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White Paper on Marketing E-Learning Within Organizations Released by Hawthorne Associates

Marketing Firm Highlights Ways to Accelerate E-Learning Adoption

Salem, MA -- April 30, 2002 -- Hawthorne Associates (http://www.hawthornemedia.com), a marketing firm specializing in the corporate training and manufacturing sectors, today released its new white paper, "Getting the Organization to Adopt E-Learning--From Challenge to Action". The paper was designed to help organizations maximize investments in e-learning and outlines techniques to foster support among learners and management.

Although learning delivered over the Internet and company intranets promises both global-reach and clear cost savings, studies have shown that many corporate e-learning programs have struggled because employees have either chosen not to enroll or have failed to finish online courses. The paper suggests that a lack of planning to help employees adapt to this new learning style is a possible contributor to the problem.

"In real life, if you build it they don't always come," said Christine Sullivan, author of the white paper and president of Hawthorne Associates. "Despite the fact that e-learning has been projected to be a multi-billion dollar industry in the next few years, many learners continue to be reluctant to try it. We have become increasingly concerned that e-learning's potential may not be reached unless organizations market it effectively to both executives and employees."

Hawthorne has made the white paper titled "Getting the Organization to Adopt E-Learning--From Challenge to Action" available, at no charge, on its website at:
http://www.hawthornemedia.com/whitepaper

Sullivan suggests that one reason for this reluctance to embrace e-learning stems from the considerable differences between e-learning and traditional classroom-based instruction. E-learning, Sullivan contends, requires employees to adapt to real change and most internal training and HR departments have little experience with marketing programs to employees.

"Usually these organizations believe that if a program is underway, managers, supervisors and employees will freely join in," she said. "But e-learning is different. Learners continue to think of learning as an activity that takes place in the classroom, not at their desk. As a result, any organization must make a positive effort to encourage learners to enroll in and complete e-learning courses."

The white paper contains a virtual how-to program to assist organizations with maximizing their e-learning investments as well as methods for encouraging employees to learn online. In Part I the paper addresses change management issues and makes a number of suggestions to help organizations deal with the changes that a move to a new style of learning entails. Part II offers a practical, hands-on approach to internal marketing of e-learning.

"We wrote this white paper to help organizations achieve success with e-learning," Sullivan commented. "We know that studies show that companies that spend the most on training do better than those that spend the least. This means that training is an investment that can yield substantial bottom line results. The advice in this white paper will help achieve those goals."

Visit on http://www.hawthornemedia.com to download your copy of this new white paper.

About Hawthorne Associates

Hawthorne Associates is a 16-year-old marketing and PR firm specializing in the training/learning and manufacturing industries. Hawthorne provides services to training/learning suppliers of all kinds and consults to corporate departments to help them maximize the adoption of e-learning initiatives. Hawthorne Associates (http://www.hawthornemedia.com) is located at 60 Washington St., Salem, MA, and can be contacted at 978-745-4878 or by e-mailing chris@hawthorneassociates.com.