XXX Thesis Title XXX

A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of XXXX at
XXX 2nd Year University Name XXX

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
of Masters of Science

by

XXX Student Name XXX

July 2012
 © 2012
XXX Student Name XXX
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
 XXX Student Name XXX

________________________________________________
[Thesis advisor name], Thesis Advisor Date

________________________________________________
[2. committee member], 2. Thesis Committee Member Date

__________________________________________________
[3. committee member], 3. Thesis Committee Member Date

________________________________________________
Dean or President Second Year University, Date
 Abstract

The aspect of e-learning used as a corporate educational tool has many advantages and

disadvantages. Employee productivity is greatly impacted by investments in learning and

training. Employee turnover and job satisfaction were linked to employee training by the

research. An employee wishes to stay at a firm longer and works much harder if an investment is

made by the firm to train that employee. The aspects of profitability and productivity of an

employee both have the potential of increasing with a lower turnover. However, both the aspects

of satisfaction and productivity can have a potential negative impact due to the contrary side of

inadequate training. Corporate e-learning has been developed due to many different factors.

The requirement of high connectivity internet in order to use these modern technologies,

the utilization of adaptive technology and digitization, and increase in demand for education and

training are some of these factors. Due to the advancement in communication systems and

refinement in communication technology, industry dissatisfaction of the responsiveness of

traditional modes of delivery and higher demand for the latest technological innovations, an

alternate for training and education has been found by corporations in e-learning. The work

environment is greatly affected by the use of e-learning by major corporations as most of the

knowledge transfer is occurring in a digital space instead of a physical one.

The expectations of e-learning that are required by major corporate organizations have

been redefined thanks to the extensive expansion of the Internet, the considerable improvement

in information technology and communication, the successful experiences of e-services around

the world and fast advances in technology. Since the wide adoption of the internet and the use of

the digital technology in almost all fields the educational industry has been long aware of the

potential of training and education through a digital medium. Hence there are many
organizations that have already adopted the process of e-learning for cost-efficient, flexible,

specific and more adaptable training of their employee force while many other organizations and

some governments are also encouraging their institutions to implement education through a

digital medium. Using e-learning allows the organisation to eliminate or reduce to a great extent,

all the non-learning expenses related to training which may include travelling costs or lodging

cost of the participants of the training program.

 Table of Contents
Abstract...........................................................................................................................................iv
Chapter 1 - Introduction...................................................................................................................4
Research Background..................................................................................................................4
Problem Statement.......................................................................................................................6
Research Aim..............................................................................................................................7
Objectives of the Research..........................................................................................................7
Research Questions......................................................................................................................8
Rationale of the Study.................................................................................................................8
Significance of the Research.....................................................................................................10
Limitations with the Research...................................................................................................11
Chapter 2 - Literature Review.......................................................................................................12
E-Leaning Overview..................................................................................................................12
Reasons to Adopt e-Learning....................................................................................................12
E-Learning Users.......................................................................................................................14
Learning Management Systems (LMS).....................................................................................15
Business Competitiveness and Staff Development...................................................................16
E-Learning for Employees.........................................................................................................16
Some Drawbacks of e-Learning................................................................................................17
Training and Employee Motivation...........................................................................................19
Determinants affecting the Development of electronic-learning in Business Framework........20
Perspective of Business.........................................................................................................20
Perspective of Trainees’.........................................................................................................21
Perspective of the Environment.............................................................................................23
Implementation of e-Learning...................................................................................................23
Chapter 3 - Chapter # 3: Research Methodology..........................................................................24
Research Philosophy and Approach..........................................................................................24
Research Strategy......................................................................................................................26
Research Design........................................................................................................................28
Data Collection Methods...........................................................................................................29

1
 Introduction of Petrochemical Company...................................................................................31
Data Sampling...........................................................................................................................32
Research Ethics..........................................................................................................................34
Chapter 4 - Data Analysis And Discussion...................................................................................36
Purpose of Research..................................................................................................................37
Case Study.................................................................................................................................38
Traditional training techniques..................................................................................................39
Changed training protocols........................................................................................................40
Changes from traditional training to e-learning.........................................................................40
Positive impacts of the implementation of the e-learning.........................................................40
E-learning services at QAFAC..................................................................................................41
Factors that promote or encourage e-learning...........................................................................41
E-learning and employee motivation.........................................................................................42
The introduction of Bespoke.....................................................................................................43
Chapter 5 - Conclusion..................................................................................................................45
Appendix A................................................................................................................................50
References or Bibliography...........................................................................................................51

2
 Acknowledgements

First, I would like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to all those professors

who provided me with the required guidance so that I can complete this dissertation. Especially I

am in gratitude for the assistance of my dissertation advisor for their active listening and

recommendations that helped me shape a worthwhile dissertation.

Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge the efforts and participation of employees at

Qatar Fuel Additives Company (QAFAC) who not only gave permission to collect information

but also provided me with all the necessary material to complete this research dissertation in an

effective manner. A special thanks to my friends and family, who never failed to amaze me with

their constant support and appreciation as well as encouragement to work harder and achieve my

aim. I would not have been able to complete this huge responsibility without your undying

support.

Thank you.

3
 Adoption and Implementation of e-learning for Employee Training

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Research Background

The biggest cost for most corporations and the most important aspect of every

corporation is that organization’s employee force. However, it has been discovered after quite a

few researchers that since the productivity, reputation, bottom line, profit and quality of products

are all determined by the employees of an organization, this investment is quite vital (Elnaga and

Imran 2012). Hence, without an employee a company will not be able to function as effectively

and the employee satisfaction, motivation and productivity all need to be maintained.

Job satisfaction of an employee is hugely impacted by the employee motivational levels

and can be impacted and increased in many ways. Efficient training programs have been

highlighted to be amongst the most useful approaches to enhance the aspect of employee

motivation. Through training employees are able to greatly enhance their skills while also

gaining knowledge (Hanaysha and Tahir 2016). The workplace and the site were the main venue

commonly used for training of the employees; however, these rituals are being changed with

much more flexible methods of training available to firms recently. Training practices are being

updated simultaneously with job demands as everything is becoming digitized in this modern

and digital era.

There are many benefits of e-training and is a greatly effective way for the purpose of

training an employee force (Rosenberg, 2001). The factors that affect employee motivation as

related to the factor of e0learning will be examined by this study. Effective decisions about e-

4
training can be made through this study which can also greatly benefit the Human Resources

(HR) Department of any firm in making these decisions and understanding the benefits of these

decisions. Since organizations have adopted the aspect of e-learning as part of their daily

business practices it has become quite integrated with many industries and is commonly used in

many organizations.

The aspect of e-learning used as a corporate educational tool has many advantages and

disadvantages. Employee productivity is greatly impacted by investments in learning and

training. Employee turnover and job satisfaction were linked to employee training by the

researchers Dardar, Jusoh, and Rasli (2011). An employee wishes to stay at a firm longer and

works much harder if an investment is made by the firm to train that employee. The aspects of

profitability and productivity of an employee both have the potential of increasing with a lower

turnover. However, both the aspects of satisfaction and productivity can have a potential

negative impact due to the contrary side of inadequate training. Corporate e-learning has been

developed due to many different factors as told by Clarke and Hermens (2001). The requirement

of high connectivity internet in order to use these modern technologies, the utilization of

adaptive technology and digitization, and increase in demand for education and training are some

of these factors. Due to the advancement in communication systems and refinement in

communication technology, industry dissatisfaction of the responsiveness of traditional modes of

delivery and higher demand for the latest technological innovations, an alternate for training and

education has been found by corporations in e-learning. The work environment is greatly

affected by the use of e-learning by major corporations as most of the knowledge transfer is

occurring in a digital space instead of a physical one.

5
 Problem Statement

The expectations of e-learning that are required by major corporate organizations have

been redefined thanks to the extensive expansion of the Internet, the considerable improvement

in information technology and communication, the successful experiences of e-services around

the world and fast advances in technology. Since the wide adoption of the internet and the use of

the digital technology in almost all fields the educational industry has been long aware of the

potential of training and education through a digital medium. Hence there are many

organizations that have already adopted the process of e-learning for cost-efficient, flexible,

specific and more adaptable training of their employee force while many other organizations and

some governments are also encouraging their institutions to implement education through a

digital medium.

Different people see e-learning as a combination of different technologies with each

person having a different perspective or view. A common view regarding e-learning which is

shared by the general public for the better part of a decade now is a set of course regarding any

topic more specifically related to business on the internet or a digital space is known as e-

learning. Although this view is quite accurate and close to the truth, through the modernization

and developments in technology the courses offered in e-learning now are highly flexible and

customizable through design and content and can easily be specifically designed for one specific

person or a community depending on the requirements of the leader of a particular organization

implementing the use of e-learning within the particular organization.

