Bridging The Gap Between Formal Learning And Workplace Learning - The Rise Of Corporate Universities

Bridging The Gap Between Formal Learning And Workplace Learning – The Rise Of Corporate Universities

The Chief Executive of the Japanese organisation the Kao Corporation insists that ‘. . . learning is a frame of mind, a daily matter’. He refers to the KAO Corporation as ‘. . . an educational institution’, rather than an organisation. Does this sound like your organisation?

Over the past decade an increasing number of corporate universities have been established. A FT Survey^[10] indicates that over the past decade the number of corporate universities in America has increased from 400 to 1,600. These universities are bringing together traditional bricks and mortar learning facilities, with newer online learning facilities. The survey cites examples of IBM Learning Services and the Swiss-Swedish company ABB, which has recently launched its Academy. There are some who believe that corporate universities are the solution to encouraging life-long learning in organisations. On the one hand organisations are realising that learning is key to their competitive edge, and individuals are realising that their initial qualifications are no longer enough to see them through their entire work career. Formal learning can often provide a bridge for individuals who choose to make a career change (see Chapter 7).

What these new educational institutions offer, unlike traditional universities, is ‘know why’ – the opportunity for top managers to share information on where the organisation is going, and also discuss the issues and challenges that the organisation is likely to face on the journey. As ABB is in the process of transforming itself from a heavy engineering company into an agile knowledge-based company, the Chief Executive’s vision for the ABB Academy is a forum where the organisation’s 165,000 strong workforce can join together to share ideas. The Academy also addresses feedback from employees about their needs to help them manage better during this change process. This includes a forum where employees can get strategic messages directly from top management, have opportunities to build networks with peers and also have access to tools, ideas and project management techniques to help them manage better.

In this country, Anglian Water for example, has created a University of Water as an integral component of its knowledge management strategy. The vision behind the launch of the University of Water was to create a learning environment that would enable the creation and dissemination of knowledge about sustainable water management. The University operates on a federal structure, with a Learning Council advising on what format the learning should take across the Group. Each operating company is then responsible for setting up its own learning communities. To ensure this happens, each business appoints its own learning champion.

In 1994, the company set up a number of networks designed to exchange knowledge and best practice across the group. These included executive management networks, technology networks and learning networks. This was followed in 1996 by knowledge network colleges covering areas like creativity, open learning and international learning. These colleges operated horizontally, thus ensuring cross-company knowledge sharing. In 1997, the structure of the university was developed again when four new knowledge faculties were established. These were headed up by senior directors. These faculties reflect the knowledge capabilities that the organisation identified as being crucial for success. These include project management, mentoring, treatment technology and pipeline technology.

Anglian Water has also developed a reciprocal learning approach with several of the leading technology universities. Anglian Water employees lecture on the academic courses and students are encouraged to make visits to Anglian Water sites to get real-life experience. In addition, the company sponsors research projects and studentships, in this way benefiting first-hand from the knowledge developed by these academic institutions.

BAe is another UK company that has introduced a corporate university: a decision that was taken to ensure that all training was linked to the organisation’s strategic plan. Its overall aim is to bring education, knowledge and training for its entire workforce into the workplace. In addition to enhancing its learning facilities, the BAe corporate university has its role in helping to spread best practice and ensuring that the organisation is making the most of its own research capabilities. The organisation has entered into a partnership arrangement with a number of academic institutions to help deliver the range of courses that it is looking for: masters programmes, leadership development programmes, as well as modern apprenticeship programmes.

^[10]Companies get bitten by the learning bug. www.ft.com. ftsurveys/spa.htm