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Developing partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization of tuition assistance and quality digital education: an innovation study

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Developing partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization of tuition assistance and quality digital education: an innovation study

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Content i
DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EDUCATION PROVIDERS AND FORTUNE
500 COMPANIES TO INCREASE THE UTILIZATION OF TUITION ASSISTANCE AND
QUALITY DIGITAL EDUCATION: AN INNOVATION STUDY
by
Jennifer M. Zivic
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
August 2020
Copyright 2020 Jennifer Zivic
ii
Acknowledgements
The motivation for taking on a doctoral program and producing a dissertation I am proud
of comes from my grandmother Evelyn, who was not afforded the opportunity of an education
past the sixth grade regardless of her intellect and absolute love of knowledge, learning, and
reading. Through me, you now have that.
My biggest thank you is to my perfect mum, Patti Lou, and extraordinary brother, Fritz.
Your unwavering support is what gave me the confidence, drive, and sense of purpose to
persevere when it was hardest. You are and will always be my true north.
A warm sense of comradery and appreciation goes out to my peers in Cohort 10 of the
USC Organizational Change and Leadership EdD program, and especially to those that knew
instinctively when a supportive text or chat was really needed, you know who you are. This is an
accomplished and amazing group and I am so proud to be in your company. In particular I would
like to thank my dear friends in the “min-c”; Sharon Meyers, Jason Steinas, Deborah Elder, and
Trevor Rosenberg. Your partnership was a light and lift every step of the way.
Thank you to Dr. Eric Canny, without your guidance and empathetic ear this would not
have been possible. Thank you as well to Dr. Courtney Malloy for the time, effort, and patience
you spent as my dissertation chair.
Stephen, yes, we can capitalize that “D” now in Doctor.
Finally, thank you grandpa Zivic for instilling the will to “fight” even when feeling like
an underdog. And Dad, I really hope you can see this!
iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... ii

List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................v

List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... vii

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ viii

Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1
Background of the Problem .................................................................................................2
Field-Based Global Goal......................................................................................................4
Importance of Field Innovation ...........................................................................................5
Description of Stakeholder Groups ......................................................................................7
Stakeholder Group for the Study .........................................................................................7
Purpose of the Project and Questions ..................................................................................8
Methodological Framework .................................................................................................8
Definitions............................................................................................................................9
Organization of the Study ..................................................................................................11

Chapter Two: Literature Review ...................................................................................................12
Corporate Tuition Assistance History and Landscape .......................................................12
Digital Education ...............................................................................................................17
Education Provider and Corporate Partnerships ................................................................21
Clark and Estes’ Gap Analysis Conceptual Framework ....................................................25
Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation and
the Organizational Context ................................................................................................44
Conclusion .........................................................................................................................47

Chapter Three: Methods ................................................................................................................48
Methodological Approach and Rationale ..........................................................................48
Sampling Criteria ...............................................................................................................49
Sampling Strategy ..............................................................................................................50
Recruitment ........................................................................................................................50
Data Collection and Instrumentation .................................................................................50
Data Analysis Plan .............................................................................................................52
Credibility and Trustworthiness .........................................................................................53
Ethics..................................................................................................................................55

Chapter Four: Results and Findings ...............................................................................................57
Participating Stakeholders .................................................................................................57
Results and Findings ..........................................................................................................59
Additional Observations: Quality perceptions of online education .................................113
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................116

iv
Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations........................................................................117
Discussion ........................................................................................................................117
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences ..........................................121
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan ..............................................................152
Limitations and Delimitations ..........................................................................................167
Implications for Future Research .....................................................................................169
Researcher Reflections.....................................................................................................171
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................173

References ....................................................................................................................................175

Appendices ...................................................................................................................................186
Appendix A: Interview Guide ..........................................................................................186
Appendix B: Evaluation Tool - 3 and 6-Month Milestone ..............................................189
Appendix C: Evaluation Tool - 1 Year Milestone (6 Months after last Evaluation) .......192

v
List of Tables
Table 1 Knowledge Influence, Knowledge Type, and Knowledge Assessment 32
Table 2 Motivation Influences and Assessments 37
Table 3 Organization Influences and Organization Influence Assessments 43
Table 4 Summary Table of Assumed Influences on Performance 44
Table 5 Participating Executive Sample Demographics 58
Table 6 Barriers to Employee Participation in Tuition Assistance 64
Table 7 Barriers to Employer Promotion of Tuition Assistance 68
Table 8 Employee Benefits of Increased Skills and Knowledge 71
Table 9 Needs for Partnership Value and Formation 75
Table 10 Goal-Related Challenges to Developing Partnerships 81
Table 11 Employer Benefits from Participation in Tuition Assistance 85
Table 12 Partnership Benefits that Create Value 90
Table 13 Cultural Challenges to Developing Partnerships for Tuition Assistance 94
Table 14 Resources Needed for Partnership Development 107
Table 15 Qualities Needed for Partnership Development 111
Table 16 Quality Perceptions of Online Education 114
Table 17 Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 124
Table 18 Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 136
Table 19 Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations 143
Table 20 Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 154
Table 21 Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation 158
Table 22 Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 160
vi
Table 23 Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program 164
Table 24 Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 165

vii
List of Figures
Figure 1 Conceptual Framework Map 46

viii
Abstract
The overall goal of this study was to identify potential solutions for increasing corporate
partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase utilization of
tuition assistance (TA) and quality digital education, which can improve individual fulfillment
and organization performance. This study utilizes the Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge,
motivation, and organization (KMO) framework. The researcher interviewed 19 participating
U.S. education providers already employing digital education delivery, some of whom were
executives at online program managers (OPMs) and some of whom were administrators at major
universities.
This study identifies notable areas to address in partnership design, such as ability to
measure impact, communication of critical data, alignment of goals, accountability measures,
product innovation, and allocation of resources. Based on the interview findings, in conjunction
with a thorough literature review, this study outlines recommendations centered on promoting
digital education collaborations based on increasing the ROI of TA participation for increased
employee growth and improved organizational performance needed for economic survival.
Building capacity in the following areas informed the recommended solutions: (a) knowledge of
TA benefits and competitive landscape; (b) knowledge of reasons employers do not promote and
employees do not participate at a higher rate in TA programs; (c) knowledge of how to leverage
knowledge and skills transfer from education to the job; (d) knowledge of how to communicate
outcomes and strategically form partnerships; (e) perceived value in goal setting and expecting
success; and (f) organization cultural models and settings for promoting partnership and change
value.

ix
Keywords: corporate partnerships, tuition assistance, tuition reimbursement, digital education, tuition
benefits, online program managers, online education, degree requirements, knowledge requirements,
knowledge transfer, online education providers, human capital theory, economic survival, higher
education, working professionals.

1
Chapter One: Introduction
While more than 80% of employers offer some form of tuition assistance (TA), only five
percent of employees participate in the programs (Becker et al., 2018; EdAssist, 2016). Ismail
(2016) suggests the reason for this disparity is that employers do not always recognize the
potential return on investment (ROI) of increased education in lower turnover rates and
improved performance. At the same time, employees tend not to see their ROI within the
company from the degree or certificate earned in the form of promotion, increased
compensation, responsibility, or growth (Ismail, 2016). To counteract these findings, Molina-
Ray (2013) found employers’ efforts to demonstrate organizational support through actively
encouraging employees to pursue higher education or include additional education in
professional growth plans can result in more employees taking advantage of professional
development opportunities and remaining at the company after degrees or certificates are
obtained.
Working professionals most commonly cite cost, the associated ROI, and location as
challenges to postsecondary degree and training participation (Dougherty, 2009; EdAssist, 2016;
Weathers, 2018). These barriers can be addressed through digital programs which have grown
rapidly in the last decade, as online education typically results in lower cost options and more
convenience (EdAssist, 2016; McPherson, 2015). However, online educational options are not
always perceived as high-quality, and many programs from reputable institutions, in particular,
can still be costly (Fong et al., 2017). One way to mitigate these issues is to support greater use
of company TA programs to cover quality online education costs.
2
This dissertation is focused on examining the viability of partnerships between Fortune
500 companies and online education providers for the purposes of increasing the use of TA and
participation in continuing education and professional development.
Background of the Problem
It is important for working professionals to continue their education to improve
knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors needed for professional, technical, and managerial
positions, as well as increase career opportunities, income potential, fulfillment, and self-efficacy
(Abadzi, 2016; Becker et al., 2018; Brint & Clotfelter, 2016; Thomas & Paul, 2019).
Additionally, the resulting improvements to the workforce are important for organizations
because the individual growth from education improves organizational performance by inducing
commitment, innovation, adapting to sophisticated technology, fostering critical thinking,
inspiring collaboration, and developing better communication intended to increase profits and
societal contributions (Abadzi, 2016; Becker et al., 2018; Brint & Clotfelter, 2016; Thomas &
Paul, 2019). Advancing complex cognition and skills for the individual, and systemic
improvements for the workplace require creativity, communication, collaboration, critical
thinking, and technological expertise. Effective education and training is built by combining and
automatizing shorter chains of thoughts or behaviors that can be learned to meet these
requirements (Abadzi, 2016). An effective learning process requires practice, feedback, and
rearrangements of subcomponents over time. Marketable skills are skills which are perfected
through the process and performed fluently and without excessive cognitive load for the
organization or individual (Abadzi, 2016). The marketable skills gained are the primary reason it
is important to seek professional development and further education. TA can assist participation
potential in development and education outside of the organizations training resources.
3
Numerous studies have suggested that the rate at which students are continuing their
higher education through online opportunities is growing exponentially (Casey, 2008; Fong et
al., 2017; Lease & Brown, 2009; McPherson, 2015; Sumner, 2000). For working adults, online
programs are often the only choice for pursuing higher education (Amaro, 2013). At the same
time, cost of the investment, expected return, and convenience hinder the growth needed to be
successful in a more technological world (Dobbs, 2017; Dougherty, 2009; McPherson, 2015;
Moloney & Oakley, 2010; Page, 2016). TA can be a solution to the cost issue, yet seminal
literature on the history of TA usage suggests employees and employers may not see the relevant
ROI in human capital (Becker, 1962; Cappelli, 2004; Flaherty, 2007; Lee, 1997; Marshall,
2006).
Online educational choices currently available to employees include massive open online
courses (MOOCs), certification courses like Six Sigma, short certificate courses or boot camps
on specific skills offered by reputable universities, short continuing education courses developed
by companies like LinkedIn, and asynchronous programs through online-only institutions like
the University of Phoenix (Lowenthal, 2015; McPherson, 2015; Sumner, 2000). Often, these
options fulfill a very specific requirement through an expedited format. These choices contrast
with comprehensive accredited online degree programs founded on long-standing, on-campus
programs at top universities (Lowenthal, 2015). However, there has not been much recent work
on how employers evaluate performance improvement after an employee earns a degree or
completes additional learning. The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning surveyed 1,304
companies and found one-third of employers do not know what improvement their TA programs
provide and 36% did not compare the performance of employees who participated in the various
programs to that of those who had not (EdAssist, 2016; Johnson, 2005). Thus, employer
4
consideration of how the new skills gained affect employees’ compatibility with their jobs is
lacking, creating a discrepancy between current positions and plans for career growth (Marshall,
2006).
Partnerships between corporations and online higher education are new, but they may
offer an innovative strategy to increasing participation in higher education opportunities through
communication regarding TA (Bersin & Associates, 2012; Dougherty, 2009; Eisenbarth, 2003;
Pucciarelli, 2016; Smolkin, 2016). When the partnerships do exist, they often involve minimal
employer-to-employee communication and few online degree program options (Smolkin, 2016;
Wan, 2019). Often, they are administered through education providers with a narrow scope. An
example is Guild Education, a TA management organization that acts as a liaison for large
organizations to promote undergraduate degrees from a relatively short list of universities. The
commonly cited examples are Starbucks, Discover Financial Services, and Chipotle Mexican
Grill (Forbes, 2018). Starbucks partners with Arizona State University (ASU). Discover partners
with the University of Florida, Wilmington University, and Brandman University. Chipotle
partners with the University of Denver, Bellevue University, the University of Florida,
Wilmington University, and Brandman University (Burry, 2019).
Field-Based Global Goal
This dissertation is focused on increasing the number of partnerships between Fortune
500 companies and education providers to improve the utilization of TA for the purposes of
increasing continuing education and professional development among employees. Achievement
of the goal may improve ROI, enhance the workforce, increase individual fulfillment, strengthen
organizations, and broaden the reach of education (Weathers, 2018).

5
Importance of Field Innovation
The partnership innovation is important because an incremental rise in education and
training participation by employees supported by employer funding benefits the employee and
employer by creating increased performance, growth, and commitment. This is a result of the
positive contribution and direct application of what is learned to the job, in the organization, and
across a career path. TA becomes a strategic talent management and employee engagement
investment leading to improved outcomes and reduced cost, while employees are able to reach
their personal development goals resulting from their time investment (EdAssist, 2016;
Weathers, 2018). Notably, the new knowledge cycle is affecting the ROI of continuing education
in recent years. The knowledge cycle refers to the length of time required to transform
information from education or training into knowledge to be used on a job or within an
organization by an individual. The knowledge cycle is speeding up based on the pace at which
we need to apply new information becoming faster and faster due to technological advances
(Wan, 2019). The faster pace is demanding education take less time to complete, causing
concern for lengthy degree programs that span years and an increase in the need for shorter
courses and boot camps. ROI perception remains a challenge to participation in advancing
education, regardless of the benefits, because of the opportunity cost to employers and
employees, the speed at which knowledge needs to be applied, and unclear application of
knowledge and skills to jobs (EdAssist, 2016; Weathers, 2018).
If TA benefits are used to fund increased participation in quality online programs
encouraged by corporate partnerships, continuing education advances the workforce. Such an
innovation adds organizational value because companies cultivate a higher performing
workplace, and employees realize their career potential. Furthermore, in 2020, two-thirds of all
6
jobs in the U.S. will require some form of higher education, yet, as of 2018, only about 45% of
Americans had at least a 2-year degree or equivalent credential (Becker et al., 2018; Weathers,
2018). Of the 55 million jobs requiring postsecondary credentials, five million are estimated to
go unfilled due to new job creation and Baby Boomers leaving the workforce (Becker et al.,
2018). Increased usage of human capital investment through TA programs may help narrow the
achievement gap partially caused by lack of communication of what is learned and what jobs
require, decreasing the number of unfilled jobs (Becker et al., 2018; Marshall, 2006). For the
knowledge economy to grow and organizational performance to improve, all providers of
education, from online program managers (OPMs) to universities to employers, have a role in
ensuring more Americans earn postsecondary credentials (Weathers, 2018).
A need to innovate in the professional development and on-going learning space exists
because of increased globalization and competitive challenges. Broadening the application of
multistakeholder alliances between diverse organizations concerned with applicability of higher
education is an innovation that may encourage the development of human resources as a
necessary condition for sustainable organizational growth (D’Aunno et al., 2019; Thomas &
Paul, 2019). Knowledge sharing between education and industry creates intangible support and
ultimately drives organizations towards innovation and growth, starting at the employee level
(Thomas & Paul, 2019). Employee and employer benefits have the potential to increase
participation in TA and viability of partnerships because the learning is potentially more
relevant, applicable, and targeted. The competitive edge organizations can achieve depends on
organizational learning and innovation. An innovative application of university and industry
partnerships flourishes because it helps firms access differentiated knowledge, learning, and
7
automation including knowledge transfer across an external relationship and knowledge transfer
in the internal organizational relationships (Thomas & Paul, 2019).
Description of Stakeholder Groups
The key stakeholder groups who directly contribute to the partnership goal are Fortune
500 company human resource executives, OPM marketing executives, university administrators,
and partner organization employees. Fortune 500 company human resource executives would
contribute to the achievement of the goal by communicating the value of employee education
options, working closely with online providers to ensure relevant quality digital offerings, and
providing the organizational resources required to participate. OPM marketing executives would
contribute to the achievement of the goal by communicating the quality of online continuing
education options and providing additional incentives for enrolling through their partnerships.
Universities would contribute to the achievement of the goal by establishing relationships with
OPMs to assist in delivering high-quality, location-independent digital education or by launching
and maintaining their own digital education independently. Partner organization employees
would contribute to the achievement of the field goal by investing their time, effort, and
complementary personal funds into new educational opportunities.
Stakeholder Group for the Study
Although a complete analysis would involve all stakeholder groups, for practical
purposes, influential executives and administrators at market leader online education providers
constituted the stakeholder group of focus for this study. Executives and administrators with
influence are those which have a voice in present or future partnership discussions. For the
purposes of this study online education providers include both universities that offer education
options digitally, and OPMs. The stakeholder group was selected because of a professional
8
interest in the online education provider role, as well as the need to generate initial buy-in from
this group in order for the specific partnerships to be viable and increase participation. When
executives and administrators responsible for innovation in the digital education industry see the
partnership benefit, the goal will be achieved because relationships will be initiated.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this study was to understand the areas of knowledge and skills,
motivation, and organizational resources necessary to develop successful partnerships between
Fortune 500 companies and online education providers with the intention of improving the use
of TA to further higher education. The analysis began by generating a list of assumed needs and
moved to examining these systematically to focus on actual or validated needs. While a complete
needs analysis would focus on all stakeholders, the stakeholders in this study are online
education provider executives and administrators with influence. The questions that will guide
this study are:
1. What is the online education provider executive knowledge and motivation related to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
2. What is the interaction between online education provider organizational culture and
context and executives’ knowledge and motivation related to developing partnerships
that will increase TA participation?
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
Methodological Framework
Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis framework that helps clarify organizational
performance goals and identify the gap between actual performance level and preferred
9
performance level within an organization will be adapted to address the research questions.
Drawing on the framework, assumed knowledge, motivation, and organizational needs were
generated based on personal knowledge and related literature. These assumed needs were
examined through qualitative interviews with online education provider executives and
administrators.
Definitions
Boot camps: Specific skills training programs that provide intensive, accelerated, and
hands-on learning curricula over a specified period of time or intervals.
Bundles: An education offering where diversified courses are stacked or layered together
into one product with a common theme.
Cost barrier: The monetary obstacle of total expenditure needed for a potential student to
further their education.
Emotional intelligence: The ability to understand, manage, and use your emotions in
positive ways, often in the context of relieving stress, communicating effectively, empathizing
with others, and overcoming challenges or conflict.
Fortune 500 companies: Publicly held and privately held corporations, for which
revenues are publicly available, that are ranked as the largest by total revenue.
Higher education: Education beyond high school; in this case, degree-based education at
a college or university and advanced continuing education in the form of short certification
courses and boot camps.
Knowledge cycle: The length of time and process required to transform information from
education or training into knowledge to be used on a job or within an organization.
10
Knowledge transfer: The application of knowledge and skills from education and training
to a job or an organization.
Location barrier: The challenge of close proximity to a university necessary for a
potential student to further their education.
Microlearning: Relatively small learning units or short-term learning activities for
increasing knowledge and developing skills.
Online education, digital education, location-independent, or distance learning: The
application of telecommunications and electronic devices which enable students and learners to
receive instruction from some distant location.
Online education providers: Companies, third parties, universities, or colleges that
contribute to the offering of digital education opportunities.
Online program managers (OPMs): Third party service providers that partner with
colleges and universities to develop and deliver education and training digitally.
Partnerships: A specific kind of relationship formed by an agreement between two or
more organizations to carry out a plan to reach a particular common goal.
Return on investment (ROI): The benefit actualized from an expenditure or sacrifice,
typically an investment of money, time, or effort.
Short courses or certificate programs: A distinct course of study or education program
that can be completed in a small amount of time and results in a specific credential.
Stackables: An education offering where diversified courses are bundled together into
one product.
Subscriptions: An education offering where diversified learning programs can be
activated for one price.
11
Tuition assistance or tuition reimbursement: An employee benefit run through an
employer’s human resources department where employees can participate in continuing
education, college-level courses, or degree programs paid for by that employer.
Organization of the Study
Five chapters were used to organize this study. This chapter provided an overview of the
problem, purpose, key concepts, and terminology commonly found in a discussion about the
barriers working adults face to participating in additional higher education. The field goal,
stakeholders, and the initial concepts and framework of gap analysis were introduced. Chapter
Two provides a review of current literature surrounding the scope of the study. Topics of
employee higher education through digital programs, challenges to participation in higher
education opportunities, the corporate TA landscape, and current online education provider
partnerships are addressed. Chapter Three details methodology used, including sampling,
instrumentation, data collection, and analysis. In Chapter Four, the study results are provided.
Chapter Five provides recommendations, based on the data and literature, for developing
partnerships focused on increasing the use of TA.

12
Chapter Two: Literature Review
This chapter reviews the literature related to partnerships between online education
providers and Fortune 500 companies for the purposes of increasing participation in higher
education by way of TA programs. The review begins with an examination of the TA landscape
and perceptions of online options in relation to higher education pursuits. A discussion of current
partnerships between universities, OPMs, and corporations comes next. This is followed by the
Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis conceptual framework and a discussion of executive
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to increasing higher education
participation for working professionals.
Corporate Tuition Assistance History and Landscape
Employer-sponsored aid has important implications for economic development and
national productivity and competitiveness. In fact, approximately 50% of employer-sponsored
students are pursuing fields currently experiencing worker shortages or fields which are
projected to experience shortages in coming decades: coding, digital technology, software
design, and artificial intelligence (Faulk & Wang, 2014). About 30% of students receiving
employer-sponsored aid are pursuing science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or health
related degrees and 20% are pursuing business degrees (Faulk & Wang, 2014). The occupations
of students receiving TA are not always highly compensated, indicating these students would be
unlikely to pursue additional education without employer assistance and that the additional
education is likely to increase compensation and upward mobility. In conjunction, earnings were
higher for students receiving employer aid, over $18,000 per year higher, than for students
receiving traditional aid and, to a lesser degree, over those receiving no aid (Faulk & Wang,
2014).
13
The adoption of TA programs as a standard employee benefit was inspired by the success
of the GI Bill (Bersin & Associates, 2012). Employers quickly discovered that, like the military,
incorporating TA into their benefits packages enabled them to attract qualified, motivated
individuals and develop them into highly skilled and loyal employees. Lumina Foundation, a
national foundation focused on increasing postsecondary attainment, partnered with the health
insurer Cigna to conduct a study through Accenture, a leading global professional service
company. Lumina found investing in employee tuition benefits yields significant financial
payback and cost savings for major corporations (Weathers, 2018). In fact, every dollar spent on
tuition was found to yield an additional $1.29 in savings at Cigna and $1.44 at Discover
Financial Services. These savings occurred because programs helped to build employees’ skills
and productivity. The study found that 10% of employees who participated in TA programs were
more likely to be promoted and more likely to show up for work, and 8% were more likely to
stay with the company (Weathers, 2018).
Corporate TA can be a viable strategy where governments fail because policies to
improve college access do not eliminate financial barriers to higher education for students (Page,
2016). The rising cost of higher education is an impediment to national and state-level goals of
increasing higher education attainment among the U.S. population (Faulk & Wang, 2014). It is
notable that many employers impose a $5,250 limit per year in TA because the Internal Revenue
Service allows the employer to deduct this expense and the benefit is not taxable to employees at
this threshold (Flaherty, 2007). The nontaxable TA limit some companies offer can affect how
quickly employees finish their degrees and apply knowledge and skills if their supplemental
personal investment is limited.

