Training on a tight rope.

• Author: Groves, Shanna
• Position: Up front: news, trends & analysis - Brief Article

Elaborate training meetings are not always possible in today's tight economy. Faced with smaller professional development budgets than a year ago, many executives are scratching their heads about how to train staff effectively. Some are finding the answer right at their fingertips. E-learning is gaining new appreciation -- and profit -- in the corporate world, where contingency budgets are a given yet quality training is a must.

In fact, e-learning is expected to become one-third of the $100 billion corporate training market by mid-decade, according to a Gartner report by James Lundy.

Maggie Rueda, president of consulting firm HPT Corp., cites five factors for the explosion in e-learning use. They are:

* The decline in unnecessary business travel since September 11, creating a need for alternative learning initiatives that are not dependent on location

* A growing number of companies have acquired computer hardware necessary to enact e-learning programs company-wide, regardless of location. These include intranet sites that can be used to develop a learning management system.

* The growing perception of intellectual capital as a tool for competitive advantage. Businesses "now finally understand that they can add to...