Measuring The Business Impact of E‐Learning: An Empirical Study

This study fills a gap in the current HRD literature of return on investment (ROI) analysis of technology‐based learning interventions. Using a Type IV control group method as defined by Wang (2002), the study empirically analyzed and measured the learning effectiveness and the business impact of an e‐learning system implemented in General Electric Company. The e‐learning system under study demonstrated significant economic returns in regard to reduced learning response time and reduced project cycle time. The study shows that e‐learning, as a means of technology‐based HRD intervention, can be highly effective as a performance support learning mechanism, although the results also suggest that e‐learning alone is not sufficient to replace the traditional face‐to‐face learning platforms.     

Control Group Methods for HPT Program Evaluation and Measurement

This research contributes to the methodologies in HPT program evaluation and measurement that are fairly lacking to date. First, a theoretical foundation for a control group is established based on a brief review of control group applications in various fields. Then, four types of control groups applicable to HPT program evaluation and measurement are defined and classified, and threats to internal and external validity in control group applications are explored. Lastly, four evaluation and measurement scenarios are presented for an E‐learning program to demonstrate the applicability of the control group methods for HPT program evaluation and ROI measurement.