14
Employee Perspective on the Tuition Assistance Benefit
There are a number of benefits to employees who pursue postsecondary education
including acquisition of better skills, increased productivity, promotion opportunities, higher
wages and annual earnings, increased self-efficacy, and lower likelihood of unemployment
(Nodoushani, 2016). For employees to make the time commitment to pursue higher education,
these benefits need to be seen as an individual ROI. Employees need the opportunity to utilize
their new education and to experience fulfillment from their work (Bae & Patterson, 2014; Lee,
1997). Furthermore, some employees are motivated by factors other than a monetary payoff.
Reciprocity is motivation seen when a person is willing to sacrifice monetary payoff to reward
someone who has been kind towards them (Leuven et al., 2005). Thus, employees, after
receiving an investment in their future, may not leave the organization for another because of the
reciprocal loyalty they feel. Leuven et al. (2005) also posit self-worth due to marketability and
ability to share their new information with others offers another non-monetary motivation. When
the resulting commitment of the employees to the organization increases through education, they
are inadvertently reducing turnover (Ismail, 2016).
Seminal work by Becker (1962) found that turnover intention is reduced when training
and education are perceived to be job-related. If the training investment is allocated to education
relevant to the job and career path, the ROI is present in promotional opportunities (Flaherty,
2007). Even when training is job-related and has potential opportunity attached, conditions of
TA for training may affect the employees’ perceived ability to participate. In some organizations,
conditions for TA eligibility are job-relatedness, degree applicability, annual maximum benefit
applied, reimbursement only after coursework is completed, level of academic achievement or
grade required, employment tenure, and time commitment after completion (EdAssist, 2016).
15
The employment tenure required prior to participation and contractual time commitment, often a
year or two, post education increase retention. However, employee choice is perceived to be
taken away from the decision to stay with the company. Thus, the contract that binds the
employee, unless TA received is paid back to the company, can have a negative effect on
turnover intention and loyalty after the length of the contract is fulfilled (EdAssist, 2016;
Flaherty, 2007). Information on participation by industry indicates the highest participation is
seen in healthcare where these requirements are less common and the payoff is more immediate
because education is required for advancement or certification (Carliner, 2013; EdAssist, 2016).
Employer Perspective on the Tuition Assistance Benefit
One in three employers do not know what workforce improvement their TA programs
support, 36% of HR managers do not look for differences between employees using the
programs and those who are not, and only two to five percent of organizations evaluate the ROI
(Johnson, 2005). However, Johnson (2005) states companies that tracked performance
improvement were two to three times more likely to see positive outcomes, so employers that do
not see organizational ROI may not be monitoring program success or communicating support of
utilization (Dolezalek, 2009). When there is apparent alignment of individual and organizational
goals, retention rates increase 50%, according to Dolezalek (2009).
There exists a related conflict common in organizations regarding who is responsible for
the measurement of success from TA programs. Traditionally, the business unit level or
supervisor does not have the resources or inclination. At the same time, there is a lack of central
management of the employee-specific benefit through human resources. Lack of communicated
promotional opportunities potentially resulting from further education, along with conflicting
management accountability for TA, negatively impact employee engagement and alignment of
16
individual goals with the organization (Dolezalek, 2009). Stronger management and human
resource support, in the form of clearer TA benefit accountability, may allow employees to
receive the guidance needed for improved career development to increase employee productivity
and motivation within the organization (Freifeld, 2012; Leitch, 2012).
Employers are focused on reducing turnover cost, and, if the supported education is job-
related and comes with advancement opportunities, higher retention develops after employees
earn degrees or certificates (Marshall, 2006). Research by Manchester (2010, 2012) has
consistently shown education that is specific to industry, firm, or area of expertise (i.e. marketing
or finance) reduces turnover intention and cost for companies. The firm Booz Allen Hamilton
found that in one year 21% of their employees took advantage of the internal TA program,
costing nearly 10M dollars. However, the savings through retention was 18M dollars because
turnover was 7% higher for those who did not participate (Kornik, 2006). Another aspect to
consider is that firms offering TA attract better quality employees because the benefit can be
used as a recruiting tool even if employees do not use the program later. It adds to a culture of
perceived value and growth just by being offered (Cappelli, 2004; Lee, 1997).
Employees need opportunities to utilize their new education and to experience fulfillment
from their hard work (Lee, 1997). The bulk of the disagreement in the literature concerns the
issue of employees taking their new knowledge elsewhere after their current employer funds
their tuition. The risk of employees being poached by firms because of their pursuit of outside
growth increases with the development of general skills relative to firm-specific skills
(Manchester, 2012). However, if the skills apply directly to either a current job or may lead to
promotion after receiving new credentials, retention rates increase because employees are less
likely to depart the organization when they see the resulting internal opportunities (Dougherty,
17
2009; Freifeld, 2013). The reasons to seek postsecondary education will increase if internal
communication helps employees and employers understand the mutual ROI TA helps to achieve.
Digital Education
Factors affecting employee higher education participation are the rate at which the
economy is moving, alternative solutions to workforce development, changing demographics
that include more diversity, millennials, and generation Z in the workforce, and the increased
adoption of online as an accepted means of quality education delivery (Fong et al., 2017).
Concurrently, higher education is transitioning rapidly from a historic classroom model to a
remote delivery model in many cases as a result of technology and the demand for flexible
learning opportunities (Mandelbaum, 2014). By 2015, approximately 11% of students were
receiving all of their education online (McPherson, 2015).
Distance learning, online education, or digital education all refer to the application of
telecommunications and electronic devices which enable learners to receive instruction from a
distant location (Casey, 2008). This allows students to be unconstrained by location when
evaluating learning options, a luxury or necessity afforded by internet connectivity. Three
defining characteristics of online education are that (a) the majority of the community between
teacher and students occurs non-contiguously, (b) reciprocal communication between teacher
and students facilitates and supports the learning process, and (c) technology is used to mediate
the two-way communication (Casey, 2008).
Three historic phases in distance education led to the current state where technology
bridges the physical gap (Lease & Brown, 2009). Lease and Brown (2009) explain distance
education began in the 1800s with correspondence courses. Phone, radio, and television began
the second wave when universities began broadcasting college courses. The current stage of
18
distance education was prompted by the development of videoconferencing, computer
technology, multimedia, and the internet, which uses online capabilities for connectivity and
instructional delivery. Lease and Brown (2009) further purport the growth in distance learning
has been advanced by the formation of consortia and partnerships among colleges, universities,
corporations, and OPMs. Some successful partnerships include Georgia Tech’s master’s degree
sponsored by AT&T through Udacity and the University of Pennsylvania’s relationship with
Instagram through the Coursera platform (Fong et al., 2017).
In 2015, about one-third of all students enrolled in college took at least one course a year
in which 80% or more of the material was provided online (McPherson, 2015). The current state
of online education and its growth is fueled by working adult needs for location-independent
education options, the need for educationally advanced job applicants in the marketplace, the
essential nature of an online strategy to a university’s future profitability, and the increased
number of formats online education is taking, including a blended approach where face-to-face is
combined with digitized instruction (McPherson, 2015). A combination of synchronous and
asynchronous learning is increasing the quality of online offerings where synchronous learning is
a live interactive class or discussion session and asynchronous learning is when students
determine when they interact with class material on their own (Sumner, 2000).
Online Education Versus Traditional On-Campus Programs
Students choose online programs for a myriad of reasons. According to Dobbs (2017),
the reasons for selecting an online program are the nonexistent issue of proximity to the
university desired, flexibility of class schedules, absence of a commute to campus, ability to
attend class even when family or health needs arise, and a favorable past experience with online
learning. Online education is also an attractive option for non-traditional students, full-time
19
employees, students with disabilities, retirees, and digital natives (Moloney & Oakley, 2010).
Online education offers access to quality higher education for individuals who are place-bound
and/or time-restricted, termed “anytime, anyplace” learning (Moloney & Oakley, 2010). For
example, students with disabilities can be effectively accommodated through course design and
faculty who are more accessible through technology and the lack of commuting required
(Haynes, 2018). Online education can also increase enrollment of underserved minority students
by bringing resources and experiences to those with limited financial means to attend class on a
physical campus (Dziuban, 2018). Globalization is also pushing this trend. Without it,
universities are at risk of having their student markets erode based on limited ways to
accommodate growing international student interest (Linardopoulos, 2012; Mandelbaum, 2014).
Online education is one of the keys to sustaining the growth and future of higher education by
tapping into positive remote student experiences to increase the talent pool (Hass, 2018).
Online courses are taken by over half of the households in the U.S., and the annual
growth rate is 21% in comparison to 2% for on-campus delivery (Dobbs, 2017). For working
adults, often it is the preferred choice when returning to college or pursuing continuing education
based on convenience, and that preference is supported by a positive student perception of online
programs when compared to on-campus programs (Amaro, 2013). In addition, those with access
to a TA benefit are often those who need the flexibility of online learning because they have
traditional working hours at a mid to large-size organization. In 2017, the Quarterly Review of
Distance Education highlighted a survey administered to students on a campus in the Southwest
over a 2-week period in 2007 (Dobbs, 2017). The findings indicated that 25% of students found
online courses more demanding in terms of academic rigor, 32% found them slightly more
demanding, and 36% noted the same academic demand. In addition, 60% of respondents
20
believed the online learning environment provided a higher quality learning opportunity, 50%
reported they had more opportunity to interact with their peers and learned more online, and 40%
said they participated more in the online classroom. Students also indicated they were more
likely to read for their online courses than for their on-campus classes, spent more time per week
on their coursework, and were aided in their learning of the content by the flexibility of online
learning (Dobbs, 2017). The study also stated students with online class experience tend to rate
online courses more favorably as compared to the ratings of students who have not had the
experience (Dobbs, 2017).
Over two-thirds of professionals agree that online courses offer the same outcomes in
comparison to traditional on-campus courses, but there is a lack of research that supports this
translating into equal hiring consideration (Hass, 2018; Linardopoulos, 2012). Employer
acceptance of online programs as delivering equivalent outcomes emerges when the quality of
the instruction, live engagement opportunities and variation, the reputation of the institution, and
regulatory policies used to evaluate and manage these resources are in place (Amaro, 2013; Hass,
2018). Thus, employers’ valuing of online degrees will increase by educating them on the extent
of interaction in online classrooms that creates the same quality of learning, the fact that online
programs are often built on and mirror programs that have been delivered traditionally for many
years, the notion a university would not compromise its long-standing brand reputation, and
evaluation standards and processes can be as rigorous as those for on-campus accreditation
(Amaro, 2013). The number of hiring executives with a high perception of online learning is
increasing as well because they too, are more likely to have gained a portion of their own
education through this delivery method (Mandelbaum, 2014).

21
Education Provider and Corporate Partnerships
Given the need for TA to be relevant to jobs for both the employer and employee, it
makes sense for education providers to partner more strategically with the corporate sector. A
complex and competitive marketplace, increasingly based on networks, seems to support higher
education institutions building relationships and fostering interactions with partners, including
industry partners and technology firms to diversify offerings (Pucciarelli, 2016). In this context
institutions look to enhance prestige and market share, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, and
expand interactions and value co-creation to serve new subgroups, such as working adults
(Pucciarelli, 2016). Alliances and collaboration are tools for innovative university administrators
who want to deliver quality online degree and learning programs to stay current. The mutual
benefits for developing university and corporate sector partnerships, often using a third party
OPM, are increased enrollment, societal impact, and knowledge transfer or application to
organizations.
Strategic Partnerships
Strategic partnerships are agreements intended to problem solve, multiply skills, leverage
capabilities, and transform resources to create additional core competencies and obtain a
competitive advantage that increases profits for all partners involved (Rezende da Costa et al.,
2018; Vanags, 2018). The parties act in accordance with a common mission and common goal to
satisfy certain identified business needs and grow from mutual collaboration. Each party shares
its knowledge, resources, and risk to jointly achieve that which would not have been attained
individually. To form effective strategic partnerships, key stages of development and skills must
be addressed. Alliances are initiated, operated, and evaluated within the context of various
internal and external factors that influence progress and success (Wohlstetter et al., 2005).
22
The initiation stage is facilitated by a champion to lead the effort, complementary needs
and assets, compatible goals, and trust (Wohlstetter et al., 2005). The first step is identifying the
right partners and establishing the initial meetings. Organizations decide to operate
collaboratively because they have needs and assets that are complimentary to one another, and
successful alliances bring these unique strengths from all parties together when meeting and
discussing the problem to be solved. The common goal is made clear and a plan to achieve the
goal is created. Finally, organizational trust is built through shared values to ground the
relationship. Operationally, formal meetings occur and an internal structure under which the
alliance functions develops. The operations phase is characterized by the creation of governance,
structures to guide decision making, communication mechanisms to facilitate information flow,
and effective leadership to keep those executing accountable (Wohlstetter et al., 2005). Explicit
governance provides a forum for stakeholders to come together, make decisions, limit transaction
costs, and carry out the intended work. The evaluation phase is built on assessing the impact of
the collaboration (Wohlstetter et al., 2005). Often, a feedback loop evolves as a result of
evaluation and helps to revise future outreach, operations, and expectations based on results. The
reciprocal nature of strategic relationships means partners must be able to work together to go
beyond their own limited vision of what is possible. Through partnership experience, relational
capacity is built and greater agility in exchanges is developed for the next innovative
collaboration (Rezende da Costa et al., 2018).
Sustainability is important because research shows partnerships take time, often months
or years, to develop. Partnerships can be fragile, and without longevity it is unlikely that a
partnership can mature to make significant contributions to the organizations and stakeholders
party to the alliance (D’Aunno et al., 2019). Common challenges to sustaining partnerships for
23
the long-term are consistent financial support and continued commitment from diverse partners
that operate within dynamic and frequently competitive markets. This challenge and low barriers
to exit make partnerships vulnerable to disruptions caused by stakeholders leaving (D’Aunno et
al., 2019). D’Aunno et al (2019) posit parties are more likely to view partnerships as sustainable
when they share common vision, goals, and strategies and believe that the alliance has performed
well in the past. Effective leaders ensure partnerships are collective efforts that build success one
step at a time to establish sustainability for the future.
Per Eisenbarth (2003), current types of relationships are university to university,
university to association, university to technology provider, university to industry, and university
to government relationships. Relevant to this study, however, are partnerships between university
and technology providers and university and industry. The focus for this dissertation is online
education providers, universities or OPMs, forming corporate partnerships as a conduit for
increased participation in quality higher education opportunities using TA benefits.
University and Corporate Partnerships
There are many well-known organizations, such as Comcast, The Cleveland Clinic,
Sprint, and Huntington Ingalls, that understand the importance of investing in education at all
levels (Bersin & Associates, 2012). Bersin & Associates (2012) reports forward-thinking
companies are leveraging TA funding by increasing the use of partnerships with external TA
program managers and colleges and universities. In some cases, the use of partnerships serves to
transition TA from a simple employee benefit or company cost to a strategic approach for
improving human resource efficiency with a directive to the institutions and curricula the
organization prefers. The research on employer TA indicates universities look to engage in
24
partnerships with business and industry to drive incremental enrollment and enhance content
(Dougherty, 2009).
When an academic institution and a corporation work together, there is potential for
creating stronger alignment between education and business and industry (Fong et al., 2017). The
United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and University of Connecticut (UConn) Employee
Scholar Program that began in 1996 is one of the first examples of a university and corporation
forming a long-term alliance. It has resulted in 35,000 out of 212,000 employees worldwide
obtaining associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees (Nodoushani, 2016). Making this link
between university and corporation enables the academic experience to more easily translate to
the business world because UTC informed universities like UConn, the University of Illinois,
Brown University, and Boston University of the specific business needs in the field that needed
academic support.
Online Provider and Corporate Partnerships
Top universities with very large online enrollment frequently outsource to third-party
providers as a strategy or participate in a consortium to boost reach (Moloney & Oakley, 2010).
They are creating partnerships with OPMs to market and deliver their content but not
traditionally extending that relationship to include corporations. 2U, Inc. is the market leading
OPM, serving over 36 university partners (2U, Inc., 2019). However, bringing corporations into
the fold has not been a part of the 2U strategy until recently when they acquired Trilogy, Inc., a
leader in bootcamp offerings that culminate in strong job placement numbers. Smaller
competitors like Pearson and Noodle have had a stronger corporate initiative approach
facilitating relationships between universities and companies in industries like hospitality, food
service, banking, and insurance. As of 2019, Pearson, for example, had 35 corporate partners
25
highlighting their focus on undergraduate degrees, and targeting Tier 2 schools (Pearson
Education website, 2019). In another example, Wal-Mart partnered with American Public
University, making it possible for employees and their families to receive tuition grants that
reduce the cost of online undergraduate courses by 15% (Burry, 2019).
Corporate outreach in the education technology space can be difficult to determine. This
is often because forward-thinking executives are not always visible, TA benefit details are
frequently confidential, many OPMs offer limited public information, and collaboration is less
common in relation to elite graduate and doctoral degrees. The research is limited regarding a
partnership based on TA between major corporations and Tier 1 institutions when it comes to
higher level online degrees, certificates, and skills camps potentially creating a portfolio
opportunity to bring these particular stakeholders together. If a Fortune 500 organization values
advanced education as a tool for talent development and retention, then a relationship with a
leading OPM and their premier partner universities may provide a way to communicate this to
potential digital students in their workforce (Freifeld, 2013).
Clark and Estes’ Gap Analysis Conceptual Framework
Clark and Estes (2008) provide a research-based, systematic framework to diagnose the
human causes behind performance gaps between an organization’s current state and goal state.
The gaps between the current performance levels and the levels necessary to achieve the business
goal are analyzed using a framework based on knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences (Clark & Estes, 2008). All three of these types of influences must be aligned for
successful goal achievement. Knowledge influences are categorized into four main cognitive or
mental types: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive (Krathwohl, 2002; Rueda,
2011). The motivational ingredients that influence the gaps in work performance are active
26
choice, persistence, and mental effort (Rueda, 2011). Lastly, it is important to consider the
organizational influences on performance goals which are made up of work processes, resources,
and workplace culture (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Each of these elements of Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis will be addressed below
in terms of education provider executive and administrator knowledge, motivation, and
organizational needs to meet the goal of developing partnerships. The first section discusses the
assumed knowledge and skill influences on the attainment of the performance goal. Next,
assumed motivational influences on the attainment of the performance goal will be explored.
Finally, assumed organizational influences on developing new partnerships will be considered.
Knowledge and Skills
It is important for employees to have the how, who, what, where, when, and why
knowledge to close performance gaps to meet organizational goals (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Krathwohl (2002) categorizes knowledge into four main knowledge types so the right solutions
can be identified. Factual knowledge includes the basic elements or information that people must
know to be acquainted with a situation and to analyze a situation (Krathwohl, 2002). Conceptual
knowledge includes categories, classifications, principles, generalizations, theories, models, and
structures relative to a particular area that form interrelationships and enable basic elements to
function together within a larger structure (Krathwohl, 2002; Rueda, 2011). Procedural
knowledge is knowing how to do something and can also refer to methods of inquiry, specific
skills, algorithms, techniques, and distinct methodologies that are required to accomplish finite
activities (Rueda, 2011). Metacognitive knowledge encompasses cognition in general, as well as
awareness of one’s own cognition and cognitive processes, including the when and why to do
27
something and contextual and conditional aspects of an activity or problem (Krathwohl, 2002;
Rueda, 2011).
The three knowledge-related influences pertinent to the achievement of the performance
goal of this study are factual knowledge about the landscape of corporate and online education
provider partnerships and TA usage, procedural knowledge about methods that lead to the use of
new education in organizational performance, and procedural knowledge about how to form
valuable partnerships to increase utilization of TA. These influences will be discussed for the
purpose of identifying the most appropriate assessments needed to solve the current knowledge
problems.
Factual knowledge: The landscape of partnerships, TA support, and usage.
Universities typically partner with corporations for three reasons: research collaboration,
customized training programs, and to be a resource in a company’s specific benefits program
(Anatan, 2013; Burry, 2019; Frølund et al., 2018; Ryan, 2009). The focus of this study is on the
third: universities and third-party OPMs partnering with organizations to bring down the tuition
cost for potential students through TA benefits and participation in quality online programs.
Factual knowledge needed about the landscape of these corporate and online educator
partnerships falls into three categories of information: (a) which Fortune 500 companies offer
the best TA benefits, (b) which companies have partnerships with online education providers
already, and (c) the details of the partnerships that make them successful. Specifically, online
education providers need factual knowledge of what TA benefits include, what existing
successful partnerships look like, what the landscape of options is, what makes those
partnerships successful, how to set up these types of arrangements, and what is currently not
28
working in the field such that employers do not promote TA benefits and more employees do not
participate in the programs.
Current examples of successful partnerships are Discover Financial Services’ (2018) no-
cost degree benefit to employees who attend the University of Florida, Wilmington University,
or Brandman University, which is facilitated by Guild Education. Starbucks also has an
exclusive contract with Arizona State University (ASU) to bring a fully reimbursed degree
opportunity to all employees (Friedman, 2018). While relationships like these exist and more
than 80% of employers offer some form of TA, it remains that approximately 5% of employees
participate in the programs (Becker et al., 2018; EdAssist, 2016). Factual knowledge about the
landscape, TA support, and usage will clarify why partnerships may work and the resulting
benefits.
Procedural knowledge: Communication of knowledge transfer and methods. As
discussed, employers minimally promote their reimbursement programs and employees do not
use the TA at a significant rate. This calls for an evaluation of the transfer of knowledge from
employees to organizations. The use of new knowledge and skills in organizations is a
competitive advantage that yields higher productivity, better service, better products, improved
quality, increased commitment, fewer errors, increased safety, better teamwork, and higher
creativity output (Salas et al., 2006). Influential provider executives need procedural knowledge
about communication methods that create successful transfer of new knowledge to performance.
Providing procedural knowledge supports the value of TA benefits and completing online
education relative to outcomes for potential corporate partners. When online education provider
executives with influence have this knowledge, they will be able to pitch corporate executives
29
the reasons a partnership to increase utilization of TA benefits will help their organization’s
performance and how they can apply knowledge transfer methods to do so.
According to research, employees’ ability to acquire and positively transfer or apply new
knowledge and skills to workplace tasks and assignments is important to their success and
engagement, resulting in improved performance due to an organizational training investment
(Grossman & Salas, 2011; Mayer, 2011). It is important for providers to communicate to
partners how to integrate knowledge-use methods such as positive work climate, context,
application opportunities, and post-training intervention at the organization level (Aguinis &
Kraiger, 2009). The estimates of Salas and Stagl (2009) suggest only 10% of training
expenditures, such as degree investment, transfer to the job and only 5% of participation is
evaluated in terms of performance. Communication of knowledge use and transfer of knowledge
methods will likely improve as a result of partnerships and corporate development strategies that
align with goals for applying newly acquired capabilities from education and degrees to the
workplace. The value proposition will be clear to corporations if providers are able to
communicate and discuss the methods that create use of knowledge from higher education in the
organization. Partnership initiatives will be deemed as valuable when measures of training and
degree effectiveness enhance perceived benefits of new knowledge and skills from the
perspective of the corporate executives (Aguinis & Kraiger, 2009). If the knowledge from a
degree program, short course, or bootcamp is seen as applicable to the workplace and results in
improved performance, Fortune 500 companies will be more likely to move forward with the
partnerships.
Procedural knowledge: Value creation and partnering skills. According to Raufflet
(2018), Accenture surveyed 766 CEOs in 100 countries and concluded that 78% of those
30
surveyed believed that companies should engage in industry collaborations and multi-stakeholder
partnerships to address development goals. In the current relationship age, partnership success
depends on a firm’s capacity to build quality relationship assets for value creation (Raufflet,
2018). The second kind of procedural knowledge analyzed for this dissertation is online provider
executive knowledge about how to form valuable partnerships and how to apply those skills to a
partnership for the purpose of utilizing TA.
To form successful partnerships, the parties must create shared value, the central motive
for interorganizational collaboration. The shared value is created through complimentary
resources, networks, processes, capabilities, and innovative approaches to challenges and
opportunities (Raufflet, 2018). A vision presented in the early partnership stages by the online
education provider regarding implementation of an internal communication plan offers a
resource and an innovative approach for Fortune 500 companies to come on board. The realistic
plan is focused on the company’s critical communication with employees about support for
online education options and TA usage. The resource and approach shared will help create
successful execution of a partnership to increase education that results in improved performance.
When employees become aware of realistic and quality online possibilities accessible
from their current location, TA utilization will increase, and partnerships will have positive
consequences for providers, companies, employees, and, in turn, society (Marshall, 2006). In
order for employees to enroll in a higher education program that traditionally takes significant
time and effort, they need to understand digital education via a reputable university with
appropriately rigorous learning yields the same quality as an on-campus program (IBM, 2008). A
well-laid out, effective communication plan coming from employers will show management
commitment to creating development opportunities and employee loyalty will become stronger.
31
Online education providers need to know how to demonstrate this shared value to corporate
decision-makers to form a successful relationship.
Critical success factors are the selection of the right industry partner, the selection of the
right type of partnership, and careful management of the partnership process (Goode, 2017). The
basic business skills needed to address these factors and form a partnership are prospecting,
pitching benefits, selling, persuading, negotiation, relationship management, structure creation,
and meeting strategy (Goode, 2017). Online providers will need to ensure the executives tasked
with initiating and operating the partnerships possess these skills to capitalize on the opportunity
identified. Prospecting will require networking skills and industry knowledge as company-
specific benefit details and current partnership details may be confidential. Pitching, selling,
persuading, and negotiating will require the ability to integrate knowledge of TA
communication, usage, and ROI, as well as knowledge of the quality of online learning into the
discussions. Relationship management, structure, and meeting effectiveness will require
experience with processes that contribute to efficient use of these tools and steps. The application
of the skills and success factors will need to be gathered into a well-developed vision with
incremental goals and a corresponding plan to enable online provider executives and
administrators to work from a guiding frame that will lead to successful partnerships. Table 1
provides a quick reference and context for the three knowledge influences discussed.

