The impact of national culture on implementation and sustenance of E-learning in India

Reviewed and Analysed by- 

Surabhi Sathe

E-learning is now main-stay of corporate learning. It’s an inevitability as well as a challenge!Though e learning has varied aspects yet what grabbed my attention was the dimension of cultural diversity impact on e-learning. As we have studied Hofstede’s cultural model during one of our courses, I believe my classmates would be able to relate its organizational impact now more than ever :)

The primary purpose of my blog is to understand the role of national cultural dimensions on e-learning practices in Indian context. India is considered a major player in the world economy today. US multinationals are significantly increasing their presence in India and understanding local HRM practices will help global companies transition better. This blog is an analysis of a conceptual paper presented at 3rd European Academic Workshop on eHRM held in Bamberg, Germany in May 2010. The paper uses the national cultural dimensions of the GLOBE project, which is identified as the most topical theoretical framework on culture. This research proposes that national cultural dimensions of power distance, uncertainty-avoidance, in-group collectivism, and future-orientation influence e-learning practices.  This study provides e-learning strategies for multinationals while integrating two theoretical models. The suggested strategies can be implemented by multinationals in other countries with similar national cultural dimensions also.

Introduction

E-learning: Definition

E-learning can be defined as providing training and development to employees via any electronic medium such as the internet, intranet, satellite TV, video or compact discs (CD). Several terms are used to refer to e-learning such as computer-based-training (CBT), online learning (OL), virtual learning (VL), internet based training (IBT) among several others E-learning can further be divided into synchronous and asynchronous methods. 


ASYNCHRONOUS E-LEARNING methods provide immense flexibility to the learners allowing them learn the online material at their own convenience and pace. Further, the learner and the trainer may not be communicating online at the same time.

SYNCHRONOUS E-LEARNING allows for concurrent discussion among learners and trainers through enhanced technological capabilities such as video-conferences and live chats providing a very social learning environment. 

Challenges in adopting e-learning

E-learning provides employees a self-paced, autonomous, repetitive, cost-effective and flexible method of training. On the other hand, an instructor-based training encourages group interaction, identifies the training expert, and provides a sense of formality. 
The paper talks about several challenges with the adoption of e-learning; 1) National cultures, 2) learning and thinking styles, 3) age of trainee audience 4) polychronic and monochronic concept of time, and 5) technical infrastructure 6) translation issues. 


For the sake of limited scope of our expressions here, I would focus more on the aspect of National cultural dimensions of power-distance, uncertainty-avoidance, institutional collectivism, and future orientation that have shown to influence methods of e-learning in training. 
While finding its base in literatures this paper identifies that high power-distance cultures prefer to have subject matter experts disseminate training information. Further in such cultures an authority delivering the training content has better results on trainees who feel a sense of obligation to learn from such experts. 


The literature also implies that high uncertainty-avoidance cultures prefer to have any approach to training that reduces the uncertainty in mastering the training content. E-learning is considered risky due to problems that trainees may encounter in the learning process, such as technological or navigational problems. 


It also suggests that collectivist cultures prefer a group approach to learning as it satisfies their communal interest in learning and also demonstrates concern for the entire group‘s learning outcomes. On the other hand, individualistic cultures reflect a strong emphasis on self-growth and individual potential which e-learning methods provide. 


Employees from cultures with high future orientation have a strong focus on their future career prospects and hence any form of education or training is cherished. Learning approaches of deductive and inductive influence training methods such that deductive learners prefer to have an emphasis on the training process while inductive learners focus on the results of training. Collectivist cultures prefer a deductive reasoning style, while individualistic cultures prefer an inductive learning style.

Learning theories and National Cultural Dimensions

Learning theories help understand how individuals process, store, and recall information that is being learnt. Amongst various theories on learning are the behaviorist, cognitive learning, constructivist, social learning, and social constructivist theories.


The social constructivist theory suggests that learning is a strong domain of the socio-cultural environment and individuals develop and construct their learning styles based on their social and cultural interactions. 


The paper explores that individuals learn based on how they have been exposed to learning through their social and cultural environment. The paper integrates the social constructivist learning theory and national cultural dimensions to identify their influence on e-learning methods in India. 


Below is the table depicting how different attributes of cultural dimensions can impact e-learning and based upon the impact what are the strategies MNCs formulate for its smooth implementation.

multinationals strategic e-learning implications relevant to the specific national cultural dimensions.

Our Take

High power-distance learning cultures demonstrate a strong need to have power vested in an expert which e-learning services may not accommodate.

High uncertainty-avoidance  cultures  find  IT  services quite  risky  (technological  problems)  and  hence  do  not  consider  any  e-HRM  services reliable (such as e-recruitment, e-learning).

Collectivist cultures have a strong need for face-to face interactions which e-learning may not be very conducive to.

While e-learning  is  generally  considered  self-paced,  continuous,  and  a  flexible  method  of learning  (actual  IT  values  of  e-learning),  the  society‘s  values  (India)  may  consider  e-learning  unreliable  (lack  of  subject  matter  experts),  undependable  (chronic  power outages and low internet penetration) and not engaging (no group interactions).

For  e-learning  initiatives  to  be  successful  overseas,  practitioners  should  conduct  a cultural  analysis  and  understand  the  role  of  national  cultural  dimensions  on  HRM practices. Based on this deduction, e-learning programs can be modified to provide and get the best from employees in different cultures. 

Today’s focus rests on an economy that is moving forward in leaps and bounds. Multinationals are  establishing to India at an increasing pace with about 15,000  joint-ventures  in  India  today. As the paper emphasizes that India and China are going to be the most successful emerging economies with India becoming the world‘s―back-office and China becoming the ―factory of the world, multinationals should increase their awareness of cultural practices in these upcoming economies so that their international transitions are easier.

Reference:

E-learning in India - The Role of National Culture and Practical Implications 

By Pramila Rao, Marymount University Arlington, USA 

Pramila.Rao@marymount.edu

Presented in 3rd European Academic Workshop on E-HRM, 20-21 May,2010 ,Bamberg, Germany