E‐learning in the corporate university

Purpose To explore the development of e‐learning within the context of corporate universities with the aim of informing the debate on e‐learning and establishing key areas of concern for emerging corporate universities. Design/methodology/approach Three case reviews of large leading edge organizations in different sectors. Findings Whilst e‐learning has potential, its success is significantly limited by context which influences the degree of sophistication and integration of e‐learning and its ability to contribute to the corporate university learning processes and outcomes. Research limitations/implications Further research is required on both the learner experience and in the wider evaluation of learning outcomes beyond simple statistical evaluation of participation. Practical implications Key areas of difficulty are identified as: the focus on generic e‐learning solutions; the barrier imposed by the base technology level of the organization; the overriding concern for ROI at the expense of learner experiences; and the extent to which pedagogical possibilities are not fully exploited. Originality/value Raises the often overlooked issues of pedagogy and learner response to e‐learning as inhibitors to the contribution that e‐learning can make to the corporate university.