32
Table 1
Knowledge Influence, Knowledge Type, and Knowledge Assessment
Global Mission
The global goal is to develop partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and education providers to
increase employee higher education through the utilization of TA and online opportunities.
Global Performance Goal
Usage of TA benefits will increase if companies partner with online education providers to
communicate a stronger connection between quality online education options and employee and
employer outcomes.
Stakeholders and Goals
Partner Employees, University Administrators, Fortune 500 Executives, and Online Program Manager
Executives
Focus is on Online Education Provider Executives and Administrators
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type Knowledge Influence Assessment
1. Landscape of Partnerships
Online education provider executives
need knowledge of which Fortune 500
companies offer the best TA benefits (a),
currently have partnerships with online
education providers (b), and the details
of the partnerships (c) to determine
opportunity.
Factual
Interviews with Executives and
Administrators
2. TA Usage and Support
Online education provider executives
need to understand the reasons why
employers do not promote TA benefits
and the reasons employees do not
participate in these programs at a higher
rate.
Factual
Interviews with Executives and
Administrators
3. Communication of Knowledge
Transfer and Methods
Online education provider executives
need to know about knowledge transfer
and methods that will enhance the usage
of knowledge from education in the
workplace to improve organizational
performance in order to communicate
this to potential partners for onboarding.
Procedural
Interviews with Executives and
Administrators
4. Value Creation and Partnering Skills
Online education provider executives
need to know how to create value and
form successful partnerships with
Fortune 500 companies to utilize TA.
Procedural
Interviews with Executives and
Administrators

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Motivation
Motivation is defined as the process whereby activity is instigated and sustained (Rueda,
2011). Both the instigation and sustainment of motivation, according to Rueda (2011), are
influenced by internal and external factors. The three main ingredients of motivation that
influence the performance aspects of our work lives, explained by Clark and Estes (2008), are
active choice, persistence, and mental effort. Specifically, internal and external factors influence
how we choose to work towards a goal, persist at the goal until it is achieved, and the mental
effort we will invest to reach the goal (Clark & Estes, 2008). It is important to understand
motivation influences when considering organizational performance gaps. The fact that someone
knows what to do or how to do something does not mean they want to do it or will do it (Rueda,
2011). The external motivational influences pertinent to the achievement of the partnership
development performance goal are goal orientation and expectancy value.
Goal setting. A performance goal is a statement of tasks and objectives that must be
accomplished based on deadlines and specific criteria (Clark & Estes, 2008). Effective
performance goals are derived from and support the organization’s broader business goals, which
define company purpose, growth opportunities, and financial objectives. The best goals are
concrete, challenging, and current according to Clark and Estes (2008). A concrete goal is clear,
understandable, and measurable. A challenging goal is achievable but difficult, and a current
goal has a sense of urgency for the short-term to be more motivating than longer-term goals. The
lack of quality goals makes it unclear if large-scale strategic initiatives are successful. The most
respected organizations adopt organizational goals that surpass business plan objectives and
pursue commitment to add value to their community, society, and the economy as a whole (Clark
& Estes, 2008).
34
Online education providers need to make developing corporate partnerships a part of their
organizational goals if they are to realize the advantages to be gained from this strategy. If
corporate partnerships become a larger goal, there will be a focus on achieving it by leadership
and their teams. This is because effective performance improvement begins with the connection
between work goals and broader purpose (Clark & Estes, 2008). When corporate goals are
aligned with performance, people persist longer at related tasks, are more engaged in their work,
use more effective processing, and perceive the achievement as important and valuable (Yough
& Anderman, 2006). Furthermore, acceptance and impact of the goal are stronger when goals are
the right fit and structured as concrete, challenging, and current (Clark & Estes, 2008). In this
case, the right fit and goal structure could pertain to defining potential partner TA parameters,
optimizing the number of partners in the portfolio, identifying desired employee demographics,
and confirming the size of the corporations to be targeted.
Expectancy value theory. The emerging consensus on expectancy value theory finds the
root motive influencing all human behavior is a desire to be effective in our lives and work
(Clark & Estes, 2008). This carries over to organizations in that employees will not be motivated
to work on tasks if they are tied to a goal that is expected to fail. Expectancy value theory
describes motivation as an individual’s expectation of success completing a task and the value
the individual places on the perceived importance of performing a task (Eccles, 2006). People
value that which they believe benefits them and reject what they perceive obstructs them (Clark
& Estes, 2008). The four constructs of perceived value are intrinsic interest, attainment, utility
value, and cost value (Eccles, 2006). Attainment value refers to the importance one attaches to
doing well on a task, and intrinsic value refers to the enjoyment one experiences in a particular
activity (Rueda, 2011). Utility value refers to how useful a task is believed to be for achieving a
35
future goal and cost value is the perceived cost of the task as it relates to time, effort, or other
applicable dimensions (Rueda, 2011). In order for online provider executives to engage in
partnership development, they must believe in the utility value and cost value of developing
partnerships.
Eccles (2006) posits utility value is strengthened by how well a task fits into long-range
goals and plans. Online provider executives need to have a high expectation of successfully
meeting increased higher education participation goals, and they need to value partnership
development in that context. Sharing an implementation plan focused on quality online education
and TA support available to employees has high utility and attainment value for online
executives because it will provide organizations with the opportunity for increased enrollment in
education and degree programs among their staff. Utilizing TA for quality advanced education is
positively affected by communication of organizational support to employees, which can reduce
turnover intention. Corporate executives need to visualize that result as part of the partnership
they are considering. Specifically, employees working toward skills knowingly related to their
current jobs and future growth express greater loyalty and satisfaction as well as less intention to
leave (Marshall, 2006). Eight in 10 employees say TA makes them more likely to stay with their
employer, regardless of any policy requiring them to stay (EdAssist, 2016). Therefore, lower
turnover increases the cost value for organizations agreeing to communicate benefits to their
employees, and the corresponding Fortune 500 executives are then motivated to partner with the
online education providers.
Different people have different ideas about what will be effective, which demonstrates
the need for leadership to expect goal achievement and share that expectation with those teams
and individuals involved (Clark & Estes, 2008). Online education providers need to expect
36
corporate partnerships to effectively increase performance, based on the current industry
environment and past initiatives. It is important that past failures do not negatively affect the
expectations of new goals. Botched attempts in an organization or an industry’s history can lead
to a sense of cynicism, which causes resistance to new plans. The corporate environment has
opened up and 49% of U.S. firms are having trouble filling jobs because applicants and current
employees lack experience, technical competencies, and soft skills like teamwork and critical
thinking needed to hire on or grow within the organization (Molina-Ray, 2013).
Additional factors that have led to partnership failures in the past are bad timing, lack of
readiness, poor resource allocation, missed opportunities, lack of portfolio breadth, and
misaligned partner employee demographics. The continued need in the marketplace further
supports the cost value of increasing participation in higher learning. The perceived cost value to
online provider executives is the effort needed to communicate the implementation and
execution of the plan to Fortune 500 companies since the TA benefits are already in place. Table
2 provides a quick reference and context for the two motivation influences discussed.

37
Table 2
Motivation Influences and Assessments
Global Mission
The global goal is to develop partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and education
providers to increase employee higher education through the utilization of TA and online
opportunities.
Global Performance Goal
Usage of TA benefits will increase if companies partner with online education providers to
communicate a stronger connection between quality online education options and employee
and employer outcomes.
Stakeholders and Goals
Partner Employees, University Administrators, Fortune 500 Executives, and Online Program
Manager Executives

Focus is on Online Education Provider Executives and Administrators
Motivational Progression
Executives - inspire interest, see value, and create goals = motivation to act (create
partnerships)

Assumed Motivation Influences

Motivational Influence Assessment
1. Goal Setting – Online education provider
executives need to develop concrete, challenging,
and current organizational goals that drive
performance.
Executive and Administrator Interviews
2. Expectancy Value Theory – Online education
provider executives need to expect corporate
partnerships to be successful and support their
utility and cost value.
Executive and Administrator Interviews

Organization Cultural Models and Settings
The third cause of performance gaps is the lack of efficient and effective organizational
work processes, material resources, and supportive organizational culture (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Interest in work processes is rooted in understanding how the business works as a whole and the
value streams and value chains that lead to cost-effective processes (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Organizations also require tangible resources to achieve goals. The appropriate budgets, time,
talent, space, supplies, and technology are necessary to achieve process goals and aid individuals
and teams as they perform (Clark & Estes, 2008). In many ways, organizational culture is the
38
most important “work process” in any organization because it frames how we work together to
reach goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Organizations are systems that have their own culture and
how an organization addresses and interacts with change goals is an essential part of the long-
term culture.
There are two aspects to organizational culture and context: (a) cultural models and (b)
cultural settings. Cultural models in organizations are shared mental schema or normative
understandings of how the organization works, incorporating behavioral and cognitive
components (Rueda, 2011). These tools for the mind make sense of environments and events and
are often invisible ways of perceiving, thinking, and storing possible responses to challenges and
changing conditions (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Cultural settings in organizations are
social contexts with the visible constraints and enablers within occasions where people come
together to carry out joint activity that accomplishes something of value and reaches an outcome
(Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001; Rueda, 2011). Both cultural models and settings are connected
and defined by the organizational ecosystem in which they reside (Gallimore & Goldenberg,
2001). An organizational culture that supports partnerships may be more sustainable if team
members feel there is shared vision, goals, and strategies between the organization and its
partners (D’Aunno et al., 2019). It is helpful to use the concepts of cultural models and settings
within organizations when discussing potential organizational influences for accomplishing and
sustaining goals.
Cultural model: A culture that values corporate partnerships. For online education
providers to effectively develop partnerships, their organizations must have a cultural model in
place that values corporate partnerships. Furthermore, a value chain must be present that
prioritizes those partnerships. Value streams describe how an organization’s departments and
39
divisions interact and what processes they implement. This type of analysis also identifies the
processes that are most influential in achieving the business goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Value
chains use the information from streams to identify the way that divisional or team processes
achieve goals for internal and external stakeholders (Clark & Estes, 2008). Value chains help
employees make connections between goals, work processes, and the benefits of achieving work
goals.
While there are a number of companies today that understand the importance of investing
in higher education and a number of universities that understand the importance of forming
relationships with those firms, there is a lag in the development of relationships among top
universities, Fortune 500 companies, and OPMs that promote advanced online programs as
solutions (Nodoushani, 2016). If a value chain that prioritized co-creation of these relationships
that break down participation challenges was put in place, universities would increase their
market share, firms would have a more educated workforce, and OPMs would increase their
impact on enrollment (Pucciarelli, 2016). When the cultural model of increased priority in this
context is promoted by online education executives in their organizations and processes, they
will be better equipped to change the landscape and increase corporate partnerships in the
education technology sector.
Cultural model: A culture that supports change. A cultural model that supports
sustainable change encourages the development of innovations. Change leaders create the
environment where the people involved can open themselves up to new ideas, challenge old
assumptions, and overcome hostility towards change initiatives (Agocs, 1997; Moran &
Brightman, 2000). Moran and Brightman (2000) also state leaders provide the examples, tools,
techniques, and settings to enable synthesizing of new concepts and alignment with the new
40
direction. There is a need for balance between stability and change in organizations since
employees look for order, while organizations must innovate and be ready to adapt quickly to
new conditions (Agocs, 1997; Moran & Brightman, 2000). Furthermore, change efforts should
be aligned with the organization’s strategic business objectives and strategies to communicate
commitment and readiness for change in the face of uncertainty (Agocs, 1997; Nordin, 2012).
A cultural model can be created that embraces the renewal process and provides the
support needed to evolve new standards or ways of engaging in specific activities (Nordin,
2012). In the case of increasing participation through partnerships, there is often a resistance
from online education providers to enhance their university relations and enrollment efforts by
developing corporate partnerships (Ryan, 2009). This resistance results because of the belief that
universities are the foundation for successful quality online degree program attractiveness, and
corporate partnerships are deemed unnecessary. However, innovative changes are important to
sustaining success and a competitive edge, potentially making corporate partnerships critical to
the growth of the programs through increased enrollment (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015). Thus,
visibility of innovative corporate partnerships enhances the cultural model that supports change
in the face of adversity. Online education providers need to consider the potential necessity of
corporate partnerships, although many executed in the past have not produced the desired results.
Creating a cultural norm of confidence in change ideas being implemented in the organization
defeats the negativity of failed attempts. Successfully implementing changes increases
confidence in the probability of success of future change and lowers cynicism, contributing to
the desired sustainable cultural model (Self & Schraeder, 2009). Therefore, the organization
needs to support the cultural model by communicating the new corporate partnership initiatives
41
address what unsuccessful executions did not. Examples include; alignment with environmental
factors, critical timing, and a mutually beneficial fit.
Cultural setting: Corporate partnership initiatives as a strategic goal. For online
education providers to effectively develop partnerships, their organizations must have a cultural
setting in which partnerships are a strategic goal. A goal represents the gap between the current
status and a desired future state and is something to be accomplished and communicated as a
functional and narrow target (Hallinger & Heck, 2002). Goals foster accountability transmitted
through the organization and goal-oriented accountability systems assume a means-end
relationship between behavior and outcomes (Hallinger & Heck, 2002). It is necessary to have
clear organizational vision, goals, and ways to measure progress to foster a cultural setting where
employees see the important policies, procedures, roles, responsibilities, and communication as
clear and connected (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Sustainability of strategic goals is important because partnerships take time to develop
and are often fragile due to vulnerability to market conditions. Aligning long-term strategy with
initiatives helps create partnerships with the ability to mature, thus increasing contribution to
goals with longevity. Sustainable goals that are shared openly and throughout the organization
foster commitment to those goals and a shared understanding about the priorities (D’Aunno et
al., 2019; Nordin, 2012). If the goal of developing partnerships is established within online
education providers, maintaining the goal would become a priority and employees would strive
to make it happen, despite low barriers to exit. Partnership goals are sustainable when there
exists common vision and strategies, and stakeholders believe the alliance has sustainability for
the future. The ability to visualize the organization’s expanded future through common goals will
provide the direction and focus needed to achieve day-to-day success. Additionally, the ability to
42
successfully plan subsequent growth, development, and continuous improvement is possible
through aligning current strategic initiatives with a sustainable approach (Nordin, 2012; Powell,
2002). Often, ambitious sustained goals, and the cultural setting which they create, lead to
breaking barriers and deviation from current norms, elevating standards and ways of thinking.
Cultural setting: Appropriate allocation of resources. Organizations are made up of
people whose knowledge, skills, and motivation drive the organization, so it is imperative the
organization creates a cultural setting where leaders and employees have what they need to
succeed (Clark & Estes, 2008). An organization is more likely to succeed when people are
equipped to handle challenges and opportunities stemming from new goals and direction. This
includes the appropriate allocation of resources to get the job done. If a goal changes or a new
goal is added to a strategy, then structure and processes need to be reviewed to determine the
new resource needs (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Making the development of partnerships that increase participation in higher education a
reality requires the appropriate investment, hours, human capital, teams, workspace, physical
assets, and information technology resources. The success of partnerships depends in part on
having the budget, human resources, and tangible collateral allocated to the project by leadership
from the onset. Table 3 provides a quick reference and context for the four organization
influences discussed and Table 4 provides a summary of all the assumed influences on
performance discussed in this chapter.

43
Table 3
Organization Influences and Organization Influence Assessments
Global Mission
The global goal is to develop partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and education
providers to increase employee higher education through the utilization of TA and online
opportunities.
Global Performance Goal
Usage of TA benefits will increase if companies partner with education providers to develop
and communicate a stronger connection between quality online education options and
employee and employer outcomes.
Stakeholders and Goals
Partner Employees, University Administrators, Fortune 500 Executives,
and Online Program Manager Executives

Focus is on Online Education Provider Executives and Administrators
Assumed Organizational Influences Organization Influence Questions and
Assessment
Cultural Model Influence 1:

The organization needs a culture that values
the development of corporate partnerships.
Interview questions that focus on the value and
benefit of corporate partnerships.
Cultural Model Influence 2:

The organization needs a culture that
supports change.
Interview questions that focus on why past
initiatives did not work and how the landscape
has changed leaving room for new
opportunities.
Cultural Setting Influence 1:

The organization needs corporate partnership
initiatives as a strategic goal.
Interview questions focused on how corporate
partnerships fit within the organization’s goals
and priorities.
Cultural Setting Influence 2:

The organization needs to allocate resources
to support the new corporate partnership
goal.
Interview questions focused on what is needed
within the organization to develop corporate
partnerships successfully.

44
Table 4
Summary Table of Assumed Influences on Performance
Stakeholder Assumed Influences on Performance
Knowledge Motivation Organization
• Online education provider executives
need knowledge of which Fortune 500
companies offer the best TA benefits,
currently have partnerships with online
education providers, and the details of
the partnerships to determine
opportunity.
• Online education provider executives
need to understand the reasons why
employers do not promote TA benefits
and the reasons employees do not
participate in these programs at a
higher rate.
• Online education provider executives
need to know about knowledge transfer
and methods that will enhance the
usage of knowledge from education in
the workplace to improve
organizational performance in order to
communicate this to potential partners
for onboarding.
• Online education provider executives
need to know how to create value and
form successful partnerships with
Fortune 500 companies to utilize TA.
• Online education
provider executives need
to develop concrete,
challenging, and current
organizational goals that
drive performance.
• Online education
provider executives need
to expect corporate
partnerships to be
successful and support
their utility and cost
value.

