Assignment-1

Case Study on Employee Training and Development at Motorola

Submitted to

Prof. Khair Jahan Sogra

Professor

Institute of Business Administration

University of Dhaka

Submitted by

Muhammad Hasan Ferdous MBA-47D ZR-07

Kazi Jewel Rana MBA-47D ZR-39

Tanvir Hasan Chowdhury MBA-47D ZR-49

Institute of Business Administration

University of Dhaka
Date of submission: 10.03.14
Q.1 Motorola has been adjudged as one of the top training companies in the world.
Comment on the employee training and development practice in Motorola. Why do you
think the company received an international recognition for its training and
development practices?

Ans: By learning the Training and Development method in Motorola we can comment that:

• The in situ learning of Motorola from its beginning earned a great appreciation where
employees learn by observing the seniors.

• When set tasks performed by employees were enough Motorola did that but when
situation changed it quickly adopted the new forms of working method by training its
employees accordingly. That is without a doubt a great quality of Motorola.
• The training for the top management was also effective to consider and compromise
between the deadlines and the efficiency.
• Lowering the gap between the top management and the employees by integrating
works was really a better step to improve the job environment.
• The need assessment technique for training in Motorola was very good. The
corporate-study in 1978 for testing skills was very effective since incapability of
most of the employees were found out.
• The readiness of the employees were also justified by incorporating the 10 th
standard basics, newer problem solving techniques, leaderships etc. which created a
suitable environment for designing a sustainable training program by solving
smaller machinery problems without the help of experts.
• The five year training program having proper standard can be considered fruitful as a
part of the training design method.
• To analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the training program was also
satisfactory because it could found out some inconsistency and ineffectiveness and
the reasons behind.
• The main ability of Motorola think-tank was the ability to identify the underlying
problems of ineffectiveness. For example, they were able to find out that the
reassuming the mind set after MTEC training deters employees to development.
• The establishment of Motorola University was a good decision because of its full-
fledge education which was proved effective enough.

Motorola has received an international recognition for its training and development practices
because:

• It has shown an instance of proper Training and Development program since 1920.

• It has established a university which is considered as one of the best institution for
employee training and development.
• It exhibits the steps of designing a proper training and development program.
• It has created many effective training and development method which were later been
adopted by many organizations as examples.
• It has set examples for others how to adapt in newer situations by learning effective
and sustainable skills through proper training and development programs. The
 adaptation with the new technologies after the Second World War was exemplary.
• It has a capable HR department which has the ability to properly evaluate the
outcomes of the training and development program.
• It has a continuous employee learning process.
• It is one of the pioneers creating proper Human Resource Management within the
organization.
 Q.2 Motorola University was established in 1989 to fulfill training and
development needs of employees at Motorola. Study the training programs
offered by Motorola University and how it benefited the target audience.

Ans: Various training programs offered by Motorola University can be summarized

as follows:

• Motorola University's classroom training and e-learning courses: These focus on

job functions as well as leadership, management and compliance
• Educational assistance programs: They reimburse the tuition and fees for many
employees working on degree and non-degree certificates or similar programs related
to their work
• External institutions, seminars and conferences: Employees use external programs
to supplement internal training
• Technology-based learning resources: Content for resources such as podcasts and
knowledge-sharing communities is generated internally by subject matter experts or
by the user and reviewed by subject matter experts.

Target audiences benefited from the training programs in several ways. Some of these are
mentioned below:

• Motorola University offers various training and development programs according to

the need of employees. These programs have various time duration . Employees can
take required programs according to their convenience.
• Training and development programs are developed and maintained by professional
personnels instead of conventional teachers. This ensures the efficiency of the
programs. Programs are designed in such a way that every program is job oriented,
not monotonous and effective. Training design helps to identify the problems
properly and corresponding remedy effectively.
• Training programs are so interactive that these programs are not confined ain any
specific pattern. Participants are always welcome to interact and share their view.
• Each training program helped employees achieve a certain level of expertise. Its
efficiency reflects in the reduction of costs and waste.Motorola University invented
new methods and implement these to ensure proper learning.
 Q.3 Critically comment on the e-learning initiatives of Motorola. What are the
benefits and drawbacks of e-learning in employee training and development?
Explain.

Ans: E-learning initiatives of Motorola focused on the following factors:

• Motorola University created a new internal institute named College of Learning

Technologies (CLT) to develop educational delivery systems through satellite,
Internet and virtual classrooms.
• This department was responsible for providing innovative learning via virtual
classrooms, online experiences, use of CD-ROMS and through multimedia such as
video and satellite conferences.
• The university placed a large selection of courses and training materials on its
intranet , available around the world at any time to its .employees

Benefits and drawbacks of e-learning in employee training and development:

The use of e-learning has boomed over the years to become a popular and
accepted form of learning. However it has its pros and cons much like other forms of
learning process.

The Advantages/ Benefits:

Flexibility – E-Learning can be done in a staggered fashion so it can fit around your
schedule. Unlike traditional training, one not needed to dedicate ones entire day to
training her/his company organized. If she/he only have an hour of free time a day,
she/he can easily dedicate that to e-learning.

Mobility – Since e-learning can be done on mobile devices such as laptops, tablets
and smart-phones, one can learn almost everywhere and not be confined in her/his
office with traditional methods. Learning can be done whenever one has free time
on the road. Everywhere is now her/his classroom.

No Travel – As mentioned above, e-learning is very mobile. Since it is not

uncommon for traditional training to be sourced at great distances, using e-learning
means that one does not need to travel.

Low Cost – No need to rent equipment, rooms or trainers when one use e-learning.
The savings can be considerable if one already has the device on hand for learners.

Error: Reference source not foundMade for You – Unlike traditional training that
is made to fit the majority, e-learning courses can be made to fit an individual. If one
think that she/he already know a specific course, she/he can skip it and focus on
other areas she/he feel need to work more at. This gives learners the ability to learn
on their own pace, a feat traditional learning can’t do.
Global Reach – Companies can ensure that their employees receive the same
learning content regardless of their location and also their nationality. If one want to
be sure that methodologies are translated well despite the geographical barrier, e-
learning is the way to go.

The Disadvantages/Drawbacks :

Limited Control – Learners with low motivation might fall behind when using e-
learning as there are no set deadlines and times. They might get too complacent
and rush things up when required.

Learning Approach – Some prefer traditional learning since they want real life
human interaction compared to just viewing or watching it in the screen. Some may
prefer images, some words while others want hands on experience.

Error: Reference source not foundIsolation – Questions are easily answered

when participants are face to face with the trainer. Since e-learning is usually done
outside working hours, most of the time they can’t get a hold of trainers that are
mostly available during working hours. This can invoke a feeling of isolation can
demotivate learners since they don’t have assurance and support.

Compatibility Issues – There is always the risk of incompatibility when it comes to

e-learning. Companies must ensure that the device used by learners is supported by
the platform. For example, Flash is not supported by iPads. Poor internet connection
can also be a problem.

Error: Reference source not foundComputer Literacy – Employees that are not
required to use computers on their daily routine might have a hard time using the
platform. If their job doesn’t require them to handle computers, this can be very
daunting for them. These employees are likely to learn a lot less compared to
traditional methods.