3Com Case Study Analysis

3Com Case Study Analysis3Com Case Study Analysis

Diane CorsaroMeredith Solomon

Role Playing (The Scene)Role Playing (The Scene)

What is 3Com?Manufacturing company that produces wireline and

wireless productsWhere are we?A conference for distributors and resellers who sell wireline

and wireless productsWho are We?Diane and Meredith representing 3Com's sales teamWho are you?A class made up of various distributors and resellers that

are potential clients of 3Com's products

3Com3ComOur Company ProfileOur Company Profile

Industry: TechnologyScope of Services and Products: Provide wireline and

wireless productsNumber of Employees: 4,615Year e-learning Introduced: 1997Offices and Locations: Santa Clara, CA (Headquarters) &

worldwide officesEstimated Revenues: 1.48$ billion (U.S. Currency)Number of e-learning Programs in Curriculum: 100Web Site: www3com.com

3Com3ComWhy Choose Us?Why Choose Us?

Because we think not only of our company's employees but also our sales partners' employees

The Problem:The Problem: Wireline and Wireless technology changes rapidly. 3Com employees and 3Com's sales partners need product training on the most up to date information in order to keep sales and customer service relations at their highest levels.

The Solution:The Solution: Online Training Programs made available for employee and sales channel partners to train on products as a way to help solve many of those problems.

3Com3ComWhy Choose Us?Why Choose Us?

That's right, We not only manufacture your products but we also take care of the Human Resource Development for your business by

providing the training in how to use and sell the product!!!

3Com3ComPerformance/Learning Outcomes our Performance/Learning Outcomes our

solution intends to obtainsolution intends to obtain

Increase in product knowledge in your employees (ourreseller channel)

Provide better customer service to you (our sales channelpartners)

Boost revenues for both 3Com and you, by easing the salesprocess for your company (our partners) througheducational training programs

3Com3ComLearning Technologies Used in the Learning Technologies Used in the

Training ProgramTraining Program

The Saba learning management systems (providesrepository, delivery and tracking capabilities for both 3Comand Partner Access)

WebEx Software used for live e-learning

Microsoft PowerPoint for scripted slideshows

3Com3ComLearning Technologies Used in the Learning Technologies Used in the

Training ProgramTraining Program

Viewpoint learning Systems for basic courses

Macromedia products which are compatible with Saba (these products are created by external vendors for more sophisticated learning programs)

Virtual laboratory environment hosted by e-Source

3Com3ComBusiness Impact of the learning Business Impact of the learning

Technology SolutionTechnology Solution

A Win-Win SituationIncreased Revenue for Us:-3Com has advantages over other manufacturingcompanies because we provide the benefit ofproduct training for sales partners' employeesIncreased Revenue for You:-product knowledge training provided for your employeeswhich enables them to effectively sell products to theend-users

3Com3ComEvaluation of Learning ProgramEvaluation of Learning Program

Strengths and Weaknesses of our learning technology solution provided by 3Com University

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

How We Evaluate Our Learning Solution:End of program feedback surveys from learnersPre and Post testing on product information with employees that have taken the courses to see how effective it has beenActual sales numbers pre and post courses

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

Is the program aligned with business goals of the company?YesYes- we have seen an increased profit by educating sales partners and employees about products and offering the training benefit in order to get sales partners to work with us

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

Is the culture of the organization taken into consideration?Yes and No-Yes and No-YesYes for 3Com’s employees and 3Com’s gold level sales partners. Customized learning sites are provided for gold level sales partners.No for No for silver and bronze partners who were not given a customized website. These sales partners have to sift through the learning courses on 3Com University’s website in order to find the learning courses that are most appropriate.

3Com3ComConnecting Evaluation with Learning Connecting Evaluation with Learning

TheoriesTheories

Non-customized learning sites for silver and bronze partners... vast amount of courses to “sift through”= employees potentially experiencing cognitive overloadcognitive overloadvast amount of courses in differing settings = employees potentially experiencing high transactional distancehigh transactional distance

3Com3ComConnecting Evaluation with Learning Connecting Evaluation with Learning

TheoriesTheories

How to lower cognitive overload and lower transactional distance?

Create customized learning sites with specific learning courses for each, individual bronze, silver and gold sales partner.Create searchable point on the website in which courses can be searched by categoryMake sure structure is high if some learners are offsite even if autonomy is high, increase dialogue for clarifying concerns and support.

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

Were different avenues of training available to take into consideration the way adults learn?YesYesOffered Different Types of Learning Courses: PowerPoint Presentations (Behavioristic Learning)Blended learning environmentsVirtual laboratories (Constructivist Learning)Courses that have simple and sophisticated interactivity. (Constructivist Learning)

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

Was a model or learning theory used i.e. Change Management Model?NoNo ,no model of Change Management etc. was followed for business change.* Design Consideration section that courses with basic and

higher level interactivity are used.(Social Constructivist Learning Theory)

3Com3ComEvaluation Plan...Evaluation Plan...

Is the HR system integrated into the success of the training function? (potential for increased employee involvement)Yes-Yes-ethics and other mandatory training is now online and required of all 3Com employeesNot all of the HR systems have been integrated with the training

ReferencesReferences

Demps, E. L. Capitalizing on the overlap between instructional technology and human resource development: A

potential opportunity. Retrieved 11/6/2010, 2010, from

http://learn.education.illinois.edu/file.php/1290/Week_02/W2_IT_HRD.pdf

Learning system components - ASTD learning system - ASTD. Retrieved 11/6/2010, 2010, from

http://www.astd.org/ASTD/Templates/inside_section.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID={F6990FA8-7218-489E

-982F-53AE4E1CFC1F}&NRORIGINALURL=/content/publications/ASTDLearningSystem/&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGues

t#module1

Trainingevaluationtools.pdf (application/pdf object). Retrieved 11/6/2010, 2010, from

http://www.businessballs.com/trainingevaluationtools.pdfTransactionalDistanceTheory2009.pdf (application/pdf object). Retrieved 11/6/2010, 2010, from http://learn.education.illinois.edu/file.php/1290/Week_04/TransactionalDistanceTheory2009.pdf

Additional Question

Can you think of another evaluation method that we did not consider for this case study?

This question will be posted to the Case Study Forum after class tonight

Q&A

Thank youThank you