• The organization
needs a culture that
values the
development of
corporate
partnerships.
• The organization
needs a culture that
supports change.
• The organization
needs corporate
partnership
initiatives as a
strategic goal.
• The organization
needs to allocate
resources to support
the new corporate
partnership goal.

Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation and
the Organizational Context
A conceptual framework is presented here to provide a theoretical structure or scaffolding
around the beliefs and ideas of the phenomena and research questions being studied. It provides a
model of what is going on in the field relevant to the study, what is happening between those
elements, and why that is happening (Maxwell, 2012). Miles and Huberman (1994) define a
conceptual framework as a visual and/or written product that explains the main things to be
studied: key factors, concepts, or variables, and the presumed relationships among them
45
(Maxwell, 2012). The function of this constructed framework is to inform the theory design and
assist the reader in visualizing the most important knowledge, motivation, and organization
influences at work.
While each of the potential influencers was presented independently of each other, it is
recognized they do not remain in isolation from each other. The way they interact with each
other explains the stakeholders’ position within the field and ability to achieve the goal.
Represented by the blue circle in Figure 1 below, online education provider executives are
operating in the education technology field, specifically within online higher education.
Achieving the stakeholder goal of developing partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and
education providers to increase employee participation in higher education through the
utilization of TA and quality online education is represented by the blue arrow and connected
yellow square. The cultural models and cultural settings affect the stakeholder knowledge and
motivation. The specific stakeholder factual and procedural knowledge influences and key
theoretical motivation influences at play are represented by the green circle in the figure. In
Figure 1, these relationships are emphasized by the directional blue arrow between the larger
circles.
The cultural models chosen for the study are models that value the development of
corporate partnerships and support change. The cultural settings chosen for the study are settings
that include corporate partnership initiatives as strategic goals and allocate resources
accordingly. These models and settings were selected based on the common absence of corporate
partnership focus in the field and the need to ground the initiatives and drive support. Knowledge
of companies that offer the best TA benefits, current partnerships between companies and online
education providers, and reasons why employers and employees do not promote or participate in
46
programs at a higher rate constitute the factual knowledge influences chosen for the study. The
two procedural knowledge influences chosen are knowledge of methods that create training
transfer and of how to form valuable partnerships. These specific knowledge influences were
selected based on discoveries made during the literature review. Motivation influences chosen
are goal orientation and expectancy value theory. These theories were selected because, at their
core, they focus on goal development, values needed, and change support, which relate back to
the sustainable cultural models and settings identified for the study.
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework Map

47
Conclusion
This literature review explored how usage of TA and quality online options inform
potential solutions to working adults furthering their education. The review discussed how
innovative partnerships between education providers and the corporate sector provide an
opportunity to change the perception of ROI from advanced education in the workplace, thereby
increasing participation. After the general literature review, the chapter focused on applying
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on stakeholder performance in the context
of the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis model and presented the corresponding conceptual
framework used as the architecture for the study. Chapter Three presents the study’s
methodological approach in detail.

48
Chapter Three: Methods
The purpose of this study was to understand key stakeholder viewpoints regarding the
development of partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and education providers to
increase employee higher education through the utilization of TA and quality online
opportunities. Three research questions guide the inquiry:
1. What is the online education provider executive knowledge and motivation related to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
2. What is the interaction between online education provider organizational culture and
context and executives’ knowledge and motivation related to developing partnerships that
will increase TA participation?
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
Methodological Approach and Rationale
Action research is a type of research directed towards solving a site-based or everyday
problem and generates more usable and practical knowledge (Stringer, 2014). The resulting data
creates confirmation or leads to effective data-driven decisions (Malloy, 2011). The utilization of
action research made the most sense for this study because of its potential to inform decision
making within the researcher’s organization and industry, as well as because its relevance and
usefulness within the innovation model are used to create real change.
The larger picture painted by qualitative research mirrors real life and the way events
unfold in organizations (Creswell, 2018). Accordingly, a qualitative methodological approach
was used to understand the meaning the participants hold regarding potential partnerships.
Qualitative data was obtained specifically in the form of open-ended interviews with influential
49
executives and administrators to encourage the sharing of ideas freely and without constraint by
predetermined scales or instruments (Creswell, 2018).
Sampling Criteria
For this study, the stakeholder population of focus was online education provider
executives and administrators. The goal was to conduct 16 key stakeholder interviews based on
the specific inquiry and problem posed; however, three additional interviews were conducted to
ensure saturation before completing the interview process. The selection of online education
providers occurred by using four criteria.
First, online education providers interviewed had experience working in leadership for a
third-party provider OPM, university, or combination of both. The next criterion participants
needed to meet was tenure with their organization or institution of more than five years. This is
important because five years is sufficient time to have provided executives or administrators
opportunity to have observed corporate partnership development in the industry, have been
included in strategic corporate partnership discussions within their organization or institution if
they occurred, and have witnessed contract cycles where applicable. Thirdly, participants needed
to have a job title of director or institution equivalent or above. This criterion is important
because it ensures interviewees are at a level where they are aware of the role corporate
partnerships can or cannot play in business and economic development. Finally, the executives
selected needed to meet a criterion of sufficient influence. This refers to the executives’ role
being one which has had a voice in past partnership discussions or one in which they may have a
voice in present or future partnership discussions.

50
Sampling Strategy
A purposeful sample was employed in this study because it was necessary to select a
particular group that was systematically different from the population as a whole and to
understand the group which adds value to the study (Johnson & Christensen, 2015). The types of
purposeful sampling most appropriate to this study were convenience and snowball sampling due
to practicality, cost, and logistical constraints. Convenience sampling was used because targeted
participants were available, easily recruited, and willing to participate in the research study.
Snowball sampling, wherein each participant who volunteers to be in the study identifies
additional people who meet the criteria set forth and may be willing to participate (Johnson &
Christensen, 2015), was used to complement the convenience method by increasing the size of
the sample accessed and adding diversity to the pool of participants.
Recruitment
According to Tyton Partners (2019), an investment and consulting firm in the global
knowledge sector, there are approximately 525 universities with online programs. After looking
at the universities that have gone online and the approximate 20 viable OPMs in the industry, it
was necessary to work within inclusion boundaries and practical constraints to narrow down the
executives within the organizations and institutions for outreach. The researcher contacted a
manageable number of potential participant executives from within their own network. The
sampling outreach process was conducted via an initial email with a follow-up email to gain
consent and set up virtual meetings.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This qualitative field study focused on the experiences and perspectives of various
providers of online higher education, not individuals from one specific organization or
51
institution. Data collected through interviews helped to gain an in-depth understanding of the
knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences related to developing partnerships between
online education providers and Fortune 500 companies. According to Merriam and Tisdell
(2016), the purpose of interviewing is to find out, through conversation, what is in someone
else’s mind from their unique perspective related to the research questions and to obtain relevant
information from them we cannot directly observe.
Interviews
Interview protocol. The study used a semi-structured open-ended interview format. This
type of interview was selected because a semi-structured interview uses questions that are more
flexibly worded and is a mix of more and less-structured questions to be explored that allow the
researcher to respond to the situation, the emerging view of the respondent, and unexpected new
ideas on the topic (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The interview guide in Appendix A is a roadmap
to asking respondents a consistent set of questions with the opportunity to probe and explore
interviewee responses more closely. A condensed portion of the interview guide was provided to
participants via email prior to the interviews to create trust and comfort. The questions were
organized under four categories to relate back to the research questions and conceptual
framework and collect specific information regarding the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences framed for this study. The categories are perspectives on working
professionals going back to school, perceptions of the quality and flexibility of online education,
perceptions of TA programs and usage, and perspectives on corporate partnership strategies.
Interview procedures. Formal interviews were conducted online via the Zoom platform
to accommodate the multiple geographical locations of respondents and the researcher’s
timeline. The qualitative interview was conducted one time with each respondent, consisting of
52
18 questions with appropriate probes, and lasted no more than one hour to accommodate
respondent time constraints and encourage participation. Data was collected via a full audio
recording and subsequent transcription of each interview along with notes taken by the
researcher during the interviews. Field notes were taken to help the interviewer formulate new
questions and probes as the interview moved along, provide cues to the interviewee about what
was important, facilitate later analysis, and serve as a back-up in the event the recording was
inadvertently erased (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007).
Data Analysis Plan
Data analysis is the process of synthesizing and organizing data into categories or themes
to make meaning from implicit and explicit dimensions identified (Maxwell, 2012; Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Maxwell (2012) further asserts planning for data analysis must be an integral part
of the study design and not decided after all data are collected to increase the value of the
meaning making. In this qualitative study, the researcher developed a plan for data analysis at the
beginning of the study to further the emergent design, collected the data through interviews
according to the timeline, and simultaneously analyzed the qualitative data collected according to
the plan developed. Additionally, adjustments were made to the data analysis plan and execution
as data was collected and reviewed to accommodate for the richness of the data retrieved, the
quantity of data obtained, and the unanticipated themes and patterns pertaining to the influences
that emerged. The following sections describe the systematic process utilized to collect and
analyze the data in this study.
Merriam and Tisdell (2016) recommend analyzing segments of data from interviews
during the collection process; often, this is immediately upon completion of each to foster an
emergent design. In this study, detailed notes were taken systematically during and after the
53
interviews to stimulate critical thinking and highlight key findings for the researcher to be used
during analysis. After interviews were completed, they were immediately reviewed, transcribed,
and organized for greater depth of understanding. In this study, analysis of interview transcripts
evolved in three phases or levels. In the first phase of data analysis, the researcher used
descriptive or open coding to find empirical codes and their frequency in the interviews. In the
second phase, the researcher sorted aggregated inductive codes into axial and analytical codes to
incorporate interpretation and reflection. In the third phase, the researcher identified themes from
the categorized data in relation to the conceptual framework, study questions, and influences.
Illuminating themes from the data identified needs and assets in knowledge, motivation, and
organizational culture relating to developing corporate partnerships in the higher education
technology space. Unanticipated themes discovered outside of the conceptual framework were
also captured in this process. A codebook was created during the data analysis process using
typical spreadsheet software available. The codebook was used as a guide to organizing complex
thoughts and making valuable assessments used to construct the narrative of the findings
presented in Chapter Four and the corresponding tables.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
This section describes the steps the researcher took to minimize inherent bias and
increase credibility and trustworthiness throughout all phases of the study. Research credibility
and trustworthiness are approached through attention to a study’s authenticity or rigor, researcher
trustworthiness, conceptualization, and the ways in which the data are collected, analyzed,
interpreted, and presented (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Additionally, Maxwell (2012) states
challenges with credibility and trustworthiness occur when the researcher is conducting the data
54
collection of the study. It is important to note the researcher was the instrument in the case
interviews, and consequently, researcher bias must be limited.
The first strategy the researcher used to increase credibility and trustworthiness was
reflexivity. Maxwell (2012) explains reflexivity as understanding how the researcher is
influencing what the interviewee says and how this affects the validity of the inferences drawn
from the interview. The researcher was aware that, while her position was not one of authority in
relation to the people selected for interviews, her initiative to collect data on corporate
partnerships and their connectedness to higher education could be perceived as hopeful in the
field and affect responses accordingly. Researcher bias is the threat posed by the selection of data
that stand out to the researcher and fit the researcher’s existing theory, goals, or preconceptions
(Maxwell, 2012). The level of integrity was simultaneously upheld by accounting for researcher
bias in conclusions drawn from the interview data and a conscious effort to consider alternative
conclusions that could be drawn from the data collected.
Intensive interviews enabled collection of rich data that were detailed and varied enough
to provide a revealing picture of what is going on in the field (Maxwell, 2012). The second
credibility and trustworthiness strategy the researcher used was conducting rich interviews with a
range of interviewees. The depth of the interviews linked to the semi-structured format, sharing
the potential exploratory questions in advance, and using recordings and fieldnotes together in
data collection. The participants came from OPMs and universities to provide diversity of
experience among individuals being interviewed.
Member checking is a system of soliciting feedback about data and conclusions directly
from the study participants to constitute a way of ruling out ambiguous information and the
possibility of misinterpreting the meaning of what participants communicated (Maxwell, 2012).
55
When, during analysis, there was a significant question of meaning or ambiguous information
identified, the researcher contacted those few respondents via email for clarification as the final
strategy used to ensure a high level of credibility and trustworthiness in the information gathered.
Addressing reflexivity and researcher bias, as well as incorporating intensive interviews
and member checks into the study’s methods of data collection increased credibility and
trustworthiness of the research. These strategies provided attention to rigor, researcher
trustworthiness, and credibility of conceptualization and the ways in which data were collected,
analyzed, interpreted, and presented deemed necessary for validity (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Ethics
An ethical study follows policies, guidelines, and codes of ethics developed by the
federal government, institutions, and professional associations as well as the researcher’s own
values and ethics (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To ensure the protection and confidentiality of the
participants, the study proposal was submitted to the University of Southern California
Institutional Review Board (IRB). All the IRB guidelines that protect the rights of study
participants were followed.
Informed consent makes stakeholders aware that participation in the study is voluntary,
all conversations are kept completely confidential, identities are protected, and participants can
withdraw from the study at any point without penalty (Glesne, 2011). Prior to the interviews, an
email was sent to potential interviewees explaining their participation in the study would be
voluntary, conversations would be strictly confidential, and identities would be protected by
aggregating the data. No identifying data was shared with anyone at any time, participants could
withdraw without penalty at any point in the process, and the conversations were recorded for
accuracy of responses. Additionally, at the start of each interview, these terms were reiterated for
56
clarity. The audio recording files, and transcripts of the interviews were stored on a password-
protected computer owned by the researcher. The files saved on the computer were also
password-protected, and the files were deleted upon study completion. Incentives were not
provided to participants, but a thoughtful thank you note was emailed to participants after their
interviews.
The researcher works for an OPM and interviewed a small portion of executives in the
organization where they work. Even though this study was not focused specifically on the
organization, the researcher utilized the resources available. The researcher also has several
assumptions and biases as a result of their role in the higher education industry, their
participation in online education programs and courses, and their usage of TA to further that
education. During the conversations with executives from online education providers, the
researcher focused on the respondents’ opinions and experiences only and avoided responding
with or sharing their own experiences and personal views of corporate partnership strategy,
online education quality, and TA participation or communication. Leading and coercive
questions were avoided by adhering to the semi-structured interview protocol. A list of questions
to be explored was shared in an email that followed the consent email prior to all interviews to
ensure the language of the questions did not make assumptions about the knowledge of the
participants based on their organization or institution affiliation or status within the organization.
The role the researcher has at an organization in the field was disclosed to all participants during
initial contact and prior to interviewing so as not to deceive the executives being interviewed
who may work for a potential competitor. For purposes of reciprocity, the researcher disclosed
how participants’ perspectives and responses were to be used to determine the value of corporate
partnerships in higher education.
57
Chapter Four: Results and Findings
This innovation study sought to identify the resources and conditions necessary for the
development of partnerships between Fortune 500 companies and online education providers to
improve the use of TA to further higher education. A qualitative interview method guided the
study with participating online education provider executives and university administrators to
learn about their needs and assets in the areas of knowledge, motivation, and organization related
to increasing the number of partnership opportunities. This chapter first describes the
participating stakeholders in the study and then discusses the specific findings and results. Three
research questions guided this study:
1. What is the online education provider executive knowledge and motivation related to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
2. What is the interaction between online education provider organizational culture and
context and executives’ knowledge and motivation related to developing partnerships that
will increase TA participation?
3. What are the recommended knowledge, motivation, and organizational solutions to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholders participating in this study were executives in the U.S. who have
experience working at OPMs or universities offering digital learning options. Of the 19 people
interviewed, 12 (63%) worked at OPMs and seven (37%) worked for universities. The online
education providers represented in the study were three different OPMs and four different
universities. This study aimed to develop a sample of executives and administrators who
represent the population of U.S. executives key to online program management strategic
58
decisions. As this study is focused on executives developing partnerships, all executives in the
interview sample were in senior-level management or senior administration roles with partnering
capabilities and sufficient influence. Sufficient influence refers to the leaders’ role being one that
has had a voice in past partnership discussions or one in which they may have a voice in present
or future partnership discussions.
Interview Participants
The sample of online education providers had between 5 and 32 years of professional
work experience in higher education. Experiences included working in leadership for an OPM,
university, or a combination of both. Participants were from different regions in the U.S.: seven
in the Northeast, six in the Midwest, four in the Southeast, one in the Southwest, and one in the
Northwest. Twenty-one percent of the participants were female, and 32% identified as non-
white.
Table 5 provides an overview of the participants, including the pseudonym provided to
preserve the confidentiality of each, organization type, years of professional experience in higher
education, and the region of the U.S. in which the participant worked.
Table 5
Participating Executive Sample Demographics
Pseudonym Organization Type
Years of Professional
Experience
Region of the U.S.
Anton (1) OPM 5 Midwest
Bart (2) OPM 8 Northeast
Calvin (3) University 32 Midwest
Daniel (4) OPM 21 Northeast
Elvis (5) OPM 6 Northeast
Fiona (6) OPM 11 Southeast
Gary (7) OPM 25 Midwest
Holly (8) OPM 13 Northeast
Ivy (9) OPM 9 Midwest
Jorge (10) University 16 Southeast
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Pseudonym Organization Type
Years of Professional
Experience
Region of the U.S.
Kevin (11) OPM 27 Northeast
Luke (12) University 19 Midwest
Manny (13) OPM 29 Southeast
Nick (14) University 22 Southeast
Oscar (15) OPM 24 Northeast
Paul (16) University 18 Southwest
Quincy (17) University 30 Midwest
Randall (18) OPM 10 Northeast
Sarah (19) University 15 Northwest

Results and Findings
This section reports on the results and findings from the interviews as they relate to the
research questions and the conceptual framework, focused on knowledge, motivation, and
organizational influences. A summary of prevailing themes discovered that will guide the
recommendations presented in Chapter Five follows the discussion of each influence and the
relevant findings.
Research Question 1
What are the online education provider executive knowledge and motivation related to
developing partnerships that will increase TA participation?
Knowledge Results
This section discusses the findings related to the four assumed knowledge influences in
the conceptual framework. Globally, most executives (18 out of 19) interviewed shared that they
have had experience with TA benefits either personally or professionally. However, only 26%
had experience with corporate partnerships in higher education. Overall, executives were
knowledgeable about TA benefits generally offered. Executives were less knowledgeable about
the competitive partnership landscape, reasons employers do not promote participation in
existing TA programs, and reasons employees do not participate in the programs offered to a
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greater extent. Numerous executives interviewed indicated that they understand the need for
transfer of new knowledge and skills from education to the job and the extensive benefits of the
application. However, they felt it might be important to consider the unique challenges in
applying, quantifying, and communicating those outcomes to form partnerships with Fortune
500 companies. To inform desired conditions for partnership development, executives need a
deeper understanding of specific barriers impacting participation and promotion of TA programs
to outreach appropriately to companies. Executives also raised additional knowledge needs,
including the comprehension of the new speed of knowledge and degree cycles and quality
indicators of digital education. In addition, to support increased knowledge around encouraging
this type of collaboration, more impactful data and analysis about delivery methods and
outcomes is needed for Fortune 500 leaders to gain interest.
Declarative Knowledge Influence 1: Online education provider executives need
knowledge of which Fortune 500 companies offer the best TA benefits, currently have
partnerships with online education providers, and the details of the partnerships to
determine opportunity. Overall, most participants were experienced with TA and understood
what the mutual benefits from TA programs looks like. However, 89% did not have the
knowledge of companies with the best TA benefits, and most were limited to only understanding
a few successful industry examples of partnerships of this nature and their details. It is also
notable that 13 participants claimed data that provides impact and competitive partnering
information was difficult to come by. Understanding TA core benefits is important and was
discussed because it affects the understanding of TA in the context of partnerships for their
utilization.
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A few of the participants were knowledgeable about current partnerships and their details
with online education providers that would help determine opportunity in the environment. Five
of the executives were able to share examples of corporate partnerships they were aware of that
focused on TA, but they did not know general or specific details of the relationships. Variety was
limited and the examples cited most frequently were the same examples found while conducting
the literature review, such as Discover Financial Services, Boeing, Chipotle, Delta Airlines, and
Wal-Mart’s relationships with colleges and universities. The ASU and Starbucks relationship and
agreements created by Guild Education were the most prevalent examples used by participants
and the ones where some small details of the agreements were most accessible. One executive
did help execute the Starbucks and ASU agreement and, therefore, was the only participant who
seemed to have true understanding of the landscape. Of those interviewed, 95% indicated they
did not perceive themselves to be knowledgeable about the partnership environment and what is
current in the space. For example, Kevin an OPM executive, shared,
I wish I had more time to investigate this in some way. We have not made significant
inroads into corporate partnerships, but the industry sees more on the undergrad side. It is
just not very well-known or talked about how these things come to fruition. We have
thrown scholarships around with some companies, but that does not seem to be enough. I
think perhaps there has been more success here with boot camps and certificate programs,
although I am not positive.
Manny, another OPM executive, stated,
I see mergers and acquisitions making the biggest difference in corporate partnership
development currently. This way the providers do not have to start from scratch. They
can jump right in an existing situation if that is what they are really looking for.
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These findings and lack of information for further discussion emphasized the need for more
information about the competitive landscape to support partnership development.
Regarding how TA is executed specifically, 16 participants explained that many
organizations that offer TA are becoming more focused on equipping employees with the
competencies and skills needed rather than focusing primarily on the credentials and degrees
themselves. For example, Randall discussed in detail from the OPM perspective how
organizations are becoming “more focused on knowledge requirements versus degree
requirements” and explained that “because the knowledge cycle is speeding up. Often,
companies cannot afford to wait until lengthy degrees are completed to see expertise or
competency in a particular area.” A subgroup of 12 executives expressed that TA is evolving
and, thus, becoming complicated. For example, Randall’s thoughts exemplified the evolution and
subsequent complications. It is notable that 50% of interviewees indicated a contributing factor
to the complexity is the increasing speed of the knowledge cycle. The faster cycle creates a need
to consider timing as an added issue when evaluating TA program options and effectiveness
against resulting performance. Bart, an OPM executive, summarized by saying,
Companies do not have all that time anymore to wait around for that level of talent,
relative to what they are trying to do in their own digital transformation. Companies are
having to move so fast; they can’t rely on traditional higher ed to produce the people.
That stuff is not going away, but the jobs in the sectors that are growing the fastest are
rapidly not requiring college certification to be able to be successful, and universities
must really come to terms with the fact that they are too slow moving. Companies that
need the engineering talent will no longer care about degrees. They do really care if that
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person has the tech skills required for the job and the emotional intelligence that will
allow them to function.
The above passage points to the notion that the knowledge cycle concern might be stronger in
fields that are more technology driven like engineering, programming, and coding. In another
example, Bart offered,
ISA’s [income share agreements] where universities or OPMs invest first in the form of
tuition cost and the student pays the money back as a percentage of their income after
they acquire a job, are becoming a more common approach.
Therefore, the perception expressed is that TA is becoming more focused on the knowledge,
skills, and competencies acquired rather than on degrees, thus causing complications in the usage
of the benefit, cost allocation, and what constitutes evolved TA that can help build speedier ROI.
It was clear 12 participants were knowledgeable about the skills development and
retention benefits for employees and employers resulting from TA participation. Randall talked
about benefits in terms of learning something new, expansion of networks, and gaining or
improving a set of skills to be used at a current or future job within the organization. Paul, a
university administrator, expanded on the concept when he discussed a key benefit as longevity
of employability gained from increased credentials and skills. Nick, who has experience at both
the OPM and university level, went on to say the benefits include more creative thinking, more
new ideas, increased passion, and the ability to bring new perspectives to the workplace. He
specifically shared, “It is really valuable both for the work the individual contributes but also for
the impact the benefits help the employee have in other places, plus their own self-
improvement.” These thoughts help illustrate there are professional and personal benefits gained
from continuous learning aided by TA.
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Summary of Findings. The responses collected for this knowledge influence indicate a
validated need surrounding competitive data and details about corporate partnerships between
OPMs, universities, and Fortune 500 companies. Executives expressed an awareness of benefits
from TA program participation for employees and employers. They also expressed an awareness
of the most talked about partnerships involving TA and the corresponding digital options.
Comprehension of a knowledge cycle emerged as a part of understanding viable TA execution
through partnerships that exist. However, participants expressed a lack of clarity about which
companies have partnerships in the field and supporting details, which confirmed the competitive
partnership knowledge need identified.
Declarative Knowledge Influence 2: Online education provider executives need to
understand the reasons why employers do not promote TA benefits and the reasons
employees do not participate in these programs at a higher rate. When asked about the
reasons employees do not participate in TA programs, the most common challenges noted were
time (84%) and money (53%). Location and complexity of the decision were also significant
factors, as seen in 42% of the responses. As seen in Table 6, only three people noted ROI and
alignment as a barrier to participation.
Table 6
Barriers to Employee Participation in Tuition Assistance
Barriers to Employee Participation Number of Executives with Response
Time Commitment 16
Monetary Commitment 10
Location 4
Complexity of the Decision 4
Job Alignment and ROI 3