The significant aspects that can affect the adoption of electronic learning for employee

motivation will be greatly focused on by this study as it focuses upon the impacts of industries in

6
Qatar adopting the process of e-learning. Some important aspects that will be focused on by the

study include

a) Identifying the benefits of the technology of e-learning and understanding the basic concept of

this technology

b) Identifying the audience that use this technology

c) What are the factors that can potentially affect the adoption implementation and usage of a

technology such as e-learning?

d) Reviewing these factors in detail to gain deeper knowledge of the effect of these factors on

employee motivation

e) Minimizing the research gap through proposing solutions and answers for the problem in

hand.

Qatar has been selected as the location for this study as it is a developing country with

one of the best economies in the world. The research context will be explained through provision

of some literature in the second chapter of this research.

Research Aim

The aim of this research is to consider the prospects for implementation and adoption of

e-learning platform by a Qatar based petrochemical company and to make recommendations for

the development of e-learning platform.

Objectives of the Research

To address the research aim and inside the programmed time limits this research is going

to fulfil the following mentioned objectives:

7
 1. Develop an overview of the current state of affairs of the delivery of training and

development within the company and assess the current role of e-learning in it.

2. Assess the competencies of the company in relation to human resources and knowledge

management and the role of training in supporting them.

3. Identify company-rooted endogenous and exogenous factors that facilitate or hinder e-

learning in view of the introduction of bespoke e-learning facility.

4. Assess the perceptions and attitudes of employees towards personal development and e-

learning in order to inform the development of bespoke e-learning platform and facilitate

its take-up.

5. Develop guidelines for bespoke e-learning platform.

Research Questions

Question No 1: What is the concept of e-learning for developing countries like Qatar?

Question No 2: What are the barriers that stop e-learning adoption in organisations?

Question No 3: what roles can e-learning play for the training of employees?

Question No 4: What are the future prospects of e-learning regarding employee training?

Rationale of the Study

Gaining effective insight on the factor of e-learning in the context of it being an effective

tool for the HR department of a firm will be the main objective of this study. The adoption of e-

learning has now become quite common and widespread starting from the higher levels of

education (Hairston and Nafukho 2015). While on the contrary many virtual representations have

been developed through many human resource management functions (Stone et al. 2015). E-

8
learning in the context of a business has a much greater impact with both the productivity and

competitiveness of a firm in a fast-paced industry being affected by the factor as compared to the

educational field where e-0learning is a privilege or alternative for the purpose of transfer of

knowledge (Martin and Siebert, 2016; Veletsianos 2010).

It has been shown by many recent researches that any sectors of the economy are now

adopting the processes of e-learning for the purpose of training and development of staff. This

technology can be found in the form of institutional developments in the higher education sector

of the economy.

A substantial investment is required by both the employer and the employee for the

purpose of training before employment may that is in the form of e-learning (Price 2011). Hence,

it is vital to take the perspective of both parties involved into account for the purpose of new

solutions to the training and development of an organization’s workforce. With the maintenance

and development of its competencies a company can gain great benefit from relating training

opportunities (Raymond et al. 2012). While on the contrary the employee can gain great benefit

as he is the main user of the technology that is being implemented such as e-training and this

employee is gaining great knowledge through these training programs which he can not only

apply at the current job but in the future jobs to come and may also be getting paid to take these

training courses in some cases (Macpherson et al. 2004).

Due to the limited information of e-training in the petrochemical industry, this industry

has been particularly focused upon to fill the research gap. Through online training and

development resources, this industry has the great opportunity of adopting such resources for the

purpose of training employees as well as human resource management functions.

9
 Significance of the Research

There are many issues and factors that still need to be reviewed and studied regarding

employee motivation with the processes of e-training. Most importantly there has been little to

no research published regarding developing countries and the adoption of the technology of e-

training in these developing countries (Ali and Magalhaes, 2008). Additionally, as told by many

researchers there has been almost no attention paid to the use of e-services in the Arab world

(AlShihi 2005). Even though, some research can be found regarding e-services and e-training

with regards to the United Arab Emirates; however, these studies are too specific and are focused

on small-scale education and personal uses (Al-Fadhli, 2011). There is almost no literature that

has been conducted in the past focusing on the adoption or use of the technology of e-training

with regards to the developing economy of Qatar in specific.

This research gap has resulted in a lack of acceptance of the technology as well as much

lesser knowledge about the different advantages that are gained by many firms through the use of

e-training for the purpose of training their employee force. Therefore, this research will primarily

focus on filling this research gap, so more information and data can be provided to the Qatari

economy and industry about the different benefits and aspect of using and implementing the

process of e-training into major corporations for the purpose of training the employee force of

that particular organization in a cost-effective, flexible and much more adaptable way.

Employee motivation can greatly be increased through the implementation of specific e-

learning courses which exactly cater to the needs of specific employees that lack in certain

aspects that are required in the job description. These e-learning courses can be very beneficial

and adaptable as they are designed in specific ways to included very specific content relating to

the shortcomings of that specific employee and how these shortcomings can be improved and

10
further training and knowledge on how to improve these shortcomings. Efficiency training

(organizational: day planning, prioritization, working from lists), effective problem-solving

solutions and positive thinking exercises are some of the courses and exercises that may be

included in these specific e-learning programs.

Limitations with the Research

There were no such major limitations which caused any problems or discrepancies for the

research. However, one of the major limitations which were found in the study was the

questionnaire which was posted online and not many people were able to take it as there was no

such way to motivate a larger population to take the questionnaire other than just encouraging

other people to share it across other social media platforms which was not as effective. Due to

the lack of time the other possibility of conducting interviews to gain effective insight was not

available to the research. However, the sample population and number of participants received

by the research were much higher than expected. Since the questionnaire was posted online and

the participants joined the questionnaire on their own wish through joining links on social media

websites, all information and data received was completely anonymous.

The analysis stage saw the research encounter another limitation. The author of the

research discovered that some questions on the questionnaire were not designed adequately to

extract the desired information or data. Due to this the data that was received had to be analyzed

in a much more general way which caused some changes to the study. The final results were

greatly impacted due to the questions on the questionnaires being quite separate and different

from each other. A more general thesis result was obtained than originally planned by the

researcher.

11
 Chapter 2 - Literature Review

E-Leaning Overview

Both corporation and educational institutes have adopted the new technique of e-learning.

The term e-learning can be defined in many ways. Technology-based learning, distributed

learning, web-based learning and online learning are just the synonyms of the term e-learning,

which all generally mean the same thing i.e. gaining knowledge through the technology of the

web (Wentling et al., 2003).The synchronous and asynchronous learning events, which are

simulated through the use of web technology in order to educate one person or for one person to

gain knowledge was defined as e-learning by Morrison (2003). digital collaborations, satellite

broadcasting, CD-ROMs, videos and audios conferences, mobile technology, interactive TVs

and web based technologies, are some of the technologies that can be used for the purpose of

learning as stated by Bennink (2004) while explaining the term e-learning, the researcher also

informed that e-learning and online learning are relatively the same thing both meaning the use

of the internet (Internet, Intranet and LANs) for the purpose of learning. Another notable factor

related to e-learning is that it can sometimes be referred to as e-training in the context of

organizational purpose, used to train employees working for or joining a particular organization.

Reasons to Adopt e-Learning

There are many organizations which have adopted the resources of e-learning for the

purpose of training all of their current and potential employees. Whenever a gap between the

expectations from an individual and the abilities of an individual is identified, training is

compulsory for that certain individual (Bagnasco et al., 2003).Human capital and knowledge are

12
the defining factors for success in this era, contrary to older times where in order to gain success

a firm simply required physical capital or wealth(Sampson et al., 2002).E-training has been

known to be better than traditional training by authors due to the simple fact that this method of

training has much more flexibility to be able to adapt and specifically cater to the needs of an

individual requiring a specific type of training (Sampson, 2001; Newton and Doonga, 2007).

This argument is further supported by other researchers which state that cost effective and

impromptu training methods such as e-learning are widely being adopted by organizations due to

the transformation of the market and the drop in rates of knowledge as it becomes more and

more obsolete (Grossman, R. and Salas 2011). Due to the migration towards value chain

integrations and extended enterprises the value of e-learning has further increased as it has

gained a strategic importance (Mcrea, Gay and Bacon, 2000). Another researcher has also added

to this stating that a key success strategy is one that involves the integration of an organization’s

business strategy with the organization’s e-learning strategy (Grossman, R. and Salas 2011). All

of these statements show the evident fact that the factor of e-learning has a vital value in the

context of corporate advantage.

The researchers Figgis et al. (2001) added to all of these factors with stating that the

factor of e-learning being available at any organization is considered to be a great corporate

advantage. Impromptu training such as e-training which can catch up any individual with the

current organizational goals was also said to be a huge corporate advantage by a researcher

named Cisco. All of these statements that show e-learning to be such of a major corporate

advantage are the motive for this study to explore the different roles of e-learning in the context

of organizations.

