Leveraging the corporate university model to develop and deliver customized course content

Abstract

Purpose These experiences can provide two significant findings for researchers and other organizations seeking to develop similar training programs. Design/methodology/approach This paper documents how a financial institution developed a customized bank accounting course for its employees through the well-researched and frequently used “Corporate University Model.” It did so through leveraging the educational expertise of a local university professor, and the subject matter expertise of bank managers. The organization followed up on this success by developing a customized risk management course. As before, the bank utilized the Corporate University Model. However, the content was more specialized than that of the previous course since it related to the unique operations of the organization. Therefore, the bank found it necessary to make some adjustments to its development and delivery approach. Findings First, even though corporate universities are often depicted as complex separate entities within companies, the Corporate University Model can be successfully utilized to develop and deliver individual courses that are managed by individual departments. Second, the bank’s risk management course demonstrated how a professional instructor could be used in conjunction with a company’s subject matter experts to effectively deliver course content. This approach is very effective with course content that is unique to the organization’s specific operations. Research limitations/implications While literature indicates that corporate universities often involve the creation of a separate entity, which can be difficult to configure due to their complexity (Lui Abel and Li, 2012), the leveraging of the CU model to construct and deliver single courses has not been explored. Additionally, the existing models do not discuss how roles outlined in the CU model (Patrucco et al., 2017) may change due to content complexity. From a limitation standpoint, it would be helpful to apply this approach to additional courses and organizations. Additionally, data could be collected to evaluate course effectiveness by learning goal. Practical implications This case study shows that the CU model has value for individual courses that continue to reside and be managed in the departments that developed them. Additionally, it shows that even though a professional instructor may not have all requisite knowledge in more specific knowledge domains, this can be solved by involving SMEs in content delivery. This still allows the benefit of a professional instructor who is skilled in course delivery and development. Originality/value These findings provide insights that have not been described in other papers that detail the application of the Corporate University Model. This helps to expand the manner in which companies can attain its benefits.

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