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The most commonly cited barrier to TA participation was time. Interviewees shared that
employees are trying to balance many responsibilities and commitments. For example, Daniel an
OPM executive, shared that it can be a challenge to find the time required to adequately
participate in an academic program:
Working the program into your life is a great concern. As you get older, you’ve got more
and more responsibility and more likelihood of having a family, relationships, and
financial demands that take work to manage. All the things that come with life make the
use of time critical and just sort of finding a way to shoehorn in 10 to 30 hours of
academic work each week is more complicated as time becomes more valuable.
Ivy shared similar thoughts from a different OPM perspective, “I think one of the biggest
barriers, even for someone who does not currently have children, pets, or any additional
responsibilities outside of personal relationships and work, is the time necessary to succeed.”
The time resource was allocated to the following primary life responsibilities: family,
relationships, financial demands, work, health, volunteering, and leisure for mental wellness.
Time was viewed as a participation barrier because of the need to take time away from these
non-negotiable responsibilities to allocate towards educational success. Holly, another OPM
executive, shared her viewpoint that the challenge is more than just time needed, but the ability
to balance time across priorities as they shift in your life day to day and impact achieving goals.
According to the 16 similar responses, time was a strong barrier and had varied personal
dimensions attached to it.
The discussion on barriers often moved from time directly to cost and affordability, the
second most commonly cited barrier to TA participation. Ivy stated, “It was simply too
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expensive. The main driver for me actually pursuing a graduate degree was tuition assistance
through my employer. I did not see any other way to afford it.” Elvis, an OPM executive, said,
It is simple. Cost is a huge barrier, especially if you are going after a significant
university or degree that carries weight and you want that brand on your resume as a part
of the investment. It is that: an investment in your future if all works out. And not
everyone feels they can just pick up a ton of debt and be fine in the long-term necessarily.
Taking on more debt for their education may just not be an option for some.
The 10 parallel responses indicate a perception that higher education is extremely expensive.
When Quincy, a university administrator, talked about cost, he consistently connected it to the
right payoff or a clear payoff from making the commitment. This statement considers ROI for
the employee. Anton, Ivy, and Holly discussed that TA often does not include 100% coverage of
tuition and comes with conditions or commitment promises when it is funded by sponsoring
organizations. The literature review pointed out some of the common conditions are a
commitment to the company for a year after completion or grade level achievement. Employees
may need to consider the value of the conditions in the cost equation. Manny shared thoughts on
loyalty: “People that are being educated often feel reciprocated by employer investment in the
cost and are much happier, driven, committed, productive people which directly warrants the
expense.” These statements are important because they emphasize the cost and commitment
connection.
Participants expressed the location constraint to participation refers to limited proximity
to the university of choice, commuting time to get to class on campus, and inconvenience of
class times in relation to the responsibilities outlined above. For example, Kevin highlighted, “I
did not pursue an MBA, but lots of my peers had to slow down their job or leave their life in
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some way to commute long distances. My one friend would commute from Richmond to Philly
every weekend.” The four similar responses around location ultimately resulted in a discussion
of distance learning options as a solution to working professionals’ participation in programs.
Learning remotely was an option that participants felt could address the location challenge.
The idea of complexity of the process and the decision to pursue education appeared as a
barrier to participation, according to four respondents. Holly elaborated, “You should know why
you are pursuing the degree and what you hope to get out of that degree in terms of meeting your
goals.” Regarding the decision, Nick, an OPM executive added, “You should know if this is the
right degree for me, what to study to maximize your efforts, and how this is the best use of my
time given other choices. There are almost too many options.” It appears making the decision to
participate was important to some participants who often considered additional challenges like
specialization. Holly continued to explain her experience with the reimbursement process
through her company as, “confusing and a deterrent, especially when internal reorganization
creates changes in the benefit structure.” It seems the willingness to work with a TA
reimbursement process and the associated nuances became an added layer of complexity in her
participation decision making.
Finally, three participants mentioned that education needs to be perceived as aligned with
current job responsibilities so that the ROI is both clear and high. Anton described his reason for
dropping a degree program as an OPM executive: “The degree became too generalized for
myself, and it was not easily translatable to my job. If you don’t tie back and really demonstrate
to people the what’s in it for them type scenario then your participation drops dramatically.” He
added, “I believe there needs to be an intersection of needs to incentivize people! The
intersection is the sweet spot where the education aligns with what is needed to optimize
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performance in your role. And sometimes it goes unnoticed.” This example demonstrates the
choice an employee may make to discontinue participation when job and goal alignment do not
exist. Essentially, the need for alignment can be strong enough that the better choice may be to
stay with the company and not participate, as opposed to continuing the degree without
alignment.
When discussing barriers to employers promoting the TA benefits the organization offers
to their employees (see Table 7), cost emerged again as the most commonly cited barrier limiting
organizational encouragement of participation. Paul shared, “I have seen the economy go
through some tough times and often tuition reimbursement is the first thing to go, and rightfully
so.” Another executive, Oscar, expressed,
Tuition reimbursement is a huge expense for companies. I have seen a lot of money
allocated to the benefit and a lot of great outcomes. However, when times are tight,
unfortunately, it is something often cost reduced from the budget because of that large
dollar amount attached. I would rather see that than layoffs, but it is hard because the first
to go are the ones with less schooling and credentials or perceived worth, and education
can add to that when big decisions are made.
Table 7
Barriers to Employer Promotion of Tuition Assistance
Barriers to Employer Promotion Number of Executives with Response
Cost 15
Job Alignment and ROI 6
Turnover 6

The discussions with executives built on the aggregate cost of education to the employer
and seemed to carry an understanding as to why the benefits are not more talked about. Three
respondents expressed that the lack of communication could present a savings to the organization
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and only the most serious about new knowledge would pursue the idea. Gary, from the OPM
side, noted,
I think it is up to the employee to know about the benefits offered to them and how to go
about using them without human resources needing to extrapolate the information and
spoon feed it after onboarding when the company is offering to pay.
This viewpoint seems to highlight the lack of responsibility for promotion as a non-issue. In
contrast, three participants indicated the cost and risk are barriers to promotion, but the
circumstances are better if the cost or a large portion of the cost and risk falls to the organization,
as opposed to the individual, to promote realistic employee participation. Luke, who works at a
university, pointed out, “It is incredibly expensive and from a philosophical standpoint,
universities embrace companies providing the benefit because the burden on the corporation is
easier to digest or to absorb than when it falls solely on the individual.” This statement indicates
the university preference that individuals do not take on the burden of total cost for their
continuing education as it is more viable for an organization to bear the expense.
Only 32% of participants expressed a second and third reason for employers not to
promote the benefit internally. Six participants made the connection between lack of ROI and
missing alignment of the education with the job as a reason that employers do not promote TA.
Randall responded,
Generally, work environments are not aligned with career progression steps. This is
where if there was some way to really align on-the-job requirements with the coursework
an employee is engaged in there could be a clear benefit to promoting more training and
usage of the sponsored funds.
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All six also talked about the risk of turnover as a barrier to promotion by employers.
Fiona, a newer OPM executive, shared, “I can understand the organization’s fear of really great
employees exiting the company after they obtain the education.” Jorge, a university
administrator, also noted, “Someone could really get smart and leave setting a terrible example
for others.” These statements highlight after significant cost, there is a chance a competitor may
reap the rewards of TA paid out.
Summary of Findings. Eighty-four percent of those interviewed understood reasons
employees do not utilize TA for individual growth and why employers often do not promote it
for organizational growth. Yet, just 16% made the connection between lack of ROI and missing
alignment of the education with the job as a reason that employees do not participate, and only
32% made the same connection as a reason that employers do not promote the benefit if they
offer it, thus validating the influence as a need. The data indicated online education providers do
not always understand one of the most critical reasons employees do not utilize TA and how
clear ROI communicated by the employer is what potentially links additional education to
performance outcomes and rewards.
Procedural Knowledge Influence 1: Online education provider executives need to
know about knowledge transfer and methods that will enhance the usage of knowledge
from education in the workplace to improve organizational performance in order to
communicate this to potential partners for onboarding. The most common benefit of new
knowledge and skills noted by executives was the application, or transfer, of those skills in the
workplace (see Table 8). Yet, nearly all—95%—indicated that they were worried that was not
effectively happening when employees were newly trained. Regarding other benefits of new
knowledge and skills, five of the 19 interviewed stated that increased skills and knowledge are
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important for survival to the employee in the current competitive work environment because it
ensures the individual stays relevant. Interestingly, 10 of those interviewed stated increased
knowledge and skills are beneficial to career advancement, seven felt it is helpful for personal
growth, and seven felt it can contribute to networking opportunities.
Table 8
Employee Benefits of Increased Skills and Knowledge
Employee Benefits of Skills and Knowledge Number of Executives with Response
Application of Increased Skills and
Knowledge
16
Career Advancement 10
Personal growth 7
Networking 7
Economic Survival 5

The interviewee responses given when discussing employee benefits of increased skills
and knowledge demonstrated the value placed on applied learning. Specifically, application of
increased skills and knowledge was the strongest benefit to employees. ROI with respect to job
alignment is particularly important because new skills and knowledge create the alignment that
builds return in most cases. An administrator, Paul made a statement supporting the relevance of
new knowledge and skills to the job. He said, “If you are not learning, you are not earning.” He
further explained,
You kind of don’t have a choice in the new world. It’s actually a risk. If you don’t go
back to school in whatever form, whether it’s a full grad program, skills-based or lecture
courses to bring back to the job, whatever it looks like, it can be an eventual problem. It
is necessary.
Moreover, according to Paul, earning a larger salary or establishing job security was tied directly
to new skills. Daniel responded, “Being a working professional while learning, and, if aligned,
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amplifies the learning because there is opportunity to apply new knowledge immediately as
opposed to on a future job.” Interviewees suggested that, if new knowledge and skills are closely
aligned to job needs, the opportunity exists to maximize applied learning directly from the
classroom to the work environment in real time.
Fifteen percent of interviewees even saw application of what is learned as key to the
individual and organizational survival benefit. Despite the acknowledgement of its importance,
they saw room for improvement but could not really provide any concrete ways of making the
transfer happen. From an OPM, Randall shared, “Right now education just seems to provide a
model, I think big company leadership that is spending a ton of money on training is more
concerned about turning that model into action for their company. Otherwise, we see any
assistance given as an expense and not an investment in people.” To ensure the opportunity is
present during and after learning new skills, more management attention could be paid to the
intentional methods needed to effectively transfer the knowledge into actions that improve
performance.
Career advancement was noted as an employee benefit of increased skills and knowledge
from participation by 10 of the 19 interviewees and personal growth by 7 of the 19 interviewees.
When one advances in their career, often, personal growth follows because of increased feelings
of fulfillment and worth. Holly explained, “The ability to demonstrate to others that you have the
capability and the capacity to learn and do more and contribute in a different way to that
employer or to a new one is critical.” Daniel shared, “I’ve seen so many careers just leap-frog
and great personal happiness from that success usually followed.” Typically, participants felt
when career advancement and personal growth were realized, it happened when effort and
increased knowledge and skills were applied. Holly went on to say,
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I believe in many cases that the reason employees want to go back and pursue higher
education is to advance their career in some way shape or form. And so, having kind of
the stamp of approval and the credentials and the skill set to say and show, yes, I’ve
achieved mastery of this level in this. You know that’s marketable and so valuable to the
employer that you’re with. And, quite frankly, if that employer doesn’t have the
opportunity that you’re looking for, it is marketable on the wider market, and so I think,
for the average employee, that’s what they’re hoping to get out of it, career advancement.
The interviews continued to reveal thoughts around initiating and continuing career and personal
advancement through necessary transferring of what is learned from education to the job.
Networking was viewed as a benefit of increased knowledge and skills. Oscar pointed out
typically career progression steps are not internally a part of attaining more education, yet they
are more likely actualized when onboarded for a new position at a different organization. His
statement reads:
Generally, work environments are not aligned to have career progression steps based
upon educational attainment once hired. There’s usually a disjuncture, a brokenness there
in the system. So, you need to use the connections you make in your pursuits to open up
doors. It’s different when you’re on the outside trying to get a job. They look for those
baseline credentials and, for once, you’ve got the idea that academic pursuits are going to
actually advance your career if you can find the network, but ,when coming from within,
it is generally not the case.
Calvin, from the university side, concurred when he shared, “Employees may be loyal to their
profession, but they’re not loyal to a company and I think backing individual educational growth
and networking from within really engenders that kind of desired loyalty.” Networking skills
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gained are seen as a benefit transferrable from continuing to learn to the process of looking for
new opportunities.
Summary of Findings. Eighty-four percent of executives understood the benefits of
increasing knowledge and skills and specifically applying them to the job for various reasons.
However, they were less forthcoming about methods that can be used to make it happen. Yet, in
many cases, the interview responses regarding the complexity and necessity of employee
benefits of new knowledge and skills fundamentally included their application on the current job
or on a job in the future as an expected part of learning. This indicates the need for this influence
is specific to knowledge of how to apply new knowledge and skills, otherwise referred to as
knowledge transfer methods.
Procedural Knowledge Influence 2: Online education provider executives need to
know how to create value and form successful partnerships with corporate executives to
utilize TA. The 19 interviewees had a range of experience with partnerships from one participant
being involved in a few, yet significant, corporate deals to eight participants with experience
forming OPM and university collaborations that launched digital programs, to four participants
consistently being involved in university to company conversations for the purpose of research
or recruitment. Experience for the purposes of online provider and Fortune 500 collaborations to
further usage of TA and digital education was minimal, further emphasizing a gap between
corporations and education.
Needs for partnership value and formation are outlined in Table 9. Thirty-two percent of
19 respondents talked about the need for customization and innovative packaging of the
education to create a demand for the partnerships and a point of differentiation for companies.
Three (16%) of the participants mentioned “micro-armies” as needed to gain support internally
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for new partnerships. In this context, micro-armies are groups of individuals who can influence
others in an organization. Three out of 19 participants suggested the conversations need to be
backed by data that shows partnership impact very clearly. Equally as important, three more
interviewees emphasized the need to create a plan before launching initiatives to keep
approaches, goals, and action steps on track.
Table 9
Needs for Partnership Value and Formation
Needs for Partnership Value and Formation Number of Executives with Response
Customization of education options 6
Impactful Data 3
A Plan 3
Micro-armies within the organization 3

Customization consistently appeared when discussing the knowledge and motivation
influences during the interviews. Participants recognized the ability to add value through
customizing education options when aligning learning with job requirements for partnership
formation. Customizing content provides a strategy to create continuing education that is specific
to an industry, organization, specialty, or role. Jorge, an administrator, shared,
Tailoring the needs to the situation by customizing a model specifically for the target
audience increases consumption of the right content. Using a flexible product
combination in order to achieve this will create a scalable and sustainable opportunity for
organizations.
Specificity provided by a partner may add value and reason for forming partnerships. Five other
individuals echoed this sentiment. Similarly, Luke shared, “I think you have to figure out where
the alignment is and what the currency is going to be for both parties in that relationship to have
a win-win situation.” Customization can become the currency for a successful partnership and
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has the potential to increase alignment value by tying learning to specific job applications.
Manny focused on the different OPM customization possibilities when he said,
Microlearning is first, in the form of workshops for example. A degree program is not
always the best choice when other digital options may be a better fit. And companies may
want their own content woven into the program, if they are big enough.
Microlearning deals with relatively small learning units and short-term learning activities.
Microlearning options may facilitate the conversations executives have with Fortune 500
companies because specific organization needs can be targeted. Without ensuring the solutions
presented are the optimal fit for the organization and satisfy a range of needs, successful
partnerships may not reach their full potential value.
Smart data to measure and communicate impact was identified as a need to form
successful partnerships and create value by quantifying potential outcomes for stakeholders.
Kevin, an OPM executive, shared, “We should continue to educate employers about the value
they gain from educated employees. Data combined with mission is a winning combination.”
Data was perceived specifically as a tool with potential to gain support internally first and then to
be used externally to bring Fortune 500 partners on board by three interviewees. The impact of
the data may present an opportunity for employers to view TA programs as a benefit instead of a
cost when promoted to increase program participation. Creating a plan explicitly to execute
partnership development was determined to be a need. A plan was discussed as another tool
executives need to keep achievement of a large and complex goal on time and on point. Sarah, a
university employee, called it a “roadmap” and said,
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Without a roadmap it is simply hard to stay on course and frankly not make a wrong turn
at some point. And that deviation perhaps could have been avoided if you could glimpse
the path ahead a bit better, even visually.
By having a toolbox filled with multiple tools, such as data and a plan, interviewees generally
believed a partnership development goal would have a better likelihood of success.
The importance of soliciting support internally to help execute a partnership strategy and
create value was discussed. Interviewees saw a first step in the process as building support in the
form of “micro-armies.” Micro-armies in business are groups of colleagues used to help
members solve their problems with input, advice, and credibility shared by the team. Anton, an
executive, imparted,
To make things happen, create real impact, I would start with mentors in the company
and just get the micro-armies that I need to support me to kickstart those types of
conversations and to keep an eye out for what is a new thought and what already exists.
It’s about a lot of research and kind of behind the scenes work, and then forming the right
influential army to go and pitch innovative concepts.
Impactful data can be used in conjunction to gain buy-in from micro-army team members and
move the initiative forward. An influential internal team or equivalent was determined to be a
need for partnership development by three of those that participated in the study.
Only 26% (5 of 19 participants) had experienced corporate-university partnerships of any
kind. Of those, only one of 19 interviewed had experience launching a corporate-university
partnership. Two of 19 interviewed had participated in corporate-university partnerships for
employment and recruitment purposes and two others had participated in corporate-university
partnerships focused on research and development. It is interesting to note that challenges
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materializing from specific partnership experiences were diverse. However, responses like
“There is massive untapped potential here” were noticeable throughout the conversations. These
types of replies were positive and seemed to illustrate a need for a winning scenario that could
create value and expectations of success as a base for a future partnership. Oscar specified,
An exchange of value is needed for success, and I am not talking about money to buy a
service because that is too fragile for the long-term. If there was a way to create a
proverbial win-win between the two parties that is different and more meaningful then we
have something.
Essentially, the participants believed the value in partnerships increases when there is value for
all stakeholders of an agreement. Or the “lens of learning” needs to be valuable on both sides of
the table as Nick, an executive with experience on the university side and at an OPM, stated.
Nick further articulated, “It is tough to talk to partners. When there is willingness conversations
are smoother. A common viewpoint across stakeholders creates willingness.” The lack of respect
from academics regarding on-the-job learning and the lack of respect from business professionals
regarding learning without the practicality came up often as well. The conceit on each side
seemed very alive despite efforts to come together. Quincy explained their university viewpoint
that there will be three dominant places to learn in the future: the workplace, campuses, and
community social settings like a library. He went on to explain how partnerships will be part of a
way to connect the three spaces and maximize benefits of the new learning and sharing
landscape. This was expressed as an opportunity to minimize a barrier to building value and
partnership formation, despite identified stakeholder needs for successful development remaining
unmet.
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Summary of Findings. Of the 19 executives interviewed, 74% did not have the direct
experience of forming or assisting in the formation of a corporate partnership in the field of
higher education. Most of the respondents understood how and what is needed to form successful
partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. Customization, impactful data, micro-armies, and
planning emerged as the most needed to activate value that can be communicated from executive
to executive or administrator to executive to help form successful partnerships based on TA with
Fortune 500 companies. The examples of what is needed were elaborated upon for the researcher
as well as how those resources could be used. For example, customized content was identified as
a need when forming partnerships and its inherent value was deemed essential for all parties. The
influence was determined to be a need because participants had knowledge of what is needed and
how to form partnerships for the intended purpose but had less knowledge of how to use that
knowledge to create value across stakeholders.
Motivation Results
This section discusses the findings related to the two assumed motivation influences in
the conceptual framework. Overall, executives understood the value in setting partnership goals;
however, discussions centered around the lack of individual partnership performance goals and
alignment with day-to-day tasks and roles and responsibilities. Few provider executives and
administrators were aware of explicit utility and cost value of working with large corporations to
increase TA usage and generally were skeptical of actual success. The need for alignment was
the most consistent theme across all three types of influences but was strongest when analyzing
motivation. Numerous executives indicated that they understand goal alignment is needed
between jobs and education, between leaders and executives in organizations, and with those
entities with which the organization partners. However, stronger alignment of individual
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performance goals with the larger strategy was identified as a need. The variety of customized
tools upon which to build partnerships on continued to emerge as a need. When customized
education options are available to employees, they can help create value resulting from better
alignment with jobs and they become solutions to aid goal achievement. Executives also needed
a deeper understanding of specific barriers decentralization at the university level presents and
how to overcome the challenges to getting the attention of the right people at the targeted
Fortune 500 companies. Interviews highlighted the benefits of working with a partner that can
bring a portfolio of options to the table to offer versatility and help companies maximize the
utility and cost value of a successful partnership.
Motivation Influence 1: Online education provider executives need to develop
concrete, challenging, and current organizational goals that drive performance. The
interviews revealed 95% of executives and administrators felt individual relationship-building
goals do not align with organizational partnership goals. However, specifics of current initiatives
were hard to discuss in most cases without being able to divulge confidential organizational
details comfortably. Only 11% of the executives and administrators interviewed shared that
developing partnerships was an individual goal where they work. In fact, executives shared four
main challenges related to goal setting focused on developing partnerships (see Table 10).
Eighteen of the participants recognized individual goals that drive day-to-day tasks do not
always align with the communicated organizational goals causing confusion when prioritizing
individual partnership responsibilities and efforts. Thirty-two percent stated the potential impact
of achieving individual goals was missing from the vision set forth, and 26% had concerns that
initiatives, such as partnership development do not get the attention or the right people at the
table with the ability to make a difference. Finally, it is important to note four individuals cited
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decentralization at the university level as an issue in determining who was responsible for new
corporate partnerships, if any.
Table 10
Goal-Related Challenges to Developing Partnerships
Goal-Related Challenges to Developing
Partnerships
Number of Executives with Response
Alignment of goals missing 18
Impact of goal achievement lacking 6
Initiatives lacking attention needed 5
Decentralization at the university level 4