13
 E-Learning Users

The users of e-learning were distributed into two groups by Sampson et al. (2002):

The back-end users and the front-end users. Those users which are able to access the factor of e-

learning through formal settings such as colleges and universities and those users which gain

access to e-learning to enhance their capabilities and flexibility related to their job tasks are

known as the front-end users of e-learning. Those users which may not have a main purpose of e-

learning and use it occasionally for general purposes are also classified as front-end users by the

researcher.

Those users which have the main purpose of providing published material, applications

and services regarding e-learning or to make the process of e-learning easier are known as the

back-end users as classified by Sampson et al. (2002). These people generally include those

developers and authors which use different applications, blogs and other services for their

content regarding the use of e-learning to reach the front-end users as further explained by the

researcher.

The requirements which are to be gained from the factor of e-learning are different for

both front-end and back-users (Sampson et al., 2002). Generally, according to the specific needs

and requirements of the front-end users they require quick and easy content instantly when it

comes to the factor of gaining any knowledge through e-learning for these users.

While the requirements of being able to reuse content efficiently and catering to all the needs and

requirements of the front-end user are what are usually required from e-learning by the back-end

user. This distributed concept of the different users of e-learning provided by Sampson et al.

(2002) is shown in Fig. 2-1.

14
 Learning Management Systems (LMS)

A digital environment where all the training system can be transferred is known as

Learning Management. Building online courses for training purposes is the most common way of

formulating a LMS. Course-related forums can also be provided to the student for use as an

effective addition. These systems are quite adjustable and easy to use and can be specifically

designed to cater to the brand of a specific company.

Through the introduction of a virtual environment where all the learning material can be

handled, studied and managed by the student themselves make the LMS a very effective

technique for the purpose of gaining knowledge and training. Through effective monitoring

systems the organization can also monitor an employee’s performance related to what the

employee is study and can also identify when an employee is trained enough to perform a

specific task (Sitzmann and Ely 2011). Instructional Management Systems (IMS), Aviation

Industry, Computer-Based Training Committee (AICC), Sharable Content Object Reference

Model (SCORM), Blackboard and E-College are some of the different learning management

systems that have recently launched and could seriously alter the course of e-learning (Lee,

Hsieh, and Ma, 2011). Through the rapid evolution and adoption of technologies such as the

television, internet and the personal computer have greatly influenced the factor of e-learning in

every industry as the main medium of education with many educational institutions providing

different technologies to students such as the iPads. An explosive surge has been witnessed in

terms of the adoption of e-learning techniques over the past few years. Many reasons contribute

to this surge in adoption of the new method of gaining knowledge as mentioned above.

15
 Business Competitiveness and Staff Development

Increased quality of work and productivity are two of the major objectives of an

organization for providing an employee with training. The transfer and accumulation of

knowledge occurs through employee training (Deb, 2006, p. 223). Knowledge in the current

market is one of the most crucial factors for a business to gain success and the only way they can

implement the knowledge present in the organization into their own business practices is through

their employee force (Martin and Siebert, 2016).

The long-term and short-term requirements of an organization can easily be completed

through the training of the employee force as this builds the human resources of an organization

(Deb, 2006, p. 15). Additionally, business strategy is also supported by the factor of e-learning as

it can give a huge competitive edge to an organization as the better trained the employees are of

an organization the more productive their performances will be leading to the ultimate advantage

for the firm (Price, 2011, p. 461).

Companies grow more and more formal with their training procedures as they grow and

expand, and a larger company offers much more extensive training procedures to maintain the

human resources of their organization (Price, 2011, p. 203). Hence a large firm or organization

gives great importance and focus to maintain an online educational program for this specific

purpose.

E-Learning for Employees

Business can enable knowledge management in their organization in the way of IT

through the process of e-learning (Marquardt and Kearsley, 1999, p. 170). Accessibility, cost

effectiveness and flexibility are some of the many advantages that have been identified related to

the factor of e-learning, by researchers (Veletsianos 2010).

16
 Advantages of utilizing e-learning in Employee Training

There are various benefits offered to employees as well as organization through the

process of e-learning. One of the main benefits that are gained both by organization and

employee with the use of e-learning is the cost-effectiveness factor as the process of e-learning

can be conducted anywhere and hence reduces any sort of transportation costs in order to gain

training at a specific training facility etc. Additionally, this form of training is more impromptu

and faster while the need of a classroom is also eliminated in this process (Derouin, Salas &

Fritzche 2005). Business responsiveness is another factor which is increased and bettered by the

process of e-learning. Essentially, this means that an unlimited amount of people can be

contacted by the organization for recruitment at no additional cost while their training can also

be conducted in a similar way through the flexible process of e-learning (Rosenberg 2001).

Homogenous training can be provided to all the employees of an organization through the

process of e-learning which basically means that the quality and quantity of training will be

constant and same for every employee, differing with each specific case of course according to

what the employee is being trained for (Rosenberg, 2001). Updating, removing and addition of

content are quite easy through the process of e-learning.

Some Drawbacks of e-Learning

Drawbacks have also been witnessed with the process of e-learning as every survey

conducted with a number of employees usually reveal the preference of traditional training over

e-learning according to employees due to the factor that traditional training is more intimate and

face-to-face helping employees grasp concepts and learn in a much easier way. Face-to-face

17
training methods can also be enhanced by the facto of e-learning as argued by many different

authors (Lee and McLoughlin 2010).

It is not necessary that the desired learning outcome will be gained through the factor of

e-learning as it is human nature to understand and learn new things in a much better way in an

intimate and close-up environment rather than a virtual platform. Hence, a model for e-learning

use was developed by the authors Brown and Charlier (2013).

The relatively lower completion rates of e-learning as compared to traditional methods

are another major drawback which is faced by the e-training of employees (Wang, 2010, p. 356).

The maintenance of the engagement offered by the process of e-learning is out to blame here as

the drawback is related to the dropping out of employees from the e-learning program due to

either loss of interest or will. The discussion on trainee and employee perspective further

elaborates on this topic in the next section of the paper.

Three other problems which can be a great barrier in the implementation of e-learning in

organizations are revealed by Newton and Doonga (2007) other than those mentioned above.

They are the following:

Firstly, since Return on Investment or (ROI) is used by any organization to measure the

savings gained from an investment, the factor of cost effectiveness of the process of e-learning

may not be as important due to this as the ROI is not calculated as easily and can be very

complicated. Therefore, the magnitude of the savings that a firm may gain through the process of

e-learning is undetermined while if there is any benefit at all is also uncertain.

Secondly, the rapidly evolving and constantly developing technological era may make it

tough for firms to continuously invest in other new technologies required to maintain the process

of e-learning for the employee force. Since the new inventions on the market are rapid and

18
almost non-stop, older systems employed by firm may not be valid for a far too long and may

become obsolete and of no use very quickly, requiring firms to reinvest in new technology.

Human resources are another critical factor. Firms usually ignore the factor of hiring

other personnel for training of employee force, completely relying on the technological aspect

due to the huge investment in the e-learning systems. For effective administration of the e-

learning systems firms also need trained and familiarized personnel.

Training and Employee Motivation

A specific activity that is targeted to enhance and improve the productivity and skills of

an individual related to job activities is known as training of an employee (Sultana, Irum,

Ahmed, Mehmood, 2012, 645). Since more knowledge is given to an employee about the

organization and the job description through training, an employee is able to perform much

better and be quite more productive. Management of skills as well as useful knowledge which

will be applied in some aspect of an employee’s job is given to the employee through the process

of training. (Kemppainen 2017). An employee is expected to give his best and perform much

better under the influence of a firm or an organization investing in the education and training of

that employee (Elnaga & Imran, 2013).

Companies can gain many advantages through the increase witnessed in employee

motivation through the influence of investing on an employee in the form of training that

employee. All the needs of an employee are vital to be met by a training program as if they are

not the employee will not be able to learn what is required and hence, the process of training will

be wasted in both the aspect of the organization and the employee. Furthermore, to make the

training the most effective, there should be constant communication between the management

and the employee receiving the training (Kemppainen 2017).

19
 Determinants affecting the Development of electronic-learning in Business Framework

Organizations have highlighted three major groups of determinants that influence in the

implementation and adaptation of electronic-learning. The determinants are described in detail in

the literature below. The identified determinants are organizational, technological and

environmental. These determinants have been studied by many organizations in the execution of

business diversity and cultural background (Raymond et al. 2012).

Perspective of Business

Organizations have put pressure for the use of electronic learning by 2 main methods:

Firstly, as makers of decision on the implementation of the training of e-learning; and secondly

for the source of influence on the targeted users of it. Correspondingly, analysis focuses on the

subject matter of implementation of electronic learning are more interested in the perspective of

business. The first part highlighted the key features positively for the adoption of implementing

staff training and development. Moreover, they are not enough for organizations to keep in

considerations electronic learning for their staff and may not all be amongst the motives of

organizations identified as determining implementation.

