Her dissertation provides new insight into the adaptation and usage of work-related e-learning technology, especially in relation to large organizations.  Her primary conclusion is that effective e-learning in large organizations cannot be generalised to accommodate all employees, but that employee and departmental context must be considered (i.e., responsibilities, work methods, financial considerations, etc.).

In her dissertation, Grete Netteland, identifies various problems that arose in Telenor’s various business units when the e-learning programme was implemented.  She goes on to examine how e-learning technology and the use of e-learning developed over the following three years.  Using sociocultural theory, in addition to other learning theories, the dissertation also represents a contribution to the understanding of learning itself, with particular focus on e-learning in the workplace.

Grete Netteland divides Telenor’s problems with the implementation of e-learning and their learning platform into 6 main categories:

1. Management Control
Reports generated by the learning portal were cumbersome and unsuitable for analysis by management.  There were too many users to administrate and quality varied widely.

2. Hardware and Software Resources
Many employees had problems accessing and completing mandatory e-learning modules.  Inequalities between employees, with regard to IT equipment and competence, were significant.

3. Execution of Implementation Tasks
Cooperation between key people was poor and they lacked an engaged middle management, which could have assisted and motivated “normal” employees to complete the courses; this lead to too little time for follow-up and low prioritising of the courses in various departments.

4. Information Sharing
Not enough relevant information was conveyed to employees after the courses had been launched.  Users did not receive the follow-up they needed.

5. Allocation of Time
The implementation of the e-learning courses often came in conflict with daily responsibilities.

6. Relevance to Work and Previous Knowledge
Several of the courses contained modules that were not relevant for everyone.  Irrelevant modules generated negative motivation toward completing the course.

According to Grete Netteland’s dissertation, the results of the e-learning courses were not what Telenor had hoped.  The primary cause being that the different organizational units were not considered individually; everyone received the same training.

The problems that arose were, to a large degree, contextual.  Many employees looked at the e-learning more as a bureaucratic regulation than an aid and a tool to help them develop themselves and Telenor as an organization.  Grete Netteland maintains that, in a large organization, such as Telenor, with many different units and departments, a generalised e-learning implementation will not work.  There is too much distance, and too many differences, between organizational work methods, learning traditions, IT competence and equipment, as well as various external factors and challenges.  E-learning is a complex relationship between people and technology, which cannot be removed from the individual and organizational context.

How to Succeed
An important conclusion to the dissertation is that organizational and individual factors cannot be analysed in isolation.  Organizational contexts, such as responsibilities, work methods, financial considerations, and the capacities of key personnel and of the learner, are critical aspects to consider when adopting e-learning on an individual level.

Grete Netteland concludes that, in order to succeed with e-learning in large, heterogeneous organizations, both the courses and their implementation must consider context:  consideration must be given to the surroundings and conditions that affect both the organization and the individual.  In order to generate sustainable and effective learning in large, heterogeneous organizations, Grete Netteland suggests the following:

1. It must be possible to adapt e-learning content to local needs, conditions, and limitations.
2. The e-learning implementation must allow for a differentiated approach.
3. The e-learning implementation must be conducted in line with applicable departmental production processes.
4. Both the implementation and the execution must be followed up by engaged and accessible department managers, who can relate the course to departmental needs and challenges.
5. The e-learning must be designed to fit into the existing or future learning system in each business unit.
6. Relevant content is a decisive success factor.

To purchase/order the dissertation, contact Grete Netteland by e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Article by: Arne Morten Rosnes, Mintra as