As noted, nearly every interviewee mentioned that alignment of individual goals to
organizational goals with respect to partnerships was an issue. Ivy, an OPM executive, shared,
“Some type of symbiotic relationship needs to exist where both organizations are getting
something out of the relationship. But that won’t happen if it is not a priority for the individual
working for the online provider of education first.” Seventeen interviewees echoed this sentiment
with some variation, emphasizing alignment of benefits informs priorities and attention for both
interested parties. Jorge, an administrator, asserted,
Stakeholders need to accept there is a cost and budgets that are important to companies
that need to be considered, especially since the model is more focused on larger
companies. Mid-sized companies need consideration, too. But not all companies need this
because they may not have the volume or capacity to make it work or make sense.
When knowledge, resources, and risk are complementary, these assets facilitate partnerships for
employees and their organizations. This suggests it is important to align individual goals with the
organization to form the same symbiotic relationship Ivy brought to the forefront.
Maximizing the impact of partnerships was discussed often in conjunction with mission
and values of stakeholders. Randall pointed out, “It’s really about getting the smaller missions
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sometimes, whatever the prospective partner is trying to solve. Whether it be increased
enrollment or stronger brand or their connections with universities.” Nick talked about
connecting partners and brands that share cultures and values to mobilize and communicate
stronger impact. Nick elaborated,
The missions are often at odds or, if not, different when I think about the mission of a
company versus the mission of a university. One must think about, for example, investors
or shareholders in the company versus the other thinking about faculty. It’s important to
balance two different stakeholder interests and missions and how they can sometimes
lean or not lean towards the goal of the partnership.
It is arduous to set goals when the intended impact of outcomes is not clear. Moreover, when
consideration for aligning missions and values in the initial planning stages is lacking, the
desired impact, despite common to both parties, can become a challenge to communicate.
Notably, participants believed partnership initiatives were not given enough dedicated
attention to promote goal achievement realistically in the long-term. The issue of turnover was
echoed several times as an analogous example. Attention to contingency plans if the executive
leading a partnership initiative left the company and progress stalled was not considered. A
university administrator, Calvin shared,
The number one challenge that I’ve seen is you have to have written documents because
of the turnover of personnel at both organizations. At the universities, Provosts don’t last
very long. You don’t see 28-year presidents. And, in the corporate world, people are
getting moved every two and three years. So, if you get excitement started and are
starting to make a deal, then a player moves away, you almost have to start over. So, I
think a key is written documentation every step of the way, knowing that the same
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players that initiated the conversation might not be the ones to close. Yes, I know that
sounds pretty simple. But I do think that that turnover is huge.
When executives change at the OPM, university, or at the potential Fortune 500 partner, often,
attention towards goals and subsequently momentum weakens. Often different organizations do
not speak the same language in terms of benefits and there is a certain industry jargon common
within different fields that affects powerful communication. From a university, Luke shared,
It can be difficult to detect the intentions on both sides to become a mutually beneficial
arrangement. When you are talking about public corporations and private institutions, I
don’t [think] they are always speaking the same language in terms of outcomes.
When there is turnover of key negotiators the communication process can be interrupted creating
a challenge to partnership development.
University responses in the study regarding decentralization had a focus on the challenges
it presents to pursuing partnerships and related goals. In particular, it makes it unclear as to who
or which department at a university has the responsibility to make a partnership happen in a
timely and effective fashion. Quincy responded, “Universities simply are not historically
organized for something like this. The fact is universities have many different schools with
decision-makers across different levels of the establishment, which lack consistency across the
system.” Luke also shared, “For better or for worse, I think corporate moves quicker. They are
more agile.” Interviewees felt decentralized goals are a challenge to innovative opportunities for
universities, including their online education progress.
Summary of Findings. Most executives and administrators interviewed (89%) shared
that developing partnerships was not an individual or organizational goal where they work. The
data suggests alignment of individual goals with the broader partnership goals was frequently
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missing for the majority of executives interviewed. Secondly, the quantifiable impact of
achieving the goal to further motivate executives and administrators was also commonly
missing. Furthermore, it was found to be challenging to engage the right decision-makers with
the partnership initiative to persevere with the goal pursuit. Decentralization on the university
side and lack of staff consistency across stakeholders emerged as additional challenges affecting
enthusiasm for action needed to develop partnerships. The influence was established as a need
because online education provider executives did not seem to have concrete and current
partnership goals set that correlate with their performance.
Motivation Influence 2: Online education provider executives need to expect
corporate partnerships to be successful and support their utility and cost value. Two key
areas of benefit and value were explored: benefits and value of participation in TA and benefits
and value of partnerships.
Benefits and Value of Participation in Tuition Assistance. During the interviews,
perceived employer benefits to promoting TA were addressed as seen in Table 11. Overall,
executives were knowledgeable about the benefits organizations can expect when an employee
participates in continuing their education. Additionally, those benefits appear most often to be
related to the organizations performance; however, executives were less knowledgeable about
why organizations do not promote the TA when there potentially exist many positive results.
One of the employer benefits from employees seeking additional education that rose to the top
was increased retention, shared by 12 of the 19 executives. Twelve people also stated increased
skills as a benefit, and nine people believed additional learning increased employee engagement.
Thirty-two percent of those interviewed also believed increased creativity or increased
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production were benefits to employers. Six of the responses included a statement that these
benefits are strongest when there is a clear and current relevance between job and education.
Table 11
Employer Benefits from Participation in Tuition Assistance
Employer Benefits from Participation Number of Executives with Response
Increased retention 12
Increased skills 12
Increased engagement 9
Increased creativity 6
Increased production 6
Relevance between job and education 6

With regards to retention benefits from participation, typical advantages of retaining
employees were discussed including the reduced expense of turnover which can be quite
significant for employers. Within the 12 responses stating increased retention, perspectives on
additional benefits relating to retention emerged during the 19 interviews. In particular, the
concept of being able to retain future employees because of the education benefit offered, the
benefits of retaining employees while they are pursuing education, operating without fear of
losing employees, and the idea that current employees may be retained longer because of the
increased knowledge and skills their coworkers are building from learning opportunities. Anton
felt “the best companies aren’t afraid of their people getting poached because they can attract
more people. This is the way I would imagine Google thinks.” Anton’s response speaks to
retaining future employees and not operating out of fear at the type of company that many
organizations look to emulate. Elvis shared his sentiment: “The company is getting the benefit of
the education even if the employee leaves in a year. But you actually did benefit from that in real
time.” This OPM executive response is an example of the idea that temporary retention is an
additional benefit for organizations that support participation. Quincy, an administrator, referred
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to “contagious impact” meaning the idea that employees seeking further education set a good
example and inspire others in the same environment. Randall referred to this as “the spillover
effect.” Responses like this highlighted a benefit mindset, as opposed to a cost mindset some
executives may have adopted. Quincy also stated, “Caring about people as individuals, as well as
cogs in the machine is going to have real high payoff.” This point, again, emphasizes the expanse
of ROI the employer sees as a result of employee personal growth that could hold fear of
employees departing the organization at bay. Participants were knowledgeable about traditional
long-term retention benefits employers realize, but some were able to see participation benefits
from short-term retention as well.
Increased skills were a well-supported employer benefit from TA participation discussed
by 12 out of the 19 interviewed. Randall, an OPM executive, put it like this:
The big thing for folks is obviously the skills. There’s something new to learn every day
and that will benefit the company supporting you. In new spaces, there’s particularly a lot
of new things to learn. I think there is new learning that can happen all the time that
brings gradual benefits and this is magnified when someone is taking courses.
The feeling from participants was daily learning opportunities increase for employees when more
education is pursued. The discussion often led to the relevance of the learning rather quickly and
did so in depth with six interviewees. One respondent even noted, “There are skills that are job
related, but there are also relevant behaviors needed for the job that can potentially be learned.”
This indicated increased skills could refer to more than the obvious expected from obtaining
more education. Anton shared,
If there is alignment like I said earlier between what you’re studying and what you are
doing day to day it’s a no-brainer, you leave the classroom and go back to your work
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environment, and it’s just this weird seamless flowing in and out of information framing
and reframing.
It was clear the understanding of skills improvement from TA participation potential employers
can benefit from was strong for those that participated in the study.
Increased engagement, creativity, and production were also believed to be important
employer benefits when further education is pursued using TA. Engagement is referring to the
extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the organization,
and put discretionary effort into their work. Paul shared his thoughts on engagement:
The fact that you, as an employee, know that your company is willing to invest
significant amounts in you likely makes you feel more committed and more engaged. We
know there’s research on engagement and productivity increases so there’s a softer,
maybe more long-term benefit to investing in your team.
In many cases, engagement was connected to fulfillment in the interviews. Daniel
expressed, “The level of engagement employees have about their career path, projection, and
development creates fulfilling experiences, and cannot be done in isolation. If they are vested in
that they are more engaged in their work.” Eight executives mirrored this sentiment in their
responses, concluding that those who were engaged were also more fulfilled personally by their
work and therefore, more motivated to perform better. Creativity was discussed from a similar
perspective six times. Creativity is valuable to organizations because it is what fuels big ideas,
challenges employees’ way of thinking, and opens the door to new business and personal
opportunities. Nick stated,
I think there are benefits to learning where spending time in a classroom, reading and
studying about topics that you may not address on a daily basis through the lens of
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learning can really help you be more creative in your thinking at work or in other aspects
of your life.
Creativity was likewise connected to aspects of life outside of work in the responses. Employee
production is the amount of performance or accomplishment achieved by an individual employee
or a collection of employees in a business. Production is most commonly related to work
performance. Daniel shared,
There were things that I was reading about and able to apply, whether accounting or
management or something where you can actually create some loop of practice. I think
when you have that, that sort of learning coinciding with work your performance and
production must increase immediately. Education in isolation can be like taking a past
experience in a classroom and then waiting to apply it, but when you are working it is
like you get to apply it all the way and right then.
Five similar statements about increased production from new skills seemed to focus on the
fulfillment gained from applying the new knowledge quickly. Luke touched on all three
employer benefits from the university perspective:
I think that people who are educated and following their purpose and passion and who
feel reciprocated and invested in by their employer are much happier, driven, committed,
you know, more productive, creative, and engaged people, right? And that directly, and
obviously, benefits the employer as well as the student.
Aside from the cost of tuition incurred when organizations aid employees who want to
pursue more education in the form of degrees, certificates, or boot camps, executives did not
discuss further reasons employers do not promote the benefits when open-ended questions were
asked. This was not surprising because numerous substantial employer benefits with the potential
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to support positive feelings around TA participation were discussed at length by participants
during the interviews.
Summary of Findings. Perceived employer benefits to promoting TA participation were
numerous. Sixty-three percent of the 19 participants noted increased retention and increased
skills as the most common benefit. The benefits participants indicated organizations can expect
when an employee participates in continuing their education were strong and appeared most
often to be related to organizational performance. In contrast, executives were less
knowledgeable about why organizations do not promote TA when there exists significant value
from the many benefits. Interviewees also expressed continued learning increases engagement,
creativity, and production of employees. The influence was established as a validated need
because the executives had knowledge of the employer benefits and related value of participation
but, were less knowledgeable about the reasons for not promoting TA usage to employees.
Benefits and Value of Partnerships. Generally, interviewees thought partnerships could
be successful and valued their potential. Actual expectations of success seemed to be weaker,
with only 16% of online education providers expecting corporate partnerships to succeed.
However, expectations were improving over time as indicated when the interviewees reflected
on their lesser expectations from years prior. When asked about the value of corporate
partnerships, participants shared four main benefits that create value (see Table 12). Nine
participants noted partnerships increase in value when benefiting multiple stakeholders. Eight
participants felt it important to note partnering creates perceived value when it satisfies a need
and three participants stated that collaboration is a growing trend and that made them consider
partnership development valuable. Finally, three participants discussed how organizations
complement each other in a partnership and that relationship adds value to their development.
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Table 12
Partnership Benefits that Create Value
Partnership Benefits Number of Executives with Response
Multiple stakeholders benefit 9
Partnering satisfies a need 8
Collaboration is a growing trend 3
Organizations complement one another 3

In six of the nine multi-stakeholder benefit discussions, comments centered around how
collaboration with a provider that offers a significant portfolio of educational options offers
value in speed to market and the ability to satisfy multiple stakeholder needs. Fiona shared her
view:
I think, for better or worse, private companies move quicker. I think that agreements are
more agile as far as understanding the needs of each other. For example, with a big online
provider company that offers many university options, there is a much broader and
diversified offering that a partnered organization could have access to.
Additionally, the larger the Fortune 500 company, the more employee stakeholders can benefit
from partnerships. Oscar shared:
A large company like say an airline, can use their size and leverage their employee base
to negotiate with the educational institutions and third parties to get premium pricing. A
move like this extends the reach and benefits to more employee stakeholders while
extending the mission of the organization and education partner.
Generally, the interviews communicated scale as a factor in reaching multiple stakeholders.
Participants identified partnerships that satisfy clear needs as a benefit having the ability
to add critical value to the equation. They went on to elaborate that when multiple needs are met
the value increases. Gary, an OPM executive, added,
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Ultimately, the employee needs to understand what they’re getting out of it. It needs to be
simple, and the more complicated means more hurdles there are to adoption or
endorsement by the company and the employee. So, I think that one of the things that I
have learned is it’s got to be open and upfront and well-communicated, but it’s also got to
be a simple articulation of the many benefits and the why for the employee to ultimately
gain from the value they did not see before. And I do not think discounts are enough.
This point supports the sentiment echoed by nine interviewees that increased value is created
when multiple stakeholder and multiple needs are considered. It is important to note the
employee participating in the TA benefit program is a primary stakeholder to consider in
partnership utility and cost value according to interviews. The potential student is a factor in
establishing expectations of the success of a partnership for utilization of TA.
Partnerships at their core are collaborations that share resources that complement one
another. Respondents in the study identified collaboration as an asset to partnership generation
value and a primary reason to engage. Elvis, an executive, offered,
In order to partner, you have to truly appreciate and understand the motivations of
everyone around the table. If you treat a relationship as truly a transaction, it’s not going
to be as productive a relationship as it could be. Working together on more than one
transaction element can result in so much more than separately.
Like Elvis, participants tended to connect the utility and cost value derived from collaboration
and complimentaries, as opposed to viewing partnering as merely transactional. Collaboration
trends in business and academia are increasing the benefits and value of working together.
Interviewees recognized the value trends can foster in comments like this from Randall: “Since
2008, there has been a great sort of growth again with respect to corporate engagement. That
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pattern has made it safer to engage in broader deals, less risky with more openness to new ideas
and distant players.” Three executives formed a connection between collaborative value and
expectations that may have waned in the past.
Summary of Findings. The interviews suggested 84% of online education providers did
not expect corporate partnerships to succeed. However, the data indicated perceived potential
was high. Interviewees shared that utility and cost value for partnerships is maximized when a
partnership based on TA usage provides balance between the needs of the learner or employee,
the requirements of the employer, and goals of the online education provider. The
complimenting nature of collaborations and a growing trend of working together are improving
the expectation of success. The interview data suggests that the value of successful partnerships
increases with the benefit of scale of the online program provider or university and when
multiple needs and stakeholders are served. The influence was established as a validated need
because the executives had knowledge of the benefits and related value of collaboration but were
less expectant of successful execution.
Research Question 2
What is the interaction between online education provider organizational culture and
context and executives ’ knowledge and motivation related to developing partnerships that will
increase TA participation?
Organizational Results
This section discusses the findings related to the four assumed organizational influences
in the conceptual framework. Overall, executives and administrators understood what is needed
to create supportive atmospheres for change and integrate valuable corporate partnerships into
the cultural model of their organizations and institutions. Those interviewed were less aware of
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why the current environment did not support the cultural model and how to gain support for
change, indicating the two influences as needs. Amongst the leaders interviewed, there was
openness to increasing alignment of strategic partnership goals around TA and allocating
appropriate resources in the cultural setting. However, there was less awareness about what was
needed to execute such changes without detracting from equivalent priorities, indicating the two
influences as needs. Key findings included a belief that the online education options offered to
Fortune 500 company employees need to be bundled in some way that maximizes application of
learning in their organizational structure. Examples were given where organizations had a culture
in which project managers or champions were assigned to partnerships, yet many believed
assigning accountability in this way was still a needed component of success and creating value.
For the most part, interviewees were not allocated the resources they felt were needed to support
big partnership initiatives based on TA. However, career pathing is where stakeholders had some
experience and success stories. Executives raised an additional organizational need of scalability
and sustainability of partnerships.
Cultural Model Influence 1: The organization needs a culture that values the
development of corporate partnerships. Participants described several organizational and
cultural challenges that impede the development of partnerships (see Table 13). Fifteen of the 19
participants (or 79%) thought broad organizational understanding of the credentialization
received from additional education was a challenge to creating partnerships. This suggests the
credit received from furthering education while in the workforce is not consistently understood
or communicated within organizations, and, thus, it loses worth and applicability without the
comprehension of the organizational relevance. Lack of measurement of the shared value
necessary for partners to create mutually beneficial relationships was a concern expressed by
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58% of participants. In cases where shared value was understood, the problem remained the lack
of measurement for organizations. The challenge of setting expectations was concerning for 53%
of participants, and the gap in stakeholder outcomes continued to be a challenge for 32%.
Finally, 21% of participants shared that partnerships need to be customized in such a way to be
aligned with cultures and needs.
Table 13
Cultural Challenges to Developing Partnerships for Tuition Assistance
Cultural Challenges to Developing
Partnerships
Number of Executives with Response
Understanding credentialization needed for
alignment of jobs and education
15
Measurement of shared value needed 11
Setting expectations 10
Gap between stakeholder outcomes 6
Customizing content to fit need 4

