The right message for troubled times
Managers face the task of communicating some difficult decisions to an apprehensive workforce as the slowdown bites
Give me your attention
Everyone is wrestling with the problem of winning mindshare to support the growth of market share, writes Stefan Stern
Pfizer chief's cure
In spite of restructuring, Jeff Kindler, boss of the world's largest pharmaceuticals company, does not rule out future acquisitions
The value of office gossip
The rumour mill does not have to be a destructive. Constructively harnessed, it can help manage worker expectations and even act as method of testing out new ideas
Grim Reaper stalks corporate corridors
Entrepreneurs take more career risks than most, so it might be expected that the incidence of suicide would be higher than average, writes Luke Johnson
Turbulent times ? patent opportunities
Ocean Tomo's success highlights the complex market for innovation functioning under the constraints of the credit crisis
Prisons specialist steps out
A software provider to the Belfast security industry has been unlocking its potential after years of shunning publicity
India has drama in store
Shoppers in the subcontinent favour the colour and theatre of the bazaar over more minimalist western store designs, writes Amy Yee
Wave goodbye to complacency
It is not too late to learn important lessons from 2008. Here are five thoughts to bear in mind in 2009, writes Stefan Stern
Departing words of wisdom
The ideal farewell speech should be a subtle balance of humour, memories, reassurance and gratitude
Salvation from innovation
The septuagenarian president of Casio says that a surge in new products will see the company through any recession
Private equity must prove its value
Unless things are done differently, the backers will disappear, the money will dry up and credibility for the profession will be destroyed, writes Luke Johnson
Carmakers set out to regain reputation
After a beating on Capitol Hill, the US manufacturers want to prove critics wrong about their cars
When managers say suit yourself
Some companies are profiting by allowing teams to formulate their own flexible and efficient working arrangements
The secret to survival in 2009
The seemingly dreary business of car hire holds valuable lessons on customer service, writes Stefan Stern


Online University Design
An online university is a web site that provides a complete "one-stop shop" for all your employees' training needs. By logging into an online university, your employees obtain information about newly released training programs, guidance on the programs that are appropriate for them, registration services for both online and classroom courses, and immediate access to their training records. Online universities are not the exclusive province of large corporations. Small and midsize firms that do not have their own private networks can provide online university services to their employees using an ASP (Application Solution Provider) model. Many of the key features of online universities are now offered by a national and international suppliers on an outsourced basis.
How to Teach Adult Learners
Many aspects of teaching adults are fundamentally different than those employed in teaching children. Andragogy is a word popularized at the end of the twentieth century to describe the difference. This article by D. Verne Morland, managing partner of ROI Learning Services, highlights the important principles in teaching adults and suggests how they can be applied to business training.
How to Write Instructional Articles
Instructional articles are very different from articles in reference manuals, product brochures, or even professional literature. This article by Herbert L. Bivens, chief learning officer of ROI Learning Services, defines instructional articles and describes how to write them.
Put Earn in Your Learning
Many companies view training as a component of their employee benefits package - an expense to be controlled, not an investment to be maximized. This attitude is dangerously outdated. Survival in today's global economy requires continuous, cost-effective, world-class training. This article by D. Verne Morland, managing partner of ROI Learning Services, explains how to identify the "earn" in learning and measure the results as you would with any other business investment.
Online and Blended Course Development
Online courses are self-contained, independent-study programs delivered via the worldwide web. They may be relatively simple and short, delivering a little knowledge when and where it is needed. Or they may be sophisticated, multimedia learning experiences that engage students for many hours over several sittings. Online courses are primarily useful for conveying new information; they are less effective in conveying and rehearsing new skills and in motivating students to apply their new knowledge. Blended courses use a combination or blend of instructional methods and delivery technologies to convey information, skills, and motivation to students. Blended courses offer almost all of the same instructional methods and benefits as classroom courses, but with the distinct benefit of being delivered virtually. ROI Learning Services has the expertise to identify which type of course is best for your company's learning needs and we can deliver high quality programs that will have a measurable impact on your business results.
Designing Online Courses for Adult Learners
At most schools of education aspiring teachers are taught the elements of pedagogy – the art and science of teaching children. Many aspects of teaching adults are fundamentally different than those employed in teaching children and for this reason a new word gained currency in the late 20th century – andragogy. This article highlights the important principles in teaching adults and suggests teaching strategies to support these principles in online courses for higher education and corporate learning programs.
ROI Learning Scorecard [tm]
The ROI Learning Scorecard [tm] is based on the Balanced Scorecard concept created in 1992 by Dr. Robert S. Kaplan and Dr. David P. Norton. Having a balanced scorecard requires you to plan, manage, and measure your organization from four perspectives: 1) The Learning and Growth Perspective, 2) The Business Process Perspective, 3) The Customer Perspective, and 4) The Financial Perspective. This philosophy is consistent with ROI Learning's holistic approach to training and organization development. By using our ROI Learning Scorecard your company will focus on and invest in the right programs to build and nurture a continuous learning organization.
Education Consulting
Survival in today's global economy requires world-class performance. World-class performance requires continuous, cost-effective, world-class learning. The consulting and course development services provided by ROI Learning enable businesses in all industries to achieve world-class learning results while maximize the return on their learning investments.
How to Save Money on Training
Significant cost savings can be achieved by using technology to deliver training outside the traditional classroom. This article illustrates the component costs of a hypothetical two-day classroom course delivered to 20 students ten times a year and explains the significant reduction in training costs that can be achieved by using a "blended" delivery approach.
How to Use Training to Improve Your Business Results
Training your employees is an investment in your business and like any smart investment it should have a good rate of return. Although training is not the solution to every problem, where it fits it can improve your sales and sales productivity; it can lower your costs and improve your gross margin; and it can bring expenses into line and increase your profitability. This article explains that by investing in the right programs managers will clearly see the business results and will, at the same time, be creating a highly competitive, continuous learning organization.
List of Services
ROI Learning is a full-service consulting and development firm for technology-enhanced training. We have the experience to help you accomplish all of your training objectives. We can help you: analyze your training needs, start a training program, reduce your training costs, increase your training effectiveness, reach new audiences cost-effectively, develop and deliver online training programs, and measure the impact of training on your business. We can also take a more holistic approach and help you with your education strategy, tactics, programs, and success measures.