« News as a search engine magnet | Main | Booyah, Booyah and a Cloud of Dust »
September 18, 2005
The Investor Relation-ization of Learning
In doing some work for the good folks at Capella University, this study by Accenture on high performance learning (2004) was required reading. It underscores the need to lead in training/education, market it and communicate the value of the investment and not just to investors. (Accenture's not a client, but we're open to the idea.)
With the following numbers of unusual size (NUSs)(pronounced "nooses" because you can hang yourself quoting big numbers), it says "companies with high-performance learning organizations returned better revenue and profit growth compared to their competitors and industry peers:
- Productivity (as measured by sales per employee) was 27 percent greater
- Revenue growth was 40 percent higher
- Net income growth was 50 percent greater
But I was most interested in the marketing/communication analysis . . .
"The ability to market and communicate the value of learning across the enterprise is one of the newest competencies on the radar screen of learning executives, and this is a trend worth watching. The best learning organizations are using a blended marketing model. This includes a range of electronic methods such as e-mail marketing, a learning website and personalized e-mail newsletters, as well as a variety of print methods. One newer vehicle to communicate value is the Learning Annual Report, currently used by 16 percent of the learning organizations in our survey sample. The Learning Annual Report mirrors the company annual report, stating the major goals of the learning organization in business terms and then recapping the significant accomplishments during the year."
Sort of an Investor Relationization of corporate education -- promotion and accounting for the investment.
Posted by Bob Brin at September 18, 2005 3:48 PM