Amongst the determinants related to business are also those drives within the

organization that pressurises the staff to engage within electronic learning. Few researchers

identify the role of availability of time for adopting electronic learning and make links to balance

work life of the staff. (Brown and Charlier 2013; Johnson et al. (2008)

20
 Perspective of Trainees’

According to Lee and McLoughlin (2010), for strong impact on training and development

and in order to have a real impact of electronic learning, the perspective of the associates is very

essential. In order for electronic learning effectiveness and its adoption few determinants plays a

vital role as perceived by the participants. Moreover, highlighting these determinants for a

particular organization can help in the progress of bespoke e-learning stage. Earlier research has

resulted in the decision making on the features of training online in terms of technical phase as

well as procedures of delivery and acceptance.

Montgomerie et al (2016) identified three major determinants group and summarised

them as self motivation, colleague support and technical delivery. These determinants are further

discussed in detail in the literature.

Self-motivation or motivation for learning comes up as factor in most studies that take the

trainees’ perspective both from inductive and deductive methodologies. Drawing on existing

research Wang (2010) and Brown and Charlier (2013) assert that strong perception of the

usefulness and rightness of the training lead to better engagement. Previous experience with

personal development and e-learning also serves as a source of motivation as well as the

presence of orientation towards personal development (Pacheco-Bernal 2013). Batalla-Busquets

and Brown and Charlier (2013) support the results about these intrinsic motivations and add

emotions to the group of factors. Furthermore, a research conducted by Wang (2010) pointed out

that motivation originating from the trainee can be as important as the motivation created by the

employer company.

For both techniques that is inductive and deductive, motivation or self motivation comes

as a key indicator in terms of trainees’ perspective. Johnson et al. (2008) and Brown and Charlier

21
(2013) examined in their research that the powerful perception of the significance and rightness

of the training results in better connection. Earlier electronic learning and personal development

provides as a source of motivation as well as the progress of personal development. Wang (2010)

agrees on the findings about intrinsic motivations and additional emotions to the conglomerate of

determinants. Batalla-Busquets and Pacheco-Bernal (2013) and Brown and Charlier (2013) and

highlighted that inner motivation created by the employee can be as significant as the motivation

created by the trainee itself.

The other main determinant highlighted above was peer support. It links to benefits and

opportunities in terms of being a part of learners circle during the electronic learning procedure

and has been recognized as motivating to the procedure in other studies as well. For instance,

Johnson et al. (2008) came to the conclusion recommending that peer relationships during the

electronic learning aids in sustaining engagement and in the course completion. This determinant

links the conventional and electronic learning as one of the conventional learning in a classroom

setup is the participation in a small group of learners. Stone et al. (2015) studies that it can very

easily be converted too much other technical functionality that can maintain communication and

cooperation amongst electronic learners. Furthermore, Kimiloglu et al. (2017) examined the lack

of sociability and interactivity as major flaws of electronic-learning.

The third aspect is the technical delivery. It has two parts. Firstly, Montgomerie et al.

(2016) has examined the extent of development. Secondly, level of technical skills acquired by

the trainee. Chien (2012) has examined that even if the technology is not very user friendly, it

has shown that high level of self efficacy are linked to high satisfaction from e-learning.

Moreover, other studies have concluded that the positive expectations of trainees in terms of

22
technology, taking into consideration that it is simple to use and very practical, are linked with

higher connection with electronic learning. (Brown and Chalier 2013).

Perspective of the Environment

These are the determinants which purely depend on the geographic and industrial context

of literature. Earlier researches have showed that exogenous pressures, for instance, social

pressures or competition can persuade technology implementation. (Raymond et al., 2012, p.

600).So, they also pressurize the implementation of electronic learning by organizations.

Moreover, such research does not target for an in-depth investigation of environmental

determinants, however acknowledge them as contextual problems that may be linked to other

determinants in the study.

Implementation of e-Learning

Johnson et al. (2008) examined the impact of strategic development of the organization

and found out three conditions of the process: technology training, design training and trainee

features. This particular research findings can be utilized to notify the progress of an electronic

learning facility like the approach by Johnson et al. (2008, p. 365). Design training also shows a

significant element for the preparation of electronic learning facilities .Moreover, it would be

benefitted if explained by the experts as it as to do with the content and layout of training

material.

23
 Chapter 3 - Chapter # 3: Research Methodology

This section explains the research methodology, justification, implication and limitation of the

chosen methodology for this paper. The research philosophy will be discussed leading to the

selection of the most appropriate research approach for the nature of this study. In addition to

this, the petrochemical company from which data will be gathered will also be introduced.

Sampling, data analysis methods and research ethics will be discussed.

Research Philosophy and Approach

To determine the approach to be used for the research purpose, it is essential that the

research philosophy is understood first. The need for understanding the research philosophy

arises because it is highly challenging to ascertain the direction of the research and chose an

appropriate approach of researching without having an in-depth comprehension of the

philosophy. Research philosophy practically deals with the source of knowledge, and also with

its nature and development. It is highly crucial that a research philosophy is clear because it

allows authors to reflect their underlying assumptions which are serving as the basis of their

research paper. The research onion in methods of business research determines that there are four

major research philosophies within the business scope which fall under two considerations

discussed below.

 Pragmatism (is based on the use of mixed method data collection, the research can

be both quantitative or qualitative)

 Positivism (is a highly structured philosophy that uses large sample and presents

the results through quantitative approaches but it can also be qualitative)

24
  Realism (here the methods chosen to collect data and study it must be a good fit

for the subject matter. The research can be quantitative as well as qualitative)

 Interpretivism (is based on using small samples for an in-depth understanding and

the nature of research is qualitative)

Research by knowledgeable authors Bryman and Bell in 2007 shows that while

understanding a particular philosophy for any research, the two underlying considerations are

known as epistemology and ontology. When the research is related to the study of knowledge, it

is classified as epistemology. However, when the research agenda is based on the study of being,

this classification is known as ontology. In simpler words, epistemology is the study of the way

that people understand things when the ontology is the study of what things are.

Furthermore, research suggests that there is a clear distinction between these two considerations

of a research philosophy making it easier for researchers to understand the overall philosophy of

their research idea. Ontology is fact-based and is designed to describe things as well as their

relationship with another independent factor. On the other hand, epistemology is a study of the

reasons and way through which facts become true. For ontology consideration, the two positions

that can make research methodology decision easier are objectivism and constructionism.

Objectivism is the position stating that social entities are independent of the social actors

in the external environment. These actors are highly concerned with the existence of the social

entities. On the other hand, constructionism is a position that asserts that social entities or

phenomenon are a result of perception and actions of the social actors who are high. In other

words, social phenomenon is shaped by the social actors.

Under the epistemology consideration, the two positions that determine the research

method are positivism and Interpretivism. Research shows that positivism is a view or position

25
that adheres to only factual knowledge which is gained through quantifiable observations. In this

position, the role of the researcher is very insufficient. The crucial only task is the collection of

research related data and its interpretation in an objective manner. When using the positivist

position, the research is mostly quantitative. A deductive approach is used towards finding

results through interpretation of research data. The researcher has to focus on the facts that are

revealed after the interpretation of the quantitative data analysis.

Another position under epistemology consideration is Interpretivism. Interpretivism

favours qualitative analysis of data over quantitative analysis because it emphasized on the

meaning of various social phenomenon which related to various factors/ aspects like language,

perceptions, shared thoughts and meanings etcetera. Furthermore, there most used research

approaches by researchers are deductive and inductive approaches. The former is used when a

researcher is trying to test a hypothesis to check its validity and can be classified as a surveyor

technique where the phenomenon is measured. On the contrary, the inductive approach starts

with specific agendas but ends with some general conclusions and can be classified as an

explorative technique which new and unknown territories are explored.

Research Strategy

This research study is an applied empirical since is theoretically grounded on existing

research available for study. However, this study will aim to provide new insight into adoption

and implementation of e-learning in employee training through the analysis of an empirical

example of a petrochemical company based in Qatar. The research will aid from both primary

and secondary data. Moreover, the study falls under the positivist research philosophy because it

focuses on concrete conclusions that will be derived from the analysis and interpretation of data

26
collected using the primary data collection methods (Neuman 2014). Due to the fact, that this

study has a positivist research philosophy, it will have a touch of a quantitative approach.

The study is classified as a mixed method study because in addition to using quantitative

approach the study will also include some qualitative analysis because it draws on several

disciplines. The study draws on education, human resource management, psychology, and

computer science disciplines. Primary research is employed by the researcher through the use of

data collected using structured questionnaires (Adams et al. 2007). The study also applies

secondary research by drawing on the existing research available of the subject matter. Another

important reason for this study being a mixed method study is that the main methods for data

collection and analysis are a case study (secondary) and survey (primary). Case studies belong to

the qualitative range of research techniques, while the survey generates quantitative data

(Creswell 2014).

