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4/9/2012

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Dell Case Study | Organizational Learning

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Dell Case Study


John Cone is the president of Global Education for Dell University calls his philosophy of training stealth learning (Tan, 2005). Cone believes in decentralizing training in order for the training function to become almost invisible. Learning is embedded in the job w ith learning centered w ork instead of bringing problems to the classroom to be worked out. He tries to get training dow n to the smallest fraction possible and believes in w hat he calls disposable training. Dell employees are expected to learn on the fly and manage their ow n learning. Dell has a w illingness to let people make mistakes, learn from them, and move on to leverage the value of know ledge. Any training that is done must create strong links to the business. Dell values people w ith imagination, talent, and the w ill to do things. Dell does not have a formal innovation program. Rather, they expect innovation and new ideas to happen naturally. People are expected to champion their ow n ideas and are given the authority to run with them. It is important that employees of Dell seek out the support that they need on their ow n. During the job interview ing process, prospects are asked w hat creative thing they did on previous jobs helping to ensure that the company hires people w ith creativity (Damberg, 2005). As part of Dells corporate culture they believe in rew arding employees w ith monthly lunches, social events, and quarterly meetings. These special meetings are often off-site adding to a sense of camaraderie and building employee morale. Dell has organized their business dow n to a science where they are able to ship new innovative ideas to the market by the thousands in just tw o weeks. Dell can be called a w ell-oiled machine that uses an inventory style originated in Japan called just-in-time management. This enables a corporation to limit its operating costs by making to order all products. This model is only useful when the organization is efficient and organized. All of this is made possible by Dells clearly defined business model, business strategy, mission statement, fundamental beliefs, core values, and strong global presence. Innovation Principles Values: Dells core values are clearly defined as: direct relationships, respect of all relationships, performance, quality, and integrity. Mission: To be the most successful computer company in the w orld at delivering the best customer experience in the markets served. Culture: Learn on the fly Environment: Very business like, no frills. Systems: Dell is customer focused. At the top of Dells pyramid is the customer. Dell employees deal directly with the customer w hile providing in-house customer service unlike many pc competitors (www .Dell.com). Dell: Organizational Learning The new economy, centered on knowledge and people, is the most critical asset at Dell. The goal of learning at Dell is to diverge from the average concept of learning. The teaching philosophy of most companies today is similar to that found in many schools. This w ould look like lots of people sitting in classrooms w ith an expert up front teaching. Dells ideal of learning varies w ith regard to associating learning in a more natural state. The natural way to learn is simply for an employee to do w hat he or she does daily and when things come up w here additional know ledge may be needed, the employee seeks the knowledge (Tan, 2005). That is the philosophy used at Dell University. John Cone calls it on-demand learning. The ideal ajula.edu/Content/SCMContentPrint.asp?

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4/9/2012 Dell Case Study | Organizational Learning learning event at Dell has a class size of one, lasts five to ten minutes and takes place w ithin ten minutes of when someone recognizes that he or she needs to know something. Dells goal is to reduce learning to its smallest, most useful increments and to put the learner in charge of the entire process (Tan, 2005). This goal is draw n from Dells direct to customer business model. One of the first items of the curriculum for a new Dell employee is the business model itself. John Cone believes all employees w ill make it at the company only by understanding how Dell does business (Tan, 2005).

Dell University has created an online course that explains the history of the Dell business model and how it works. Dell University offers over a hundred classes on topics such as quality, finance, writing softw are, and more than forty percent of the material is delivered in nontraditional formats. Nontraditional formats are referring to classes offered in a non-class environment. In fact Dell University does not have a physical location it is located on a more virtual hemisphere. John Cone implemented new strategies of learning at Dell. The new strategies revolve around making simple but powerful distinctions betw een three kinds of learning in the workplace. First there is what Cone calls learning to know the acquisition of general know ledge about the company and about its processes and systems. Then Cone explains, learning to dothe quick acquisition and immediate application of specific skills to do specific jobs. Finally there is learning to know and do the acquisition of both a big picture perspective and the pragmatic techniques needed to accomplish something (Tan, 2005). The overwhelming majority of traditional corporate education is learning to know . These categories help Dell to deliver a user-friendlier version of corporate learning. Most of Dell Universitys delivery mechanisms involve technology. One major learning to do priority is for every Dell employee to master the Internet. To assist, Dell University created a Web-based program called Know the Net. It is not a mandatory program but Dell employees can access the course if and when they choose. Michael Dell has voiced his support for the course, w hich would explain why so many cubicles at Dell display the companys version of an Internet diploma. Other classes offered, such as training for new , in-the-field sales reps, rely on a collection of multimedia tools for self-paced learning. The field kit comes in a cardboard box labeled In-a-box training for out-of-the-box times. Inside, new reps find videotapes with information on how to sell Dell products, a CD-ROM w ith product descriptions, and a video about benefits (ww w .Dell.com). Dell University has created similar learning tools for topics such as new hire orientation, customer service, and the giving of performance reviews. In 1998 Dell University won both the George Land W orld Class Innovator Award and the National Alliance of Businesss Corporate University of the Year Aw ard (ww w .Dell.com).

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