26 McGregor-MacDonald
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sites. The learning management system is now operating effectively from this medium.
Local intranets are still in operation across Europe providing more specific local
information to employees with the portal offering a platform that spans the entire region
and links to colleagues and learning in the United States.
The business is using a number of communication tools to promote cost-effective
knowledge sharing, the most common being an interactive, Internet-based tool WebexTM,
used alongside the telephone for conference calls to share presentations, documents,
and access to specialised software. This tool allows Internet dialogue over the course
of a meeting and has “ownership” rights for a person or persons to own a presentation
document and to be able to make adjustments online in real time with feedback from the
conference call participants. This tool can also be used with external clients and has been
particularly useful in sharing across boundaries as all colleagues have a desktop
computer and access to a phone.
CASE DESCRIPTION
This paper will specifically focus on the KM strategy implemented for the European
implementation of a global leadership programme. The programme is one of three core
programmes in a Global Leadership Development Curriculum and targets high-perform-
ing, high-potential colleagues with people management responsibility. It is a three-day
off-site event. Titled “Managing Essentials,” it was launched in the spring of 2002. The
business used an external provider to deliver across the globe with a core team of dynamic
and experienced facilitators. This strategic decision enabled consistency of message,
delivery, language, and experience.
The audience for the programme is diverse in years within the organisation and in
the industry, time in a management role, geography, and first language. In Europe alone,
the target population of colleagues to attend the programme in the first 18 months was
close to 500 (50% from the United Kingdom and 50% from continental Europe). Results
from employee surveys and dialogue on the programme demonstrated the need to create
ownership and responsibility for change at this level. The Learning and Development
(L&D) network of colleagues managing the programme at the local level across the globe
is also diverse. Technology has played a key role in communicating across geographies
with both the delegate and the L&D communities by way of the telephone, Internet, e-
mail, various global software platforms, and even camera.
The ultimate KM strategy for Managing Essentials is to improve organisational
capability and capacity.^2 Underpinning this are four main goals:
- For delegates of the programme to sustain their learning of best-practice manage-
ment tools and techniques - For delegates to sustain the pan-European colleague network from the programme
- For delegates to share their learning and lessons learned from implementation with
other colleagues - To demonstrate a measurable return on investment against the learning interven-
tion
Next is an account of what actions have been taken to address each element of the
strategy and the observed outcomes to date. Georgensen’s (1982) hypothesis of learning