Research shows that the word case study is one of the most widely used strategies for

research when the aim of the study is to provide a description or test a hypothesis or generate a

new theory based on a hypothesis. By employing case study for this research, the aim is to focus

on the understanding and comprehension of dynamics related to the adoption and

implementation of e-learning for employee training in the selected petrochemical company. Case

studies are the most appropriate qualitative research method when dynamics are to be tested

within a single setting. Remenyi et al. (2002) state that case studies can only be used in research

under two circumstances. It can be used to document proof or evidence that a certain research

objective has been studied and to compare dynamics within a single setting or multi-settings.

For this particular research, epistemology is the best approach since it allows the researchers to

analyze how the adoption and implementation of e-learning for employee training is possible and

27
can be made highly effective. The reason for positivist research philosophy is that the research

will be mostly quantitative so that factual information can be deduced from the data collected for

understanding the adoption and implementation of e-learning for employee training in a

petrochemical company. Deductive approach is most appropriate for this study because the e-

learning techniques are not unknown or new territory, discussions have already been done on the

use of e-learning in various sectors. Moreover, the petrochemical company selected for this study

is a single setting; therefore, employing case study as a method of qualitative research approach

is appropriate. Using a case study is basically an opportunity to explore the adoption and

implementation of e-learning for employee training.

Research Design

The primary step towards the development of this research study is the selection of a

preferably medium sized petrochemical company in Qatar. The reason for selecting a medium

sized petrochemical company is that it will be easily approachable for assistance. Another

important reason is that such companies have a higher chance of conducting employee training

more often in comparison to a small scale company. It is highly unlikely that company will allow

gathering information for educational purposes without anything in return. Therefore, the

petrochemical company will be offered a mutually beneficial opportunity where the results from

the research in the form of analysis and discussion in the dissertation will be made available to

the company to help decision-making concerning the adoption and implementation of e-learning

facilities.

For the purpose of identifying the medium-sized petrochemical companies in Qatar,

secondary research will be conducted to make a list of all available options. Companies will be

shortlisted based on various factors mainly size of the company, geographical accessibility of the

28
company premises for conducting the primary research. In addition to just selecting a subject for

the study, it is highly important that contacts are initiated with the suitable human resource

executive contacts through professional social media like LinkedIn. Furthermore, help can be

taken from company’s official websites. Information regarding how to contact the company can

be taken from the official pages of the company found on the web. The options to pursue will be

more than one because it is highly likely that few of the potential subject companies will not

respond or will not be interested in this study. It is important to include the promotion of the

company name in the mutually beneficial opportunity.

Data Collection Methods

The study is a mix of both qualitative and quantitative method and therefore, it is crucial

to choose the most appropriate methods of collecting data for both primary and secondary

research. After the initial contact has been made with the selected petrochemical company,

secondary data collection and its analysis can be kick-started. Through the secondary data,

information will be gathered to put in the case study and will prove extremely beneficial when

developing the questions for the primary data collection. Research shows that the secondary data

for case study can be collected using various methods including observation, conducting

interviews, arranging focus groups or by taking documents and previous research on the subject

matter into consideration (Fisher et al., 2007). After starting the collection of secondary data, the

next step will be the development of the electronic questionnaire and the collection of primary

data through sending it out to prospective respondents among the employees of the

petrochemical company with the help of human resource staff. It is highly important that the

questionnaire is made according to the understanding level of the targeted employees.

29
 The questionnaire should not be too long for it may become tedious for the employees or

take longer to fill out. However, it should not be too short that it lacks information that needs to

be collected for the successful conducting of this study. A thoughtful and well-formatted

questionnaire will be easier to fill out and will gather the required data without taking too much

time. The questionnaire will collect data on employees’ experiences and views of e-learning;

their motivation for engagement with online professional training and development; and

determinants of preferences for undertaking training as part of personal development. This will

allow the research to take into account the effectiveness of the e-learning used in employee

training from the employees. The questionnaire will consist of well-thought-out close-ended

questions because open-ended questions take longer to fill out and cannot be measured

quantitatively which means that data collected through open-ended questions cannot be used for

quantitative approach.

The structure and development of the study will be derived from the literature review.

The existing studies on the subject matter will help in constructing questions and formulating a

research strategy that will provide an additional insight into adopting e-learning for the training

of employees in a petrochemical company. The literature review will also provide the researcher

with the technical knowledge required for carrying out a successful study through well-structured

questionnaire (Neuman 2014; Bradburn et al. 2004; Oppenheim, 1992).

Participant Data Reason for Populatio Sample Sample Data

Collection choice of n Size Size Criteria Collection
Method method Date
Employees at Questionn Tool for Depends 50-100 Maximum Week 8-10
petrochemical aires collecting data on on which diversity to
company attitudes and company reflect the
perceptions of e- would diversity of
learning by the agree to employees

30
 employees of the cooperate. in the
company Also company
depends and also
on the take into
willingnes account the
s of the perception
employees of diverse
to workforce
participate about e-
in the learning for
study. employee
training.
Petrochemical Case study It will allow One Not Not relevant Week 4-5
company built of identifying the business relevant
secondary strategic organisati
data competencies of on -
available the business and Depends
on the inform on on which
Internet existing company
approaches to would
staff agree to
development cooperate.
including e-
learning.

Introduction of Petrochemical Company

Qatar Fuel Additives Company known as (“QAFAC”), established in 1991 as a joint

venture between Qatar, China, Taiwan and UAE and the companies are Qatar Petroleum OPIC

Middle East Corporation, International Octane Limited and LYC Middle East

Corporation, QAFAC is well known for the high quality product of Ethylene, MTBE, Sulphur

and Methanol

Before 2003, Qatar Petroleum, which is a government owned company, issued an initial public

offering (ÏPO”) in the same year, Qatar Industries was successfully listed in the Qatari Stock

Market.

31
In 2012 Qatar Petroleum decided to established new company called Muntajat Company to act as

a single window portal to market, sell and distributes all Qatar Industries products, all sales &

marketing division from the 4 companies united under Muntajat, it opens its operation head

quarter in Netherland and exports more than 11 million tonnes of chemicals products to over 120

countries worldwide.

Qatar Industries and QAFAC are striving to always find new technologies to increase production

capacity and versified the range of products and ensure profitable growth and meets up

shareholder targeted goals, QI & QAFAC are determined towards the best quality products

available for the market at the same time aiming to sustain the natural resources and maintain the

environment balanced,

QI & QAFAC play an important rules in safety and security regulations within the oil and gas

sector in Qatar, as it is located in Messaieed Industrial City which is one of the state of art

designed cities to hold the down streams production industries and deliver the final commodities

to the storage facilities in private harbours for each company, Millions of hours are celebrated

without single injury this is part of the latest operational excellence practiced in QI & QAFAC.

Data Sampling

There are various techniques of sampling that can be used to study certain variables in a

quantitative study. There are certain steps that need to be followed before the most appropriate

sampling technique is chosen. The initial phase is to identify a defined population that needs to

be studied. Usually, that population has specific distinct features that set them apart from the rest

of the populations. These features include but are not limited to age, gender, nationality, place of

work etcetera. For this research study, the distinct feature of the population is the place of work,

32
so employees of QAFAC (Qatar Petrochemical Company - the selected company) is the defined

population from which a sample needs to be drawn. The aim of the study is to draw conclusions

that can be held valid for the whole population. Therefore, it is necessary that the sample drawn

for the collection of data should be drawn in such a manner that the whole population is

represented. For this purpose, the criteria of sampling for QAFAC will be to choose a sample

with maximum diversity to reflect the diversity of employees in the company and also take into

account the perception of diverse workforce about e-learning for employee training.

The sampling techniques that are available for use include

 Simple

 Systematic

 Stratified

 Cluster

 Multi-Stage

On investigation, research has concluded that when a study requires data from diverse

groups in a single sample than using the stratified sampling techniques serves the purpose. For

this study, it is crucial that all diverse characteristics of employees are taken into account, and the

sampling account is divided into groups based on these characteristics. After identifying diverse

strata from the overall employee population at QAFAC like age-based strata, nationality based

strata, educational level bases strata, gender bases strata etcetera, random sampling will be

carried out for selection of sample elements that will fill out the questionnaire.

For using this technique, it is necessary that the total number of elements for each diverse

strata is known for calculating proportions. However, it will be challenging to categorize all

employees in various strata in a limited time and carry out the study. It will take longer time and

33
will be extra effort on the part of QAFAC employees as well. Therefore, the study will use

random sampling for the purpose of selecting the employees for filling out the questionnaires.

Random sampling is the most convenient sampling technique that can fulfil the purpose of

primary data collection because it is the simplest form of drawing sampling. The first step is to

make a numbered list of all employees of QAFAC that will be easily accessible from the

company’s human resource department. The sample size is already decided around 50 – 60

questionnaires will be floated among randomly chosen employees at QAFAC.

