SESSION ABSTRACT: In addition to striving to improve the performance of their workforces, global organizations often use learning initiatives to break down barriers and create a common culture among widely dispersed employees. This session will examine one of these initiatives, the General Motors Academy of Excellence, an integrated learning system that for the last nine years has served 80,000 sales and service technicians in 21 countries across Europe. Participants will learn how this initiative was designed and implemented, and they will explore the challenges of balancing the desire for a common learning approach with the benefits of accommodating the unique cultural and language needs of individual countries. Included in the discussion will be a review of key learnings and critical success factors for work in a diverse environment, as well as the program's performance measurements.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Design and implement a multi-national integrated learning system using critical success factors. Recognize the issues that are likely to arise in working to improve the performance of a diverse workforce. Apply the characteristics of an integrated learning system.