Obstacles to distance training and education in corporate organizations Available to Purchase

While distance education is on a fast growth curve currently, there are many barriers that must be overcome. The results reported here are from persons working in corporate organizations (n=448). Takes the perspective that various organizations are at different stages or levels of capabilities with regard to distance education. The research questions reported are: do distance educators in the corporate sector perceive different barriers depending upon the maturity of their organization’s capabilities in distance education; and as the organization’s distance education competency as a whole matures, will the overall number or intensity of perceived barriers to distance education be reduced? The evidence from the responses to this survey indicates that there is a relationship between an organization’s level of capability in distance education and the barriers to distance education reported by respondents for some but not all barriers. The analysis of this survey also supports the proposition that corporate trainers and educators perceive fewer, or less intense, barriers in organizations that are more capable delivering distance education.