Research Ethics

For any research study, the research ethics are an important and unavoidable discussion

that should be paid attention to and handled carefully. The major five principle ethics of research

shall be inculcated in this study (Aguinisand and Henle, 2002). While conducting this study, it

will be made sure that the risk of harm to respondents will be harmed. It is important that all

participants in the study willingly participate in the study and answer all questions without any

help from the researcher. There should be no deceptive practices in the collection of data, and no

answers shall be provided to any respondent to tilt the conclusions in any direction. The data of

employees shall only be used with the proper consent of the employees. The privacy of the

employees shall not be invaded. The research results should entirely be based on the actual

information that is gathered from the employees with their consent. It is important that all

respondents of the questionnaire are provided sufficient knowledge of the study that will be

carried out based on their responses. For the safety and privacy of all employees, names of the

respondents shall not be used in the study rather codes will be assigned to each respondent who

will allow confidentiality. The respondents will have the right to withdraw from the study at any

point.

34
35
 Chapter 4 - Data Analysis And Discussion

In this chapter, the analysis of the data collected using questionnaires will be done. The

discussion related to adoption and implementation of e-learning techniques for the purpose of

training and development of employees in a petrochemical industry Wimbledon. Furthermore

this chapter will involve explaining the existing techniques used in the selected company for the

training and development purposes.

When the emphasis of any research is on objective measurements using statistical,

mathematical or numerical data, the best approach to complete the research study is quantitative

research method. The primary data collected for a successful quantitative research is usually

collected through votes, questionnaire, polls and surveys. The existing data available from prior

research on the same subject matter can also be used for carrying out a quantitative research. The

data collected is manipulated using statistics, mathematics as well as computational techniques.

The purpose of a quantitative research is the collection of numerical data and then using analysis

techniques, the results are generalized to explain a particular phenomenon across a particular

population. The aim of a quantitative researcher is to determine and objectify a relation between

one variable which is independent in nature and another dependent variable within a particular

group of people of populace.

Quantitative research designs are often descriptive when a relation between two variables

is being described. On the other hand, quantitative research can also be experimental in nature.

This research study is basically descriptive in nature because it establishes only relationships and

associations between the two variables. The aim of this research study is to explain and describe

the adoption and implementation of e-learning for the purpose of training employees in the

36
petrochemical sector. The aim of this study is to assess the adoption and implementation of

latest e-learning techniques in a petrochemical company.

Purpose of Research

The purpose of quantitative research is to deal with any data that is numerical in nature

and can be explained using mathematical logics. The data that is collected for quantitative

research usually is unchanging and detailed. Using these numerical data, the research outputs are

spontaneous and free flowing in nature. The major characteristics of a quantitative research is

that the primary data collected for the purpose of analysis is usually collected through a

structured approach like questionnaire and polls. The designs are based upon collection of data

from a large sample which represents the whole population. The research study can be repeated

because numerical data has a greater reliability as compared to qualitative analysis because

quantitative research are usually provide objective outputs. The quantitative research has a

clearly and definite research question that has to be answered.

The quantitative research study has a defined structure even before the primary data is

collected. Data available for analysis is usually in form of numbers and statistics which can be

arranged in form of tables, charts, graphs or textual formats. The major tools used to collect data

for the quantitative research study include questionnaire and polls or votes etcetera. Major steps

included in the quantitative research method are quite simple and easier to follow. The first step

is to explain the primary data that has been collected by using statistical treatment as well as

other mathematical techniques the results are not interpreted in this section but the basic

explanation of the data that has been collected is provided.

In addition to just explaining the collected data, a researcher has to report all the

unanticipated events that may have occurred during the data collection phase. Furthermore, the

37
researcher has to provide analysis of the differences between the past research carried out by

other researchers and the new results. It is very important to choose a method of analysis that is

most appropriate with regard to the nature of data being collected for the purpose of research. A

quantitative study is especially known for diagrammatical representations of data using statistical

and mathematical techniques and then presenting that results in form of graphs, charts and tables.

The diagrams and graphs are a summarization of the overall data and the results generated from

these data sets. The study is classified as a mixed method study because in addition to using

quantitative approach the study will also include some qualitative analysis because it draws on

several disciplines.

Case Study

The study draws on education, human resource management, psychology, and computer

science disciplines. Primary research is employed by the researcher through the use of data

collected using structured questionnaires. The study also applies secondary research by drawing

on the existing research available of the subject matter. Another important reason for this study

being a mixed method study is that the main methods for data collection and analysis are a case

study (secondary) and survey (primary). Case studies belong to the qualitative range of research

techniques, while the survey generates quantitative data.

Research shows that the word case study is one of the most widely used strategies for

research when the aim of the study is to provide a description or test a hypothesis or generate a

new theory based on a hypothesis. By employing case study for this research, the aim is to focus

on the understanding and comprehension of dynamics related to the adoption and

implementation of e-learning for employee training in the selected petrochemical company. Case

studies are the most appropriate qualitative research method when dynamics are to be tested

38
within a single setting. Case studies can only be used in research under two circumstances. It can

be used to document proof or evidence that a certain research objective has been studied and to

compare dynamics within a single setting or multi-settings.

Traditional training techniques

Training and development of the employees at QAFAC has been traditional for a major

part of company’s existence as per the answers of the employees working at this company. In

response to various questions related to the training and development procedure at QAFAC, the

employees responded that the traditional training programs were a huge part of the training

regime of the company. The traditional training programs included induction training as well as

on the job training. In induction training, the company provides a series of training sessions

before the employees are given any official work. The company had to pay for the induction

training without getting any work from the employees in return. This was an additional cost for

the company, where the productivity of the employees was literally zero since they were not

doing any work.

In addition to this, the company also invested heavily in on the job training for employees

who were not really an expert to the field of petrochemical. The on the job training requires

employees to learn new skills while they were also working on company projects. This turned to

unmotivated employees whose performance was dwindling due to extra stress and effort both at

work and training sessions. The traditional training has its advantages because it allows the

trainer to be actively participate in the training program but the productivity is lower when the

number of trainees is higher. When the number of trainees increase, the productivity of the

transfer sessions may be negatively affected.

39
 Changed training protocols

Upon asking about the latest changes in the training protocols at QAFAC, the participants

of the research study responded that now the company is shifting towards the newer technologies

related to training and development of the employees. Recently the company entered into a

contract with a solutions seller regarding e learning. In 2014, The Company known as Malomatia

and QAFAC entered into a contract where the former company was tasked with providing

eLearning solutions and services to the latter. With the introduction of the latest trend in training

and development of employees has created a positive vibe among the whole company and the

relationships between company and employees have seen a positive trend.

Changes from traditional training to e-learning

Another question was related to the e-learning services and solutions that QAFAC and

the response of the participants showed that the company has been able to change its training and

development sessions to a great deal which has reduced the training costs of the company and

has also led to a positive attitude in employees. They replied that the latest contracts have

allowed the QAFAC to be well equipped with all the necessary services that it requires to

support its employees by improving the relevant skills and knowledge that they need. This has

led to bring a positive change among employees because now they are able to thrive and excel in

their workplace and their productivity has resulted in greater profitability for the petrochemical

company.

Positive impacts of the implementation of the e-learning

Upon being asked the positive impacts of the implementation of the e-learning platform

for the training purposes, the respondents revealed that they have been inspired with the use of

40
the newest technologies in form of self-development initiatives so that employees are able to

build their own careers and also develop their knowledge and skills. The solution provider

Malomatia is one of the leading eLearning services providers in the Qatar. This company serves

various sectors and cater for their various needs. QAFAC has been highly encouraged for its

adoption and implementation of eLearning solutions for the skill building of its employees.

E-learning services at QAFAC

Upon further investigation it was revealed that the eLearning services QAFAC profits

from include Hosted Learning Management System (LMS) which is supported by various

devices including mobile and tablets. A digital environment where all the training system can be

transferred is known as Learning Management. Building online courses for training purposes is

the most common way of formulating a LMS. Course-related forums can also be provided to the

employees for use as an effective addition. These systems are quite adjustable and easy to use

and can be specifically designed to cater to the brand of a specific company.

Various training programs have been designed and implemented through the use of LMS

in QAFAC including leadership advantage which is specifically designed to help the senior

management in better leadership skills. There are more than 350 courses that are based on

various skills and will be offered to more than 300 employees selected based on their

contributions and performance. In addition to this, now the company is able to provide 24/7

support to all its employees.

Factors that promote or encourage e-learning

Upon investigation about the factors that can promote the learning environment for

training and development of employees, the respondents creamed dad the transition of dreaming

41
from one platform to another is never easy. The company has to consider several factors that can

allow a successful conversion from workplace training to e-learning. The major success factor

includes identifying whether or not a company is a need for transitioning from one training

platform to another. If the challenges associated with training sessions in traditional setting are

substantial due to huge number of employees, then it is justified that transition from traditional

learning and training to e-learning.