Interview participants shared challenges that hold back the creation of a culture that
values the development of corporate partnerships at OPMs and universities for increased TA
participation. According to Bart,
It’s all about the person, and understanding the person means understanding what they
have achieved and, sometimes, that is in terms of credentials, even if you do not call it
that. Instead of pre-established career paths for people, they are starting to think about
roles and jobs in families. So, then you have a career family.
By career family, Bart, an executive was referring to a grouping of jobs clustered together in
contrast to a career path which is often referring to jobs grouped within an organization. The
potential shift in approach to a “career family” is slight but important in the unseen workings of
an organization’s culture affecting employee loyalty and attitudes. Anton stated, “If education is
coming to the people specially constructed as opposed to the people having to go out and find the
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credo, that will change the way people think.” If credentialing from education is aligned with
jobs at Fortune 500 companies, executives felt the career could remain within the organization
instead of education encouraging turnover.
Understanding achievements and application of skills could begin in the existing
workplace culture and encourage employees to place more value on this type of partnership.
There was a consensus among respondents that those who are selling the partnerships need to
believe in them in the same way they expect partners and their employees to believe. There was a
pause in the interview when Sarah, a university administrator, rhetorically asked, “Aren’t all
employees really students? If they aren’t learning, then where is the organization really going to
go in the long-term?” This notion gets at the perceived value of learning that credentials
represent. If learning is perceived to have value, and, therefore, credentials are a valuable
representation, corporate partnerships supporting TA and digital education, according to some,
would become more important across the organization and support a participative culture.
Interviewees also shared that measurement of outcomes did not always happen
consistently in their organizations and posed a challenge. Gary explained,
But I think it should be a true mutually beneficial arrangement with shared value and
mission that is supported. Or it’s going to be problematic, and, really in my experience,
academic leaders often have a different mindset than a business leader, so you have to
bridge that gap with a common ground. Measuring results helps. But sometimes we move
without the actual information.
For educational outcomes to become a part of the environment, an organization’s related
behavior may include the measurement of value. If communication of value is not present, the
interviewees struggled to see how the online provider could expect partnership formation to gain
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support. Eleven participants explained it would make a stronger case for a Fortune 500 company
to adopt a strategy, if shared value was quantified.
Setting expectations was emphasized as difficult by 10 executives when it came to
partnerships involving TA. Many simply were not sure what successful TA participation would
look like and felt uncomfortable quantifying that potential. Fiona stated, “My purview is
partnerships at an online program manager, but my goals are not specific to tuition
reimbursement. But I can create the relationships to increase incoming student numbers in many
ways depending on the partner expectations.” Without comprehension of what to expect,
partnership value will lessen and become a challenge, according to the executives. Nick
highlighted another concern: “Companies don’t want to look like or give the appearance that
they are favoring one particular school or program.” The need for a positive appearance is an
example of a challenge that may arise when setting TA partnership expectations.
Customization was suggested as a method of mitigating challenges and adding value to
shared outcomes and was thought to be measurable. Customizing content of programs and
educational products in addition to degree programs eligible for TA, such as boot camps or
certificate courses, adds value for the Fortune 500 partner because the education becomes more
relevant to the jobs at that specific organization. Fiona expressed her view and the similar views
of nine others when she said,
Customized content or specialty assortments of education choices voices the shared goals
to a new partner without even saying anything. That olive branch speaks volumes and
says we are developing what you need, not what we want you to need because we need it,
too.
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Building the educational product or modifying one that exists, communicates investment in a
valuable partnership. The data suggests offering and measuring shared value supports the desired
culture and is supported by common language and product created specifically for the
stakeholders.
Ten interviewees suggested additional challenges include a gap in stakeholder outcomes
and partnerships’ lack of customized content to fill needs. As an executive, Gary shared,
You have to find the shared alignment and incentive to make it work for both cultures,
and it’s different because academic institutions have one mindset and corporations often
have a very different purpose. So, it’s like a match game and you have to find the right fit
with the right corporation with the right institution. They also then have to show the value
to both sides. And that’s not always obvious, and then it’s competitive because, if you’re
an institution, you want to work with many corporations, and, if you’re a corporation, you
may or may not want to be one of many.
Anton shared that sentiment and gave this example:
You really need to drill down in the conversations and say what you are doing doesn’t
solve for the fact that 20% of your executive staff have their MBAs and most Fortune
500 companies have 40%, right? Let’s get you that other 20% because that is really what
you are looking for at your particular organization.
This type of conversation can lead to aligning the outcomes and offering the proper solutions
even if they are not what was originally expected or as broad. Customization as a method of
adding value to shared outcomes and the gap in outcomes because of lack of customized content
were two challenges closely tied together in the conversations because customization of solutions
was suggested as a method of closing the gap in stakeholder outcomes identified as a challenge.
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Summary of Findings. The findings of this study indicate only 11% of online education
providers had corporate partnerships as a goal, and thus only the 11% assigned high value to
partnerships in the organizational culture. According to interviewees, the biggest challenges to
developing partnerships for TA participation increases are understanding credentialization as it
applies to alignment of jobs with education and the measurement of shared value. Setting
expectations and the gap between stakeholder outcomes were also common challenges
contributing to partnership value perceptions. Furthermore, it was found to be challenging to fill
partner needs without customized content options and without clear solutions, affecting
perceived value within the culture. This influence was identified as a validated need based on the
lack of culture that values partnership development.
Cultural Model Influence 2: The organization needs a culture that supports change.
The findings of this study suggest 63% of online education provider executives were operating in
a culture that supports change. It is notable the 63% was primarily made up of executives from
OPMs versus universities. A culture that supports change is one that is needed to support
partnerships, since their development is a significant change for most universities and OPMs.
Sixty-three percent of those interviewed also believed there is openness and progressive thinking
around partnerships to promote working professionals going back to school. Nine respondents
thought this was connected to care for employees and investing in human capital. Thirty-seven
percent believe the industry is changing and warrants innovation to align priorities for employees
and employers. Additionally, 42% saw the innovation needs arising from the microlearning trend
that has emerged in the space. Nine of the respondents talked about the cyclical nature of TA and
learning but did not feel it was significantly inhibiting the progressive attitudes around
innovative solutions to workforce change.
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Much of the discussions around openness to partnerships at this stage of the interviews
was focused on innovative learning options to make utilization of TA and digital education
relevant, aligned, and associated with an increased and more visible ROI for all stakeholders.
Quincy shared the following from the university perspective:
Historically, higher education has a lack of respect for non-academic learning. And,
traditionally, we are not organized for stackable options that include long and short-term
offerings and are really skills-based. I think one of the things we are working on now is
how do you let people accumulate and stack stuff, but not doing it in one fell swoop. A
come and go as they need and want to.
The option for individuals to stack courses as a solution instead of following structured degree
program coursework is an example that constitutes a change in the university environment that
supports partnering and is a product of progressive thinking participants felt existed at some
organizations and institutions. Often, participants saw themselves as the change agent and the
leader pushing for changes like this in their own organizations. Elvis talked much about what
specifically the partnerships could look like using Google as the example. He elaborated what he
meant through these details:
Think about if you had a section of Google employees, and there’s two courses built
away from the traditional curriculum. They were geared really towards Google, where
Google’s learning and development team could infuse the curriculum and experience. It
actually gets Google bought into the idea where they would push their employees to go
do something. It doesn’t have to be a lot. It could be an MBA just a little bit tailored
towards Google and focused on leveraging that expertise and success. You could create
something where there’s a case competition. And it’s presented to the Google executive
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team, most employees may not have much interaction with the CEO or CFO at these
major corporations, which is really where I think the corporate partnerships could bring
the most benefit to learning and performance of their employees.
Certainly, this hypothetical Google example is a progressive idea because executives have seen
very few frameworks like this executed by their organizations or by their competitors.
The knowledge cycle was a concern for executives, yet it was also expressed as an
opportunity. As noted previously, interviewees shared that knowledge cycles are speeding up. It
is difficult for companies to invest in education that takes years and a large expense to complete.
Technological advances and the corresponding response in the marketplace mean individuals
need to learn faster so they can keep up. Oscar discussed the opportunity with a realistic
company perspective around cycle times:
There’s a huge potential, but there is also shelter. There’s a great potential for higher
education to be the feeder of learning and knowledge assets to corporations. However,
corporations need really fast modular cycle times, things just change super-fast, and
higher ed is not built like that by design. So, the anchor to societal change is slow
moving, very bureaucratic, and you also have a very fast organization and getting them to
solve the learning in the middle is tough. They have empowered faster cycles with
certificate units. They tend to be able to work faster, and it can become a better kind of
coupling mechanism with corporations as a result.
Bart pointed out he sees the growing popularity of boot camps and certificates in the last few
years as a direct result of this pattern of needing knowledge faster for application. Bart also
mentioned, “A subscription to a menu of education options or options bundled together for one
fee may be a potential out of-the-box solution because the need might be a combination of
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learning opportunities and not so cookie cutter.” The innovative product ideas discussed during
the interviews, such as subscriptions, bundles, and stacking courses, supports the expansion of
education choices to create increased applicability to companies and jobs. Executives and
administrators recognized that there is opportunity and a willingness to expand choices for
working professionals that will increase the benefits of TA participation.
Participants postulated microlearning, small learning units for skills development, is a
significant growing trend. They also asserted the higher education and education technology
industry is changing and warrants innovation. Quincy, an administrator, shared,
Knowledge requirements versus degree requirements is really where it’s headed right
now: the future of work. You’re going to need knowledge requirements. You’re going to
need those boot camps for an engineering job, maybe not a traditional engineering
degree. I guess it’ll be different probably by area of study, but the employee and
company get what they need, not a piece of paper.
Bart suggested the use of flights or samples of learning as another way to think of microlearning
possibilities. He said, “Once you find what fits from sort of sampling what is available, like a
flight of beer or sake, then you can move forward in that direction knowing you are investing in
the most appropriate choice.” The future of work, referred to by Quincy, suggests the workforce
and work environments are evolving and will have different requirements in the future.
Education and training innovation may help shape the future of our work lives.
Some participants suggested organizations are open to change because they care about
their employees and invest in human capital. It was suggested one reason organizations would be
open to a partnership strategy is that they see the benefit it can lead to for people. Quincy talked
about the mutual ROI in people:
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It’s about return on investment. What I would sell and structure for is to incentivize a
dynamic workforce. So, if you’re looking for ROI in terms of the quality of work
product, in terms of personal development, and in terms of improved corporate
performance or non-profit performance, what you’re talking about isn’t like filling up a
bucket, which is how we used to think about it. What you’re talking about is a very
different conception of the human resource and how to have an environment within
which you want to reinforce and strengthen that human resource, so that the larger entity,
and what it’s doing, how it’s doing it and maybe even the innovations that it brings, those
things are all returns on an educational investment.
Kevin, an OPM employee, also shared,
I think it is ok to offer education for the sake of education as well. Tuition reimbursement
is considered an employee benefit, after all, and meant to help people grow, honestly
even if it does not directly relate back to jobs.
This change in thinking about the value of the workforce and overall good for people may
contribute to a cultural model that supports change and creates an environment where people
want to work at the partner level as well as the provider level.
Summary of Findings. According to this study, 37% of online provider executives and
administrators were not operating in a culture that supported change. However, the findings
indicate progressive companies do exist in the space and have an opportunity to promote an
organizational model that supports change. Interviews suggested innovative companies that
believe in education experiences framed as microlearning, subscriptions, stackables, flights or
samples, bundles, or a portfolio of options for students, in addition to traditional degree
programs, will be the most open to what is really needed by the workforce of the future and the
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cultures that support them. Progressive thinking in relation to higher education and the future of
learning often included speed-to-market modifications to more traditional graduate degrees and
consideration of human capital investment. Faster learning cycles support the need for change,
especially in certain cultures like coding, software development, engineering, and technology.
The influence was validated as a need because executives and administrators were aware of
openness to change in their organizations, yet they often did not view their culture as one that
supports it.
Cultural Setting Influence 1: The organization needs corporate partnership
initiatives as a strategic goal. When asked if partnerships were a part of the interviewees’
organizational goals, it was determined 89% of executives did not have corporate partnerships as
a strategic goal. However, executives were reluctant to discuss specifics of why or why not.
When asked why partnerships might not be strategic goals, responses primarily focused on the
perceived disadvantages of corporate partnerships for TA. These disadvantages may have
affected leadership decisions regarding whether to set goals focused on corporate partnerships.
Three main disadvantages were noted. First, if an online education provider is a non-profit entity,
as in the case of many universities, the perception by 26% of those interviewed was they may be
wary to pursue partnerships with for-profit corporations because of a potential result of negative
stigma. Second, the slow to change characteristic of many large universities was mentioned
again as a disadvantage by 21% of the interviewees in this context. Finally, six of the
interviewees thought, when expectations are hard to align between stakeholders, in some cases
possibly because of a partner’s lack of significant interest or size, a disadvantage to partnerships
as a goal is presented.
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The concept of potential self-interest on the part of an OPM or Fortune 500 company,
matters to a non-profit such as a university that exists to advance society and do good through
education. Elvis shared, “There is a negative stigma formed when people view corporations
embedding themselves into university operations.” The stigma could create a perception that the
university may be influenced by for-profit drivers for partnering. However, Randall asserted,
“There are great growth opportunities with respect to corporate engagement if some of the
doubts and mistrust can be put to rest.” While the issue of a stigma did exist, respondents
suggested this is a perceived disadvantage only and one that should not hold back partnerships
from becoming a long-term goal if managed correctly.
Responses that talked about the disadvantages of universities being slow to adapt were
noted previously. However, exclusivity and brand alignment demands were new to the data
collection. Some stakeholders may expect exclusivity in agreements. For example, a university
or OPM may want to be the only one of their kind with which a particular Fortune 500 company
has a contractual agreement. In addition, the desire may be for the company and university
brands to have synergies and alignment of core values before entering a partnership. Gary, an
OPM executive, expressed, “I think quality in terms of brand matters, and these things have to be
similar quality levels to line up.” Both concerns were believed to be disadvantages or challenges
to partnerships evolving as a larger goal for a provider.
Executives and administrators indicated, when expectations are hard to align between
stakeholders, a disadvantage to partnerships as a goal is presented. Customized content and
product options were again called out as a need because, without them, participants felt a
partnership would potentially not align if appropriate options for employees to meet their
educational and growth goals were limited. The concept was approached in a new way by Bart:
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It is absolutely 100% about the quality of work that people get to do. And that is how
they define their careers and themselves. People no longer define themselves by the title
over their work. It’s what they are doing that matters. So, then, the trick with that is to
take those notions to create destination workplaces with quality of work and weave that
into the curriculum that you are teaching, so you’re not just teaching somebody about
Java. You’re teaching somebody how to transform. Taking that real-world
contextualization and weaving it into the curriculum itself, and you can do that online,
you can do that in immersive boot camps.
Customization and relevance to the job were further intertwined by quality of the work and its
importance to an employee’s identity.
Statements regarding “measurement of impact” appeared again in the conversations, this
time referencing how measuring impact and TA outcomes can create a partner with interest. The
partner without significant interest was mentioned as a challenge for achieving partnership goals.
Randall commented, “I think making an argument and a case behind what the potential impact
could be is key to any worthwhile organizational goal and building support.” If interest is not
strong, the goal may not be achieved in the long-term unless the impact can be communicated to
increase buy-in and support. Partner size is important for the ability to impact and, therefore, the
interest level gained from a partner. From the interviews, it was gathered that, for partnerships to
be their most productive and effective, the Fortune 500 company needs to be of a substantial
size. Jorge shared from the university:
Not all companies will see the value in partnerships or need this because they may not
have the volume to make it work or make sense. Internal boot camps work for large
companies and will be the trend and outcome in 5 years. But they do not necessarily work
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for small to mid-sized companies. This means the needs should be tailored to the
situation and a model customized for the target audience to consume the right content. In
order to make sustainable and scalable, a flexible product must be used and with the right
size partner to accommodate the resources needed to make that happen.
The larger the company, the more a relationship that promotes TA benefits for improving
performance will make sense. Sarah, an administrator, noted, “Universities should think about
prioritization, so, if they are spending resources on partnering, we can reach the most potential
students possible.” Competitive insight is necessary to find a partner that is a good fit for this
type of partnership. Participants recognized the importance of this information when working
towards goals that are guiding an organization.
Summary of Findings. Other than an overall finding that only 11% of interviewees had
corporate partnerships as a strategic goal, data was limited pertaining to this influence.
Interviewees suggested the disadvantages of partnerships that may affect the setting of
partnership goals were a potential negative stigma associated with universities pursuing
relationships with for-profit corporations, the slow speed at which large universities operate, and
the difficulty aligning stakeholder goals often relating to partner interest or size. This influence
was validated as a need based on the lack of partnership goals for the majority of participants in
the study and their organizations.
Cultural Setting Influence 2: The organization needs to allocate resources to
support the new corporate partnership goal. Data revealed 95% of those interviewed did not
have the proper resources to support partnership development with Fortune 500 companies.
Resources are important factors for goal alignment and inform decisions about which companies
to engage with for goal achievement. Table 14 shows the resources executives and administrators
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noted were the most important within the organizational setting for achieving partnership goals
when the goals were present. The human resources response, from 84% of the 19 participants,
included a champion as an example of the type of human capital executives felt was ideal.
Monetary resources were expressed as critical by 74% of the participants and were more
explicitly explained as budget needs. Time needs were important for 52% of executives and
administrators interviewed, indicating other responsibilities may need to be adjusted to make
room for the new partnership goals. Nine respondents, or 47% of the 19 interviewed, suggested
procedures would need to be developed for leaders to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
Finally, the need for product solutions and data was important to 47% and 21% of the 19
interviewed, respectively.
Table 14
Resources Needed for Partnership Development
Resources Needed for Partnership Development Number of Executives with Response
Budget/Money 14
Time 10
Written procedures 9
Product options/solutions 9
Champion 8
Human Resources 8
Data 4

The seven most commonly stated resource needs in the interviews were needs that have
appeared multiple times and emerged as a part of larger themes. A champion with accountability
for the project, human capital, monetary support, time, process and procedures, product
solutions, and data were discussed throughout the interviews in numerous contexts. In this
portion of gathering data, these were identified as the most important resources needed to
support goals of partnership development with Fortune 500 companies for the purpose of
increasing the usage of TA and digital education.
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A large number of interviewees, 14, viewed a budget as necessary to meet most
organizational goals. Kevin shared from the OPM: “Dollars need to be allocated to partnership
efforts for expenses such as travel to Fortune 500 company headquarters and off-site meetings.”
Fiona added, “If something does not appear in my budget, I am sorry but, it does not get
attention. The annual budgets sort of become like a guideline for what is most important.” These
statements present a clear need for monetary resources to be allocated to goals.
In addition, time was called out as a resource need for partnership development because,
without it, the goal would not be a top priority and would fall behind on the list of priorities for
executives and administrators. Ivy shared,
I wish I could spend more time on this type of initiative. But I just have so many other
projects on my plate that, without more urgency assigned to partnerships or something
else being removed from my responsibilities in some official way, it is not something I
would be able to add to my schedule simply because I have interest.
Nine other individuals echoed this sentiment, and Sarah specifically commented, “Without
opening up more time, often decision-makers are spread too thin.” Executives are often not able
to choose where they spend their time. Statements like this present a clear need for time
resources to be specifically allocated to TA partnership goals.
Written procedures were important in the context of mitigating turnover ramifications of
key personnel exiting the organization. It was noted previously that Calvin, one of the university
administrators, talked about executives’ mobility and the likelihood those leading partner
relationships may see turnover at a pivotal moment in negotiations. Nine interviewees indicated
agreement that written documents are important resources because a partnership takes significant
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time to develop. The written resources also keep initiatives moving forward since accountability
of tasks is documented.
Product options were viewed as potential resource solutions. Paul added,
Essentially presenting the product as a solution is a key to success. In order to do this,
you need a bag of tricks or an arsenal of products to draw from so the solution presented
works for the specific need of the partner being presented to.
Eight other interviewees echoed this statement, emphasizing the need for innovation and
creativity in the form of customized product or combinations of product to meet potential partner
demand. Each potential corporate partner may have a different vision for the relationship and
outcomes they are seeking. Furthermore, data to support the development of the most impactful
product solutions was important to participants to ensure education resources are being
maximized.
Having a champion or someone specifically held accountable for partnership goals to
maximize progress was clearly expressed as important to success by 42% of the participants. A
champion was also referred to as a consultant, advocate, project manager, or mediator.
Traditionally, a champion is a person who voluntarily takes primary interest in the adoption,
implementation, or success of a cause, policy, program, project, or product. They will typically
move an idea through internal resistance to change and elevate it throughout the organization.
Nick talked about champions as having the ability to represent both sides of the equation. Others
viewed a champion as the person to represent an idea. Essentially, the champion in these
conversations was needed to be accountable for progress of the partnerships and was indicated as
a resource need for their success. Nick explained further:
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It’s almost as if you need a mediator, right, who can express the value proposition in both
directions, and yet not be threatening. There are times where actually a consultant can
play that role because you’ve got the two organizations very differently about the same
problem called learning for performance improvement. It’s really hard for them to sit
down at the table and have meaningful discussions without someone accountable for the
results of a coffee chat.
Most importantly, interviewees believed this person, regardless of title, is the person with
accountability over the goal and, therefore, held accountable for the associated team goals.
Accountability for large and meaningful goals was clearly a concern for executives, as many
talked of innovative ideas that they saw die because they were not backed by an individual that
had overall accountability for their progress and success.
Human resources were uncovered as a very important need for the success of
partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. When this theme emerged, the researcher asked more
detail as to what those placed in key roles would need to be effective. A unique set of qualities,
as seen in Table 15, emerged as those ideal for a role developing partnerships. Open mindedness
and flexibility were the most stated qualities needed by 42% of participants. Thirty-two percent
of them talked about a persuasive presence which is very common in effective sales roles.
Creativity was mentioned by 26% of participants, which is a bit more unusual for expectations of
a partnership role. More typical, trust and emotional intelligence, relationship building, and
listening skills were qualities also discussed by 21% of the participants.

