MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire - December 3, 2008) - Expertus (
www.expertus.com), a global
provider of services that optimize the business impact of learning, and
Training Industry, Inc. (
www.trainingindustry.com), an objective and
trusted expert on the marketplace for learning, recently announced the
findings from their joint November 2008 study, "Measuring Learning as
Budgets Tighten." The study reveals that far more training budgets are
decreasing than increasing in 2009. Despite the need to demonstrate the
return on increasingly limited training investments, the study found that
ROI and business impact metrics are not being used very often. The full
results report can be viewed at:
http://www.trainingefficiency.com/system/files/Survey+Results_Learning+Measurement_+Expertus_Nov08.pdf.
For 2009, over twice as many respondents expect budget decreases rather
than increases. Forty-eight percent expect their budgets to decrease in
2009, up from 41% in 2008. By contrast, only 17% expect their budgets to
increase in 2009, up from 31% in 2008. Similarly, since 2008 budgets were
first approved, far more saw decreases (38%) than increases (11%).
"This research offers perspective on the current business environment's
impact on training budgets and how organizations are measuring their
activities," said Ramesh Ramani, Founder and CEO of Expertus. "With nearly
half (48%) of respondents watching their budgets decrease for 2009, the
challenge becomes measuring investments and understanding their impact."
As training budgets become more limited in today's challenging economy, it
is increasingly important to demonstrate the impact of training funds
through effective measurements. However, this survey of corporate training
professionals revealed that volume and cost metrics, as well as Kirkpatrick
Level I and II evaluations, are still used far more than business impact or
return on investment metrics. As a result, those metrics are seldom used to
influence budget or other types of important decisions. However, when they
are collected, cost, ROI and business metrics are almost always used to
support budget requests.
"We weren't surprised that there is a connection between how difficult a
metric is to collect and how often it is collected," added Doug Harward,
CEO of Training Industry, Inc. "However, we recommend that organizations
make measuring the value and impact of learning a priority. This way,
training organizations can make better informed budgetary decisions about
which training should be supported and which training needs to be
improved."
In addition to reporting on budget changes and metrics use, this research
report also provides fresh data on:
-- How cost reduction pressure is increasing;
-- Major challenges of learning measurement; and
-- Types of decisions that are well-supported by learning metrics and
reporting capabilities.
To learn more on this topic, some of the survey results will be shared
along with four guiding measurement principles in Expertus' related webinar
on December 4, "Numbers Don't Lie: The Four Universal Truths for Learning
Measurement."
To register for this free webinar, go to:
http://www.expertus.com/webinar4/pr.
The survey was completed by 84 corporate and government training
professionals in organizations with varying sizes throughout 19 industries.
Technology companies represented 25% of all survey-takers, while banking
and finance companies were represented by almost one in six respondents.
To view the full results of the study and supporting charts, visit
http://www.trainingefficiency.com/system/files/Survey+Results_Learning+Measurement_+Expertus_Nov08.pdf.
About Expertus
Expertus is the leading global provider of services that optimize the
business impact of learning. For more than a decade, the firm's 500+
learning management professionals have defined and implemented plans,
processes and technologies that transform training organizations --
creating measurable value for the world's most successful corporations.
Clients include ADP, Cisco, ConocoPhillips, EMC, Honeywell and Lockheed
Martin. Every day at these and other companies, more than a million
employees, customers and business partners are educated as a result of
Expertus' innovative business strategies, outsourcing services and
technology-rich solutions.
Based in Silicon Valley, Expertus serves its clients from offices in the
US, UK and India. For more information, visit
www.expertus.com, or call
toll-free (877) 827-8160.
About Training Industry, Inc.
Training Industry, Inc. is an objective and trusted expert on the
marketplace for learning. Its mission is to make the marketplace more
efficient through the world's largest online community of training
communities and through services such as Training Industry Conferences,
Training Industry Quarterly Ezine, Training Industry Webinars and Training
Industry Research. For more information, go to
www.trainingindustry.com or
call (919) 653-4990.
Contact Information: Press Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
CSG-PR
(720) 933-8119