Upon further discussion, it was revealed that an open system organisation which allows

its employees to participate actively in their own training sessions is a huge requirement for a

successful transition to e-learning. By having an employee focused training programs, the

company’s system focused on building positive relationships with the organisation rather than

focus on costs. In addition to this, the initial investments in e-learning is huge but the training

costs over the longer period of time is usually minimal due to e-learning training protocols.

E-learning and employee motivation

Another question posed with regard to impact of e-learning upon the attitude and

productivity of the employees, the respondents stated that job satisfaction of an employee is

hugely impacted by the employee motivational levels and can be impacted and increased in

many ways. Efficient training programs have been highlighted to be amongst the most useful

approaches to enhance the aspect of employee motivation. Through e-learning and training

employees are able to greatly enhance their skills while also gaining knowledge. Employee

motivation can greatly be increased through the implementation of specific e-learning courses

which exactly cater to the needs of specific employees that lack in certain aspects that are

required in the job description. These e-learning courses can be very beneficial and adaptable as

they are designed in specific ways to included very specific content relating to the shortcomings

42
of that specific employee and how these shortcomings can be improved and further training and

knowledge on how to improve these shortcomings. Efficiency training (organizational: day

planning, prioritization, working from lists), effective problem-solving solutions and positive

thinking exercises are some of the courses and exercises that may be included in these specific e-

learning programs. The other main determinant highlighted above was peer support. It links to

benefits and opportunities in terms of being a part of learners circle during the electronic learning

procedure and has been recognized as motivating to the procedure.

Attitude and perception of employees

The respondents clearly stated that they are highly interested in the newer prospects of

learning new skills at their own pace and convenience. Though e-learning programs the

employees will be able to work on the areas that they lack in. Without having to go to classes or

training sessions on a regular basis. In addition to this, employees perceive e-learning as a

convenient method where they can learn on the go. The use of mobiles and tablets for e-learning

helps employees in taking their online sessions while they travel and are at home in a relaxed

environment. The tension and stress related to the traditional training programs can now be shed

off after the introduction of e-learning. Employees are enthusiastic and motivated for their new

training sessions that can cater for their individual needs. Employees can take extra training

sessions based on their preferences with skills. Employees can train for promotions and build the

relevant skills through e-learning.

The introduction of Bespoke

When questioned about the bespoke e-learning platforms, it was found that it is a unique

e-learning platform that is highly organization centric and is tailor made to suit the needs and

requirements of a particular organisation. For huge companies like QAFAC, building a tailor

43
made e-learning platform is highly convenient for future prospects rather than buying off the

shelf e-learning. A tailored Bespoke e-learning for QAFAC will not only make training

successful and easier to depart but will also provide a definite branding for the organisation and

let the employees know of the culture of the company. Especially in Qatar where the

international language English is not a commonly understood language, bespoke e-learning will

be tailored made for QAFAC in mother tongue so that the training sessions are able to achieve its

objective. Employees are excited and the management are highly active in an attempt to provide

bespoke e-learning to its employees. Qatar is one of the leading developing nations in the Middle

East due to the advancements in business sector and technological innovations. The companies

like QAFAC can gain a lot by investing in the prospects like bespoke e-learning and build skills

of employees for better performance and productivity. Employees feel as if the company is

investing in their futures and this increase their motivation levels. When employees feel cared

for, their efforts to fulfil the objectives and achieve the goals of the organisation.

44
 Chapter 5 - Conclusion

Job satisfaction of an employee is hugely impacted by the employee motivational levels

and can be impacted and increased in many ways. Efficient training programs have been

highlighted to be amongst the most useful approaches to enhance the aspect of employee

motivation. Through training employees are able to greatly enhance their skills while also

gaining knowledge. The workplace and the site were the main venue commonly used for training

of the employees; however, these rituals are being changed with much more flexible methods of

training available to firms recently. Training practices are being updated simultaneously with job

demands as everything is becoming digitized in this modern and digital era. There are many

benefits of e-training and is a greatly effective way for the purpose of training an employee

force.

The rapidly evolving and constantly developing technological era may make it tough for

firms to continuously invest in other new technologies required to maintain the process of e-

learning for the employee force. Since the new inventions on the market are rapid and almost

non-stop, older systems employed by firm may not be valid for a far too long and may become

obsolete and of no use very quickly, requiring firms to reinvest in new technology.

Human resources are another critical factor. Firms usually ignore the factor of hiring

other personnel for training of employee force, completely relying on the technological aspect

due to the huge investment in the e-learning systems. For effective administration of the e-

learning systems firms also need trained and familiarized personnel.

The aspect of e-learning used as a corporate educational tool has many advantages and

disadvantages. Employee productivity is greatly impacted by investments in learning and

training. An employee wishes to stay at a firm longer and works much harder if an investment is

45
made by the firm to train that employee. The aspects of profitability and productivity of an

employee both have the potential of increasing with a lower turnover. However, both the aspects

of satisfaction and productivity can have a potential negative impact due to the contrary side of

inadequate training.

Due to the advancement in communication systems and refinement in communication

technology, industry dissatisfaction of the responsiveness of traditional modes of delivery and

higher demand for the latest technological innovations, an alternate for training and education

has been found by corporations in e-learning. The work environment is greatly affected by the

use of e-learning by major corporations as most of the knowledge transfer is occurring in a

digital space instead of a physical one.

Both corporation and educational institutes have adopted the new technique of e-learning.

The term e-learning can be defined in many ways. Technology-based learning, distributed

learning, web-based learning and online learning are just the synonyms of the term e-learning,

which mean the same thing i.e. gaining knowledge through the technology of the web. The

synchronous and asynchronous learning events, which are simulated through the use of web

technology in order to educate one person or for one person to gain knowledge was defined as e-

learning. Digital collaborations, satellite broadcasting, CD-ROMs, videos and audios

conferences, mobile technology, interactive TVs and web based technologies, are some of the

technologies that can be used for the purpose of learning.

One of the reasons for providing employee development and training is because it leads

to increased productivity and quality of their work. Employee training leads to the transfer and

accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge is one of the resources that businesses need in order to

46
compete successfully and the main way they can access it and include it in the business process

is through their employees.

Training of employees builds human resources that can respond adequately to short- and

long-term requirements of the company. Furthermore, learning can create and enhance

competitive advantage and this makes it one of the elements that support business strategy. Thus

learning can be related with the development of the core competencies of the company. In order

for e-learning to have real impact in terms of training effectiveness and business development,

the perspective of the participating employees needs to be taken into account. Some of the

factors have to do with the ways trainees perceive and experience e-learning and outcomes from

such research tend to be related with the impact and implications for e-learning effectiveness.

Furthermore, identification of these factors for a specific company can inform the development

of bespoke e-learning platform. E-learning platform have shown that they can help decision-

making on the characteristics of online training resources in terms of technical aspects as well as

modes of access and delivery.

Increased quality of work and productivity are two of the major objectives of an

organization for providing an employee with training. The transfer and accumulation of

knowledge occurs through employee training. Knowledge in the current market is one of the

most crucial factors for a business to gain success and the only way they can implement the

knowledge present in the organization into their own business practices is through their

employee force.

The long-term and short-term requirements of an organization can easily be completed

through the training of the employee force as this builds the human resources of an organization.

Additionally, business strategy is also supported by the factor of e-learning as it can give a huge

47
competitive edge to an organization as the better trained the employees are of an organization the

more productive their performances will be leading to the ultimate advantage for the firm.

Companies grow more and more formal with their training procedures as they grow and

expand, and a larger company offers much more extensive training procedures to maintain the

human resources of their organization. Hence a large firm or organization gives great importance

and focus to maintain an online educational program for this specific purpose. Research on e-

learning effectiveness in view of its impact on the strategic development of the company has

identified three backgrounds to the process: training technology, training, design, and trainee

characteristics. As this research focuses on the first and the third item, they have been discussed

in the preceding sections and form the conceptual background of the current research. The

respective research results can be used to inform the development of an e-learning facility similar

to the approach. Training design also represents an important element to the planning of e-

learning facilities. However, it has to do with the content and structure of the training material

and would benefit from being informed by training experts.

The trend of using e-learning and all and acknowledging to provide training confirmed

good employees has become a common practice also the developed countries. The major

advantage of using e-learning to train employs for better skills is the flexibility and speed, Easy

is this ability to all employees without being present in the classroom. One of the major trends

that is being used to train and develop employers is Gamification which is a subset of e-learning.

This technology involve the use of various game mechanics to make sure that the training

process is interactive and engaging. These activities are based on games, where employees may

be asked to complete stages and reach certain milestones and earn badges which will instil

48
training and develop employees while keeping them interactive and interested in the training

process.

There are several distinctive benefits of using e-learning as a means to provide training

and development to the employees. One of the major brothers of using e-learning technology is

that it wisely increases and spreads the scope of the organisations ability to train its employees.

