A Study of Managers’ Competence Needs and Potential Benefits of an LMS at the Workplace

Abstract: Technical development creates new opportunities for technical solutions, but also places higher demands on both users and people who develop it. In addition, trends and organizational changes in the workplace constantly place new demands on employees. Consequently, competence development is a key for companies that want to be at the forefront of technical development. This is sometimes arranged in the form of blended learning which refers to a blending of traditional face-to-face instruction and remote online teaching. The latter - online teaching - has become an increasingly popular and important method for competence development and is not seldom provided via a certain type of digital platform called learning management system (LMS). Consulting companies strive to offer customers smart solutions and competent consultants. While there are many stakeholders, managers, in particular, at consulting companies play a key role in meeting these aspirations. Therefore, this study focuses on three parameters of competence development among managers at consulting firms: what competencies are needed, wanted or expected from managers? what are the attitudes and expectations from managers on a digital platform for learning? and how can a LMS benefit managers’ competence development? To answer these questions, a literature review was performed in order to map features of LMS and create an understanding of workplace learning. Then, data was collected through the combination of semi-structured interviews and a collaborative creation of concept maps with seven managers from two departments of the Swedish engineering consulting company Etteplan. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the collected data was performed, where interesting features of the data were coded. These codes were then arranged into 13 unique themes which represented common expressions and ideas. The themes were then grouped into categories: needs and wishes, expectations on and from Etteplan and learning opportunities and obstacles. Finally, each theme was clarified with definitions and exemplifying quotes from the interviews. The results show 13 concepts that managers want, need or are expected to develop, but also opportunities and obstacles related to competence development. Furthermore, most interviewed managers hold positive attitudes towards a digital platform for learning. Then, ten characteristics of how an LMS could benefit managers’ competence development are presented. Lastly, a discussion of functional design requirements on LMS systems from a literature review was provided to give a useful interpretation of the results.