literature, assumes the use in future of learning technologies for developing global managers. The intention then is to establish the implications in a multinational organisation when learning is entirely based on distance and technology. What were the key drivers for selecting this area of research?

First, personal job interest; as HRD Director for DHL International, Asia Pacific and Middle East, I am heavily involved in all aspects of management development across the region. Add to that a background of 15 years in IT and I find that I naturally seek to exploit technology in whatever areas I focus.

Second, there have been some recent changes in the expatriate and economic climate in Asia, which caused me to focus more on the use of learning technology as a possible future approach. In the past, DHL's experienced managers were encouraged to move readily from one country office to another, and in so doing would develop their own management skills and share those skills within the new environment. This was particularly true in Asia in the 1980s and 1990s, with a booming economy and a demand for skills that outpaced the local capabilities to produce an educated workforce.

Three things changed this: the economic downturn has focused minds on cost management; Asian schools are producing many more graduates (and almost everyone seems to have an MBA); the technological infrastructure and acceptance of technology in many parts of Asia are equal to anywhere in the world.

The consequence is that companies can no longer afford to move expatriates around as they once could and the technologically literate workforce is ready and willing to exploit the available infrastructure. Therefore, looking at technology as a medium for developing managers, and to do so at a distance, was a logical conclusion. It has the potential to provide, on demand, individually tailored and cost-effective solutions, although I have doubts about whether hi-tech solutions really achieve all that they promise.

Can you outline your research methodology including the learning technology/technologies to be included?

The research methodology will use literature research followed by case study. The sociological and theoretical nature of the study area focuses the research on exploratory study, with emphasis on the single case, multiple-embedded units design (as defined by Sekaran and Yin).

A multinational company structure provides a suitable case study, using a single geographic location to establish a theoretical base, testing the theory across a broader set of Asian locations. In each case, study areas should consider demographics of age, position and culture. DHL Asia Pacific and Middle East will provide a suitable case study environment.

Prior to the case study, it will be essential to conduct a thorough literature review in order to ensure that no important variables have been ignored, and to help focus interviews and questionnaires to be used in case study surveys.

The literature review requires consideration of a number of contemporary beliefs and studies, trends in management development and in definitions of an international manager, trends in information technology and trends in learning technology. Each of these areas is undergoing rapid change and invites many contradictory theories from leading authors.

Case study data collection methods to be used will include survey and interview, as other methods such as direct observation, documentation and archival records are unlikely to be relevant to the exploratory nature of the subject under study.

Once complete, a pilot case study can be developed to establish a theoretical base. Initial design assumes that the pilot case study will be conducted with a single unit analysis. After analysis of pilot case study results, a further detailed case study will be designed and conducted across multiple sub-units to test the theories.

The learning technologies to be included were not specified at the outset. However, preliminary literature review revealed four subject areas: representation of knowledge (e.g. through multimedia), storage of knowledge (e.g. object-oriented methods), transport of that knowledge (e.g. across the Internet), and individual presentation of knowledge (e.g. through artificial intelligence and virtual reality). These four areas provide the basis for a theoretical model of integrated learning technologies, which will be applied in further research.

Learning at a distance and the use of learning technologies pose quite different challenges and raise interesting questions in the field of managerial psychology. First, considering learning at a distance, how will you investigate the influence of key factors in learning such as individual motivation and the role of emotions?

One early realisation was that the key factors are broad and varied, and may be too much so to be reliably investigated individually within the scope of my minor thesis. Therefore, learning at a distance will be considered in the context of culture. The views of Hofstede and Trompenaars will be applied to the structure of the case study in specific questions intended to highlight the motivational and emotional issues of distance learning.

The demographic spread of the case study will permit testing of differing cultural attitudes to distance learning. However, the response from any one country is unlikely to be sufficient to show country by country differences, and consequently analysis will be considered on a broader ethnic base, the categories yet to be determined.

Turning next to technology, your research highlights an organisation's capability and desire to implement technology based self-learning as important considerations. The attitudes within an organisation both to the use of technology and to the concept of self-learning are two separate but surely inter-dependent variables influenced also by the cultural context. How do you intend to unravel these complexities in your research?

Whilst these are interdependent variables, it is advisable to consider them separately. Taking self-learning first, the concepts of self-directed learning, action learning and the learning organisation are no longer new, and most individuals have been exposed to some aspects of self-learning. Consequently, research will explore two areas of self-learning: is there a willingness, or preparedness for individuals to be self-motivated to learn in isolation, and is there evidence that they have and already applying self-learning?

Within Asia there is a strong mindset towards personal improvement through distance learning degrees. What volumes of respondents have already completed or commenced such programmes? Have similar approaches been adopted within their work environment and with what success?

Furthermore, attitudes to technology must be considered against currently available technology (how receptive are people to using it?), and against new and as yet undeveloped technology such as artificial intelligence.

How would people react to information being presented in a way which is truly personalised and available at their convenience? Can people even imagine how this would look? This latter point is probably the most difficult to investigate yet may be the most revealing if relevant responses can be prompted.

Can you identify any emerging issues at this stage?

There is sufficient literature to show that universities are taking learning technologies seriously and are actively looking to apply them. There are also examples of major multinationals using advanced technology for training such as virtual reality. It appears that the technology is here already.

Multinationals, on the other hand, are promoting the "new deals" of career management roughly translated as "you are on your own and had better start developing yourself". This, in the extreme, is a brutal wake-up call to individuals to force themselves into self-learning whether they like it or not.

This may encourage a more positive acceptance of learning technologies than would otherwise be the case.

When will you be in a position to report interim findings from your research?

The case study should be largely complete towards the end of 1999. I would be pleased to share the results at that time.

Thank you very much, Roger, for your contribution; it will be interesting to follow your progress in this complex but important area of research and to learn more about the influence of the cultural context.

Roger Byrne can be contacted at: rbyrne@sin-ro.dhl.com