Using e-learning allows the organisation to eliminate or reduce to a great extent, all the non-

learning expenses related to training which may include travelling costs or lodging cost of the

participants of the training program.

Drawbacks have also been witnessed with the process of e-learning as every survey

conducted with a number of employees usually reveal the preference of traditional training over

e-learning according to employees due to the factor that traditional training is more intimate and

face-to-face helping employees grasp concepts and learn in a much easier way. Face-to-face

training methods can also be enhanced by the facto of e-learning.

It is not necessary that the desired learning outcome will be gained through the factor of

e-learning as it is human nature to understand and learn new things in a much better way in an

intimate and close-up environment rather than a virtual platform. The relatively lower

completion rates of e-learning as compared to traditional methods are another major drawback

which is faced by the e-training of employees.

49
 Appendix A
1. What were the traditional training tools for your company?

2. What do you understand by the term e-learning?

3. What changes has your company brought into the training programs?

4. What e-learning tools have you been introduced to?

5. Does the introduction of e-learning pose any challenges for the employees?

6. What are the impact of e-learning training programs as compared to traditional training?

7. Has it impacted your motivation levels? How?

8. Has the e-learning enhanced your performance in what ways?

9. Do you see e-learning as a tool to gain additional skills and get promotions or just a

compulsory part of your job?

10. Do you favour the intricate of bespoke e-learning in your organization? Why and why

not?

50
 References or Bibliography

Adams, J., Khan, H. T. A., Raeside, R. and White, D. I. (2007) Research methods for graduate

business and social science students. London: Response Books.

Aguinis, H. and Henle, C.A., 2002. Ethics in research. Handbook of research methods in

industrial and organizational psychology, pp.34-56.

Al-Fadhli, S., 2011. Factors influencing the acceptance of distance-learning: A Case study of

Arab Open University in Kuwait. International Journal of Instructional Media, 38(2),

pp.147-158.

Ali, G.E. and Magalhaes, R., 2008. Barriers to implementing e‐learning: a Kuwaiti case study.

International journal of training and development, 12(1), pp.36-53.

AlShihi, H., 2005, November. E-government development and adoption dilemma: Oman case

study. In 6th International We-B (Working for e-Business) Conference.

Bagnasco, A., Chirico, M., Parodi, G. and Scapolla, A., 2003. A model for an open and flexible

e-training platform to encourage companies’ learning culture and meet employees’

learning needs. Educational Technology & Society, 6(1), pp.55-63.

Bennink, R., 2004. Implementing e-Learning from the Corporate Perspective (online, dostęp

18.10. 2012),” Training and Development in Australia, 31(5), pp.6-9.

Bradburn, N. M., Sudman, S. and Wansink, B. (2004) Asking Questions: The Definitive Guide

to Questionnaire Design - for Market Research, Political Polls, and Social and Health

Questionnaires. 2nd ed., San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Brown, K. G. and Charlier, S. D. (2013) 'An integrative model of e-learning use: leveraging

theory to understand and increase usage', Human Resource Management Review, 23 (1),

pp. 37-49.

51
Chien, T.-C. (2012) 'Computer self-efficacy and factors influencing e-learning effectiveness',

European Journal of Training and Development, 36 (7), pp. 670-686.

Clarke, T. and Hermens, A., 2001. Corporate developments and strategic alliances in e-learning.

Education+ Training, 43(4/5), pp.256-267.

Creswell, J. W. (2014) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods

Approaches. 4th ed., London: Sage Publications.

Dardar, A., Jusoh, A. and Rasli, A.M., 2011. Impact of training on job turnover: Evidence from

contemporary literature. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business,

3(4), pp.929-940.

Deb, T. (2006) Strategic Approach to Human Resource Management: Concept, Tools and

Application. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors.

Derouin, R.E., Fritzsche, B.A. and Salas, E., 2005. E-learning in organizations. Journal of

Management, 31(6), pp.920-940.

Elnaga, A., Imran, A. (2013). The Effect of Training on Employee Performance.

European Journal of Business and Management, 5 (4), pp.137-144.

Figgis, J., Alderson, A., Blackwell, A., Butorac, A., Mitchell, K. and Zubrick, A. (2001). What

convinces enterprises to value training and learning and what does not? A study in using

case studies to develop cultures of training and learning, The Australian National Centre

for Vocational Education.

Grossman, R. and Salas, E., 2011. The transfer of training: what really matters. International

Journal of Training and Development, 15(2), pp.103-120.

52
Hairston, N. and Nafukho, F. M. (2015) 'A study of trainee attitude and satisfaction between e-

learning training versus traditional training', in Nafukho, F. M. and Irby, B. J. (eds.)

Handbook of Research on Innovative Technology Integration in Higher Education.

Hershey, PA: IGI Global, pp. 154-177.

Hanaysha, J. and Tahir, P.R., 2016. Examining the Effects of Employee Empowerment,

Teamwork, and Employee Training on Job Satisfaction. Procedia-Social and Behavioral

Sciences, 219, pp.272-282.

Johnson, R. D., Hornik, S. and Salas, E. (2008) 'An empirical examination of factors contributing

to the creation of successful e-learning environments', International Journal of Human-

Computer Studies, 66 (5), pp. 356-369.

Kemppainen, E., 2017. Factors Affecting Employees' Motivation to Use E-learning for Training.

Kimiloglu, H., Ozturan, M. and Kutlu, B. (2017) 'Perceptions about and attitude toward the

usage of e-learning in corporate training', Computers in Human Behavior, 72 (July), pp.

339-349.

Lee, M. J. W. and McLoughlin, C. (2010) 'Beyond distance and time constraints: applying social

networking tools and web 2.0 approaches to distance learning', in Veletsianos, G. (ed.)

Emerging Technologies in Distance Education. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press,

pp. 61-87.

Lee, Y.H., Hsieh, Y.C. and Ma, C.Y., 2011. A model of organizational employees’e-learning

systems acceptance. Knowledge-based systems, 24(3), pp.355-366.

53
Marquardt, M. J. and Kearsley, G. (1999) Technology-Based Learning: Maximizing Human

Performance and Corporate Success. London: St Lucie Press.

Martin, G. and Siebert, S. (2016) Managing People and Organizations in Changing Contexts. 2nd

ed., London: Routledge.

McCrea, F., Gay, R. K., and Bacon, R. (2000) Riding the big waves: A whitepaper on B2B e-

learning industry, Thomas Weisel Partners LLC, San Francisco.

Morrison, D., 2003. E-learning strategies: how to get implementation and delivery right first

time. John Wiley & Sons.

Neuman, W. L. (2014) Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. 7th

ed., London: Pearson Education.

Newton, R. and Doonga, N., 2007. Corporate e-learning: Justification for implementation and

evaluation of benefits. A study examining the views of training managers and training

providers. Education for Information, 25(2), pp.111-130.

Oppenheim, A. N. (1992) Questionnaire Design, Interviewing and Attitude Measurement. New

Edition, London: Pinter.

Price, A. (2011) Human Resource Management. 4th ed., Andover: South-Western Cengage

Learning.

Raymond, L., Uwizeyemungu, S., Bergeron, F. and Gauvin, S. (2012) 'A framework for research

on e-learning assimilation in SMEs: a strategic perspective', European Journal of

Training and Development, 36 (6), pp. 592-613.

Remenyi, D., Money, A., Price, D. and Bannister, F. (2002) The Creation of Knowledge

Through Case Research, The Irish Journal of Management, 23(2): 1-17.

54
Rosenberg, M.J., 2001. E-learning: Strategies for delivering knowledge in the digital age (Vol.

9). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Sampson, D., Karagiannidis, C., Schenone, A. and Cardinali, F. (2002) Knowledge-on-Demand

in e-Learning and e-Working Settings Educational Technology & Society Journal, 5(2):

107-112.

Sitzmann, T. and Ely, K., 2011. A meta-analysis of self-regulated learning in work-related

training and educational attainment: what we know and where we need to go.

Stewart, J. and McGoldrick, J. (eds.) (1996) Human Resource Development: Perspectives,

Strategies and Practice. London: Prentice Hall.

Stone, D. L., Deadrick, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M. and Johnson, R. (2015) 'The influence of

technology on the future of human resource management', Human Resource Management

Review, 25 (2), pp. 216-231.

Sultana, A., Irum, S., Ahmed, K. and Mehmood, N., 2012. Impact of training on employee

performance: A study of telecommunication sector in Pakistan. Interdisciplinary Journal

of contemporary research in business, 4(6), pp.646-661.

Veletsianos, G. (2010) 'Introduction', in Veletsianos, G. (ed.) Emerging Technologies in

Distance Education. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press, pp. ix-xiv.

Wentling, T.L., Waight, C., Strazzo, D., File, J., La Fleur, J. and Kanfer, A., 2000. The future of

e-learning: A corporate and an academic perspective.

55