Mercedez Benz
MERCEDES-BENZ USA:
INVESTING IN IT INFRASTRUCTURE
Question 1. How should Settle and his team evaluate the e-learning option? What factors should they consider when deciding between eLearning and traditional, classroom-based education?
Settle should evaluate the eLearning option based on the following principles for delivering value:
(1) Have a clearly defined portfolio value management process. In the case, Settle has had a basically financial budget already. There are two vendors that clearly listed to choose, one is RealServer, and the other is Microsoft.
(2) Aim for chunks of value. ELearning would enable MBUSA to scale its training systems without building additional training facilities. It improves employee productivity by reducing travel strain, eliminating unnecessary time away from home, and connecting with technicians at their point of work, rather than in unfamiliar classroom environment.
(3) Adopt a holistic orientation to technology value. Settle aims to incorporate eLearning as an integral part of an overall program of business change. He considers the web-based distance learning option will benefit dealerships, technicians and MBUSA.
(4) Aim for joint ownership of technology initiatives. Settle and his project manager for media development, Richard Thomas, were quite interested in exploring the web-based distance learning option due to the enormous potential benefits to the retail organization.
(5) Experiment more often. The objective of a web-based distance learning and certification program is to migrate some or all in-class instruction with virtual classrooms. Here, I assume Settle would apply eLearning to a number of technicians that exceed the classroom capacity (4500), those who have access to computers to take the on-line courses. In this way, the technical training department can undertake pilot studies.
The instructional design goal was to develop a learning course that could teach effectively in both face-to-face and
INVESTING IN IT INFRASTRUCTURE
Question 1. How should Settle and his team evaluate the e-learning option? What factors should they consider when deciding between eLearning and traditional, classroom-based education?
Settle should evaluate the eLearning option based on the following principles for delivering value:
(1) Have a clearly defined portfolio value management process. In the case, Settle has had a basically financial budget already. There are two vendors that clearly listed to choose, one is RealServer, and the other is Microsoft.
(2) Aim for chunks of value. ELearning would enable MBUSA to scale its training systems without building additional training facilities. It improves employee productivity by reducing travel strain, eliminating unnecessary time away from home, and connecting with technicians at their point of work, rather than in unfamiliar classroom environment.
(3) Adopt a holistic orientation to technology value. Settle aims to incorporate eLearning as an integral part of an overall program of business change. He considers the web-based distance learning option will benefit dealerships, technicians and MBUSA.
(4) Aim for joint ownership of technology initiatives. Settle and his project manager for media development, Richard Thomas, were quite interested in exploring the web-based distance learning option due to the enormous potential benefits to the retail organization.
(5) Experiment more often. The objective of a web-based distance learning and certification program is to migrate some or all in-class instruction with virtual classrooms. Here, I assume Settle would apply eLearning to a number of technicians that exceed the classroom capacity (4500), those who have access to computers to take the on-line courses. In this way, the technical training department can undertake pilot studies.
The instructional design goal was to develop a learning course that could teach effectively in both face-to-face and