Task One Reflection
This week our first big project was due for class. For Task One, we were to complete and analysis of a designed educational system. For some reason, I really struggled with this assignment. I think the biggest reason for my struggle was that I had no personal experience with my system of interest: corporate university (CU). This made it difficult to delve into the inner workings of the learning system.
My interest in corporate universities is based on my own dissatisfaction with the education system as a whole. As I mentioned last week, I am interested in finding an alternative learning system that will co-evolve with society. The current educational activity systems used in corporate America and in public education are constantly trying to play catch up due to changes in the knowledge life-cycle and technology (Rhéaume and Gardoni, 2015). Based on early research, I believe that corporate universities have the potential to transform corporations by developing a learning culture that evolves with change.
I’m afraid that my excitement about the potential of corporate universities to create sustainable growth within an organization despite changes to leadership, mergers, etc. altered the lens I used to analyze the system. I focused more on potential than the actual inner workings of the system. However, I am looking forward to digging deeper into the planning and implementation of a corporate university for the next task. Based on the work I have done so far; I know that developing a CU isn’t an easy undertaking.
Corporate University and Human Capital
For those that are unfamiliar with CUs, a corporate university is “a corporate division promoting the development of individuals in a bid to improve teamwork, business skills, leadership, and relationships with suppliers and customers” (Rhéaume and Gardoni, 2015, p. 316). Unlike traditional training programs, CUs are concerned with continuous growth and development, not just the current problems within the organization. Corporate universities support the growth of the company as well as the employees at various levels.
In our current economy, human capital is a vital component for any company that wants a competitive edge in the market place. In order to attract new talent and hold onto current employees, many corporations are looking to change their training structure and invest in human capital by developing learning paths that support career advancement. Corporate universities allow companies to implement a long-term development strategy that meets the strategic goals and objectives of the organization as well as the people who work there. When implemented correctly, corporate universities encourage team work, collaboration, and learning for life thus creating a way for the corporation to stay relevant and successful as society changes in the information age and beyond (Laszlo and Krippner, 1998).
Conclusion
Although my lens for Task One may not have been spot on, I feel that I learned a lot through the experience about the complexity involved in developing any system. I am excited about the potential strategic corporate universities provide in our rapidly changing society. In our changing world, CUs can provide the foundation for learning and knowledge-transfer that capitalizes on the corporation’s most valuable resource: their people.
References:
Laszlo, A. and Krippner, S. (1998). Systems theories: Their origins, foundations, and development. In Jordan, J.S. (Ed.), Systems Theories and a Priori Aspects of Perception (pp. 47-74). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Prince, C. and Stewart, J. (2002). Corporate universities-an analytical framework. Journal of Management Development, 21(10), 794-811. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710210448057
Rhéaume, L. and Gardoni, M. (2015). The challenges facing corporate universities in dealing with open innovation. Journal of Workplace Learning, 27(4), 315-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWL-03-2014-0023
