University HRM Case Study: Learning 2.0 at East Coast Tech Inc.

This case study examines the implementation of Learning 2.0 at East Coast Tech Inc. (ECT), a telecommunications company facing competition. The assignment explores the importance of embracing web-based learning platforms to enhance employee collaboration, problem-solving, and stay competitive. It addresses how the learning and development department should champion this technology, the factors influencing ECT's adoption, and the company's capacity to support the change through its culture, leadership, and resources. The student proposes a strategy to convince the leadership team of the benefits, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, enhanced learning, and the potential of social media to boost innovation and engagement. The analysis draws on various academic sources to support the arguments and recommendations for successful Learning 2.0 implementation. The study highlights the impact of organizational structure, leadership distribution, and resource availability on facilitating the shift towards a more collaborative and technology-driven learning environment.

Running Head: Human Resource Management 1
Case Study 2: Learning 2.0 at East Coast Tech Inc.
Student’s Name
University Affiliation

Human Resource Management 2
Question One
Learning 2.0 entails the use of a web application platform which facilitates sharing of
interactive information which is a user-centered technology ensuring collaboration on the World
Wide Web (White, 2016). The ECT Company was experiencing stiff competition from its
competitors where Jan the learning and development manager in the Company discovered from
her reading that some competitors had introduced learning 2.0. From the above, therefore, I
would sensitize the learning and development department about the essence of embracing the
technology since it is the key department to ensure success of learning 2.0. I would also report on
the findings that some of the competitors are gaining a competitive edge, for example, through
embracing the technology. I would also lay emphasis on the importance of the technology, for
example, the collaboration and problem solving among the team members in an organization
courtesy of the web 2.0 technologies. The above approach would therefore ensure success
development of learning 2.0 at ECT Company.
Question Two
The aim of every organization is to remain outstanding and competitive in the market of
operation. Due to the aggressive competition, the Company can find it important to embrace the
technology which some of the competitors are using to be competitive, for example the
development of learning 2.0 (Madsen & Walker, 2015). The employees’ roles in the Company
were increasingly complex hence requiring team collaboration which the new learning approach
would facilitate since it provides a forum for sharing information and working collaboratively.
Being a global telecommunication Company, ECT Company would also have to keep track of
new technologies. The above factors would therefore enable the Company to implement its new
learning approach.

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Question Three
The Company has what it takes to support the proposed change that is culture, leadership,
and resources. The Company had shifted to a more flattened organizational structure which
entails having few levels in the middle management between the executives and employees. This
culture would, therefore, allow the managers to possess more responsibilities and influence since
there is less supervision from the superiors. From this, the learning and development manager in
her position may have more influence on the aspired change for the Company (Brettel, Chomik,
& Flatten, 2015). ECT had also distributed leadership to lower levels which may help in offering
emulative leadership to the employees in those levels necessary for the targeted change. ECT
Company has more than 8000 employees which clearly demonstrates that the Company has the
resources necessary to realize and finance the learning 2.0 change.
Question Four
From the case study, I would therefore make a case for the new direction to the
leadership team through the following: I would convince the leadership team which had
demonstrated having not decreased its commitment on learning to embrace the initiative which,
for example, would help the Company achieve return on the investment through a cost-effective
learning 2.0 strategy. This would enhance the learning needs for both the managers and
employees in distant locations through the learning web 2.0 platform. I would also stress on the
essence of social media which had been banned in the Company which may, in turn, encourage
the employee innovation and engagement. In order also to provide a massive forum for sharing
information and working in unison among the employees in the Company, the direction should
be embraced by the leadership team (Cook, 2017).

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References
Brettel, M., Chomik, C., & Flatten, T. C. (2015). How organizational culture influences
innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk‐taking: Fostering entrepreneurial orientation in
SMEs. Journal of Small Business Management, 53(4), 868-885.
Cook, N. (2017). Enterprise 2.0: How social software will change the future of work. Routledge.
Madsen, T. L., & Walker, G. (2015). Modern competitive strategy. McGraw Hill.
White, C. M. (2016). Social media, crisis communication, and emergency management:
Leveraging Web 2.0 technologies. CRC press.