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Table 15
Qualities Needed for Partnership Development
Qualities Needed for Partnership
Development
Number of Executives with Response
Open mindedness and flexibility 8
Persuasive presence 6
Creativity 5
Trust and emotional intelligence 4
Relationships, contacts, and the ability to
build a team
4
Listening skills 4

When discussing open mindedness of people placed in key partnership roles, Elvis talked
about the nature of successful conversations. He stated,
You have to truly appreciate and understand the motivations of everyone around the
table. If you treat a relationship around employee education and organizational
performance as truly a transaction, it’s not going to be as productive a relationship as it
could be.
He went on to say, “Leaders need to ensure they are challenging the status quo and not resting on
laurels by saying, ‘you know, we’ve been so successful these last five years.’ You’ve got to
constantly be thinking about how we evolve.” This perspective on flexibility supports why it is
an important quality for executives in this context. Creativity was felt to be fostered by open
mindedness. Daniel, an OPM executive, suggested, “When you are open things just happen that
you did not expect. And often those instances can be where the new ideas pop in and gain
momentum. Discussions between players can build on the creativity.” Interviewees further
suggested creativity is necessary to stay ahead of the competition and provide the right solutions
for professionals seeking growth and development.
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Persuasive presence refers to traditional sales skills needed to persuade stakeholders to
move forward. Randall described the quality like this:
You need the ability to not just come into a conversation, or a discussion with a script. If
you are open, the script changes and for the better. Then you can harness your presence to
captivate your audience and build support.
Paul expanded upon the definition of persuasive presence and explained it as “influencing
ability.” Partnership responsibility is not often viewed as part of traditional sales roles, yet
building relationships is key to sales success and partnership development. Strong internal
relationships were discussed as necessary to build the right team. Strong external relationships
and contacts were discussed as necessary to get through the door and gather the most influential
people at the table to make big decisions. Listening skills were expressed as critical to building
the relationships once you have an audience. Anton referred to “effective listening skills and an
ask first mentality.” Interviewees also suggested it is necessary to establish trust to build
successful relationships. Randall, in particular, stated, “If honesty does not exist, that comes
through in a conversation. The ability to be transparent is the foundation for relationships that
can endure ups and downs.” Four responses included emotional intelligence, the ability to
understand, use, and manage your emotions in positive ways. Luke shared, “A certain
intelligence is necessary to empathize and communicate effectively in high stress conversations.”
Emotional intelligence was discussed in conjunction with building trust and as important to
establishing a base from which to start negotiations.
Summary of findings. The interview data indicated a long-term investment of resources
should be considered to support goals important to the cultural setting of an organization, yet
only 5% of those interviewed had the proper resources to support partnership development with
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Fortune 500 companies. Resources were identified as most effective when specific to
organizational goals. Without allocated resources, partnership goals are not part of the visible
environment of the organization. When a champion is assigned, budgets are shared, time is
reallocated, written procedures are formed, new products are built, and data distributed. Once
goals are set, allocation of human, monetary, and physical resources support executives spending
effort on planning a goal change. Interviewees suggested, when allocating human resources to
the relevant partnership jobs within online education providers, leaders should consider specific
soft skills and qualities talent needs to possess. The influence was validated and determined to be
a need because executives were informed about the resources needed for successful achievement
of an organization or institutions partnership goals, but they were not provided with the actual
resources.
Additional Observations: Quality perceptions of online education
Participants were asked about current quality perceptions of digital education and
quality’s potential to become a barrier or benefit to participation. If the quality of online learning
is not the same as on campus, or if employer perceptions are such, it may affect an employee’s
decision to participate in a TA program and become a reason they do not. All but one respondent
stated the quality of education online depends on various factors and is not so definitive.
Employer acceptance of online programs delivering equivalent outcomes emerges when quality
is in place. Eleven interview responses indicated modality, asynchronous versus synchronous
delivery, as the strongest factor and seven responses indicated the engagement of faculty as the
strongest factor in determining quality. Technological platform, networking opportunities, and
the community experience were also seen as components of the modality factor. Considering
these factors executives and administrators had knowledge of, six of the 19 participants
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suggested online delivered superior quality of the education, while four indicated the methods
delivered the same quality, and four others felt on-campus was a higher quality experience, as
illustrated in Table 16. This means over 50% of the participants felt online education is of the
same or superior quality to that of on-campus programs. Five of the 9 participants were not able
to commit to an answer.
Table 16
Quality Perceptions of Online Education
Quality Perceptions of Online Education Number of Executives with Response
Quality depends (on modality or faculty) 18
Online is of superior quality 6
Quality is the same for online and on-campus
higher education
4
On-campus is of superior quality 4

Quality perceptions of digital education have the potential to be a reason working
professionals do not participate in TA programs if they feel an on-campus program is not an
option. Elvis talked about the factors from the OPM side that lead him to believe digital
education is of high quality and the affects the new standard is having on higher education:
I think digital education is critical to advancing academia and advancing the quality of
education that people are receiving now. The sharing of information and online classes is
evolving academia by allowing people to gain more knowledge quicker and cross
collaborate. Digital is allowing us to evolve together. When my organization began,
quality was in question, there were a lot of players in the for-profit space that had a really
negative perception, really low graduation rates, and low outcomes. Really, just poor
quality. I think the pedagogical approach to how we think about education as a
partnership with faculty building these interactive experiences is the right way. And I
think that is helping drive the story of quality because we don’t have enough programs in
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the country to change that narrative completely, but, with more and more online
programs out there using quality learning management systems, quality video, and people
with experiences structuring programs in a way that creates the best possible outcome for
students, together, we are changing that narrative.
This kind of detail helps tell the story of why executives feel quality, if choosing a program that
delivers a complete experience, should not be a reason to deter participation in digital degree
programs, certificate courses, and boot camps. Another common reason the participants
perceived online as the same or better quality was that they believe value is created through the
flexibility a remote program delivers.
The university perception is there are still programs available that do not meet the same
quality criteria, albeit their decrease in total. Beliefs that create quality concerns when compared
to on-campus programs did emerge. Calvin believes “there are tons of high-quality online
programs out there, but there are still some bottom-feeders that affect cultural quality perceptions
overall. I do not see that same effect on campus.” This kind of idea seemed to affect some
executives level of comfort in answering definitively if online or on-campus proved superior.
Additionally, Jorge added,
I believe there are some great returns out there from hybrid learning. I think a hybrid that
is online plus in-person experiences included deliver the best option. Without some in-
person piece, I still think on-campus delivers an experience that cannot be replicated with
only live video classes.
It is notable the specific program discussed frequently had influence on the answer to that
question.
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Ivy, a Harvard Business School graduate, had a unique experience because she originally
believed on-campus offered a superior program when compared to online options. However, she
took one online class within the last year, and her perception changed. She talked about how
there is inherent bias against online education and said,
Inherent bias is that, it means online is something less than the on-ground experience. I
mean, I took just one class, and it changed my perception of what it really was. Now, I
am curious about ways of activating students as ambassadors and advocates to share their
experience with others in some scalable way that can change perceptions!
In this case, the perception shifted recently from one of doubt to one of belief in online modality
quality, indicating fluctuation may exist depending on the specific details of the program
delivery and the participants personal experiences.
Conclusion
This chapter presented the results and findings of the qualitative interviews conducted
with 19 participating U.S. based online education providers as they related to the three research
questions that guided this study. The results were presented with a discussion of the assumed
influences, corresponding literature, and conceptual framework presented in Chapter Two. The
findings helped present the unique viewpoints of the participating executives and administrators,
and the various needs and potential solutions for their organizations and institutions in
developing corporate partnerships to increase usage of TA and continue to provide optimal
digital education opportunities to working professionals. Chapter Five will discuss
recommendations informed by the validated needs of executives and administrators during the
interviews, as well as, integrate suggestions from the literature and conceptual framework for
practice.
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Chapter Five: Discussion and Recommendations
The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of knowledge and
skill, motivation, and organizational resources necessary to accomplish the goal of developing
partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization
of TA and quality digital education. This chapter discusses the recommended solutions to the
identified and validated needs within the global context of online education providers,
specifically OPMs and universities, actively establishing digital degree programs, short courses,
and boot camps tailored for working professionals going back to school. Implications for practice
will be presented, as well as a discussion concerning implications for future research.
Discussion
This study found that executives at OPMs and administrators at universities are engaged
in activities to further the reach and quality of digital education. All felt pulled towards
advancing options in higher education to assist a greater number of working professionals going
back to school and utilization of TA where available. Although some interviewed lacked specific
knowledge about partnerships between online education providers and Fortune 500 companies,
every participant saw advantages to working with this population. Additionally, each leader
interviewed could clearly articulate the various merits associated with increased learning,
knowledge transfer, goal setting, and valuing change in conjunction with increased participation
in TA programs.
Several themes surfaced from the interviews, some of which were expected and some of
which were not. The first theme that developed pertained to measuring impact. A major concern
expressed was the lack of data and analysis available to measure the impact and ROI for the
organization of employees’ furthering their education. Additionally, the information would likely
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improve employee interest in participation if they could quantify their career potential as a result
of more training, knowledge, and skills. As noted in Chapter Two, only 2% to 5% of
organizations evaluate the return (Johnson, 2005; Weathers, 2018). Companies that tracked
results were two to three times more likely to see positive outcomes, thus employers that do not
see organizational ROI quantified may not be monitoring program success (Dolezalek, 2009;
Johnson, 2005). It was expected at the inception of this study that data to communicate impact
would have been available and not have been perceived as a barrier to onboarding a partner.
Conversely, it was expected the idea of a partnership with a narrow scope, such as TA, would
have been a larger obstacle than communication of ROI data. However, most participants (13 out
of 19) claimed data that provides impact and competitive partnering knowledge was difficult to
come by, and the narrow scope of TA was not as significant an issue. This is important because
accessing and communicating data to Fortune 500 companies and their employees may be the
catalyst to a significant increase in partnership development for the purpose of increasing
working professionals’ proactively pursuing additional education.
One surprising theme that came up with the majority of interviewees (16 out of 19) was
the idea that educational options needed to be more diverse to meet the needs of working adults
going back to school and have the relevance necessary to apply the training on the job. It was
evident in the degree versus knowledge requirements conversation that frequently surfaced
during the interviews. Perhaps an employees’ needs would be better met with a combination of
tools in their personal portfolio of credentials relevant to their specific path, as opposed to a one-
size-fits-all approach with a singular advanced degree. This is surprising, as the literature
suggests close to 40% of human resource managers do not look for differences between
employees participating in educational programs, regardless of type, and those who are not
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(Johnson, 2005; Weathers, 2018). As revealed in interviews, speed of technological innovation,
field of expertise, and evolving knowledge cycles are playing a larger role in what type of
education, degrees, certification courses, or boot camps, are the aligned solution to the desired
career advancement and improved organizational performance sought.
The literature review in Chapter Two suggests, when there is apparent alignment of
individual and organizational goals, employee retention rates increase 50% (Dolezalek, 2009).
Of interest were the motivation challenges employees typically experience when educational
goals do not line up with job performance goals. In this study, alignment surfaced as another
theme when 89% of interviewed executives communicated partnerships were not an individual
or organizational goal, and they, therefore, struggled with understanding the value of the
initiative. Hence, without the goal established as a part of organizational or individual priorities,
it is fair to say partnerships are not aligned and a challenge to develop effectively by those held
accountable. An added layer uncovered during interviewing was the difficulty presented when
Fortune 500 company goals do not marry up with the OPM or university goals to form
partnerships to increase enrollment when TA and digital education are available.
Eight respondents pointed to a theme of partnering with corporations that were viable
partners due to their ability to scale and sustain an agreement. Scalability is a trait that describes
the capacity of an organization to grow and manage expansion. A business that is described
as scalable has an advantage because it is more adaptable to changing demands. Sustainability is
the ability to be supported or upheld without depleting resources, thereby supporting long-term
balance. Larger corporations have a higher propensity for successful partnering because their
size and capacity make the initiative cost-effective and able to be sustained over the long-term.
The literature indicates universities look to engage in partnerships with business, industry, and
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OPMs to drive incremental enrollment and enhance content (Dougherty, 2009). When an
academic institution and a corporation work together, they create stronger alignment between
education and business and industry (Fong et al., 2017). The leaders who participated in the
study expressed it is optimal when the corporation is one that has a considerable employee base,
the OPM offers a portfolio of universities, and universities develop multiple program options
available to those employees. Based on responses, it is plausible to suggest the relationship can
be more valuable when the Fortune 500 company decides to build a relationship with a sizable
market-leading OPM, as opposed to limiting to one university or contracting multiple
agreements with separate universities. Economies of scale and dispersed resources needed create
the potential advantage. However, respondents were concerned with the allocation of resources
within the larger organizations dedicated to partnership development. Surprisingly, only 5% felt
they had the correct monetary, human, and physical resources to carry out the strategy to its
fullest potential in the current environment, suggesting a need for increased organizational
support.
This study suggested accountability as a common theme when considering partnership
success that is maximized for all stakeholders to an agreement. From the literature review, it was
determined the initiation stage is facilitated by a champion to lead the effort, identify
complementary needs and assets, establish compatible goals, and build trust between parties
(Wohlstetter et al., 2005). The operations phase is characterized by the creation of governance,
structures to guide decision making, communication mechanisms to facilitate information flow,
and effective leadership to keep those executing accountable (Wohlstetter et al., 2005). Forty-
two percent of executives endorsed the strength of having a champion, advocate, or
representative facilitate the initiation stage and operations phase of strategic partnerships.
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Without the champion to necessitate advancement at critical milestones on a project, there was a
concern as to the momentum and ultimate success of an innovative strategy within a large and
growing institution where accountability is not always clear.
It emerged from the interviews that leaders are generally open to partnerships for
increased enrollment opportunities if they have additional data, products, alignment, and support
for planning, process, and outcomes. Based on executive and administrator discussions, it
appears that partnerships promoting TA are a viable option for employers who wish to increase
the knowledge and skills of their workforce and improve organizational performance. A viable
partnership strategy put in motion by strong OPMs and universities has the potential to increase
employee engagement with TA benefits and digital education.
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
There is not yet an existing pattern as to which universities are focused on expanding
their digital education footprint. Once a university establishes the focus, it is likely OPMs will
offer an avenue to expand the footprint more quickly through marketing, quality online course
development tools, and potentially increased interest from employees of Fortune 500 companies
with substantial TA benefits. Therefore, the goal of this study was to broadly increase the
number of partnerships developed between universities, OPMs and Fortune 500 companies for
the increased utilization of TA benefits for digital learning opportunities. The hope is that
increasing the number of participating providers that have partnered with large corporations will
lead to an increase in the number or working professionals who benefit from advanced education
and increased retention rates for employers because benefits are communicated, convenient and
relevant options are available, and ROI is visible to all stakeholders. Chapter Two explored
several assumed influences and possible barriers to goal attainment were discussed and
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categorized within Clark and Estes’ (2008) KMO framework. Addressing the challenges within
the KMO framework increases the likelihood of online education providers developing
partnerships that increase usage of TA programs, meeting the global goal (Clark & Estes, 2008).
The following sections present and discuss the recommendations for the assumed influences and
barriers to participation through the lens of the KMO framework (Clark & Estes, 2008). The
framework is intended to assist in creating innovative strategies and solutions that executives and
administrators can implement to assist in successful partnership strategy execution for increased
employee engagement in higher education opportunities.
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction. There are four facets of assistance that organizations can invoke to support
knowledge development: information, job aids, training, and education (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Information depicts the necessary elements of knowledge that individuals need to have to
complete tasks or duties. A job aid encompasses a level of deeper intervention than information
alone, typically in the form of a checklist or formulaic outline of directions that support task
completion. Training often includes information and job aids but also involves direct
engagement, supervision, and feedback to increase one’s knowledge through the demonstration
and modeling of a trainer. Education arranges the conceptual and theoretical recognition of
strategies that assist individuals in task completion and actualizes responses to situations in
creative ways that propel the completion of tasks (Clark & Estes, 2008). This study recommends
an integrated model involving all four facets of organizational assistance. Implementing this
model would likely result in increased partnership development between education providers and
Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization of TA and quality digital education.
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The knowledge influences in Table 17 represent the most frequently mentioned
knowledge influences to achieving the stakeholders’ goal, both in the literature and the
interviews. The four assumed knowledge influences were validated and determined to be actual
needs. Two influences are classified as factual or declarative, and two influences are classified as
procedural. Declarative or factual knowledge is information about “what or why” (Clark &
Estes, 2008). In this case, online education provider executives need to know what the current
landscape of education technology partnerships looks like to inform their strategic plan
development. In addition, they need to know why the landscape has formed in this way and does
not see a higher level of promotion and participation in TA benefits. Procedural knowledge is
information about “how and when” (Clark & Estes, 2008). In this case, executives need to know
how to communicate the concept of knowledge transfer and the methods needed to support its
success in the workplace to potential corporate partners. In addition, they need to know how to
create valuable and successful partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. Recommendations are
shown in Table 17 for the declarative and procedural influences classified as needs based on
theoretical principles. The evidence-based learning principles have been identified to guide the
prioritization and utilization of recommendations in the context of corporate partnerships with
online education providers to improve performance in this area.

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Table 17
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Knowledge
Influence

D = Declarative
F = Factual
P = Procedural
Validated as
a Gap?
Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Landscape of
Partnerships

Online education
provider
executives need
knowledge of
which Fortune
500 companies
offer the best TA
benefits (a),
currently have
partnerships with
online education
providers (b), and
the details of the
partnerships (c) to
determine the
opportunities.

(D-F)
V Y Information Processing
System Principle:

Information learned
meaningfully and
connected with prior
knowledge is stored
more quickly and
remembered more
accurately because it is
elaborated with prior
learning (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Strategy:

Help online education
providers identify and
understand important
points.

Recommendations:

Provide technological
resources and education
to assist and guide in
researching the hard to
find information in the
marketplace regarding
the parameters of
Fortune 500 company
TA benefits and the
details of the corporate
partnerships with online
education providers that
already exist within the
landscape. The results of
information researched
should include
comparing and
contrasting for retention
and use with the
knowledge of
executive’s current
organization benefits
and partnerships.

125
Assumed
Knowledge
Influence

D = Declarative
F = Factual
P = Procedural
Validated as
a Gap?
Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
TA Usage and
Support

Online education
provider
executives need to
understand the
reasons why
employers do not
promote TA
benefits and the
reasons
employees do not
participate in
these programs at
a higher rate.

(D-F)
V Y Information Processing
System Principle:

Information learned
meaningfully and
connected with prior
knowledge is stored
more quickly and
remembered more
accurately because it is
elaborated with prior
learning (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Strategy:

Connect learning to
online education
provider interests to
encourage
meaningfulness.

Recommendations:

Educate by providing an
internal job aid that
clearly structures the
different reasons
employers and
employees do not
promote and participate
in TA programs into
categories. This includes
tying these reasons to
executive’s professional
experience representing
their organization,
personal experience as a
student, and their
experiences with
students for promoting
quick retrieval of the
information.

Educate externally with
the job aid in the setting
of “Town Hall”
meetings or equivalent
with corporate
employees once
partnerships are formed
to educate potential
students about their
organization’s support of
higher education and on
overcoming the
perceived barriers to
participation.
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Assumed
Knowledge
Influence

D = Declarative
F = Factual
P = Procedural
Validated as
a Gap?
Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Communication
of Knowledge
Transfer and
Methods
Online education
provider
executives need to
know about
knowledge
transfer and
methods that will
enhance the usage
of knowledge
from education in
the workplace to
improve
organizational
performance in
order to
communicate this
to potential
partners for
onboarding.

(P)
V Y Information Processing
System Principle:

How individuals
organize knowledge
influences how they
learn and apply what
they know (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).

Social Cognitive
Theory Principle:

Effective observational
learning is achieved by
first organizing and
rehearsing modeled
behaviors, then
enacting them overtly
(Mayer, 2011).
Strategies:

Help online education
providers connect new
knowledge to prior
knowledge to construct
meaning.

Help online education
providers acquire new
behaviors through
demonstration and
modeling.

Recommendations:

Provide training that
demonstrates how
to organize knowledge
transfer information and
communicate it to
potential partners in the
context of the
partnership and for job
alignment in their
organizations.

Provide training and
impactful data that
informs executives about
knowledge transfer
methods and execution
in the workplace and ties
back to their prior
experiences for
organization, retention,
and communication.

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Assumed
Knowledge
Influence

D = Declarative
F = Factual
P = Procedural
Validated as
a Gap?
Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Value Creation
and Partnering
Skills
Online education
provider
executives need to
know how to
create value and
form successful
partnerships with
corporate
executives to
utilize TA.

(P)
V Y Sociocultural Principle:

Learning tasks that are
similar to those that are
common to the
individual’s familiar
cultural settings will
promote learning and
transfer (Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 2001).

Social Cognitive
Theory Principle:

Effective observational
learning is achieved by
first organizing and
rehearsing modeled
behaviors, then
enacting them overtly
(Mayer, 2011).
Strategies:

Have online education
providers occasionally
perform difficult tasks in
partnership with others.

Provide opportunities
for executives to check
their progress and adjust
their learning strategies
as needed.

Recommendations:

Provide impactful
presentation job aids and
communication training
that utilizes successful
university partnership
case studies from within
the current
organization’s cultural
setting in order to gain
feedback and practice
the procedures required
to create similarly
valuable partnerships
with corporate
executives to utilize
TA.

Increasing Executives’ Knowledge of the Corporate Partnership Landscape in
Higher Education to Determine Opportunities. The landscape knowledge includes which
Fortune 500 companies offer the best TA benefits and have partnerships with online education
providers currently as well as the details of the partnerships. The results and findings of this
study indicated only 11% of online education provider executives had this knowledge, thus
validating this as a need. In the few cases where the knowledge existed, it was partial knowledge
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and often extended to the same small number of examples. A recommendation rooted in
information processing theory has been selected to close this declarative knowledge gap. Schraw
and McCrudden (2006) suggest that information learned in connection with prior knowledge is
stored more quickly and remembered more accurately because it is elaborated with prior
learning. This would suggest that helping executives identify and understand important data
points connected to their prior knowledge of the competition would support their learning. The
recommendation, then, is to provide technological resources and education to assist and guide in
researching often non-public information in the marketplace regarding the parameters of Fortune
500 company TA benefits and the details of their corporate partnerships with universities and
OPMs that already exist. This education could consist of online subscriptions to higher education
journals and annual memberships with agencies that specialize in human resources and employee
benefits to fill in the executive knowledge gaps in understanding the landscape of corporate
partnerships in higher education that utilize TA.
According to Clark and Estes (2008) people acquire strategic knowledge and skills that
help them handle unique and unexpected challenges and problems. Competitive information in
the form of a comparison of benefits and partnerships in the industry will contribute to strategic
knowledge needed to handle unexpected challenges in pitch meetings. For example, EdAssist
(2016) suggested that, while partnerships like the one between Starbucks and ASU exist to
further an employee’s higher education through a funded program, only approximately 5% of
employees overall participate in similar programs. Knowledge of this information is critical
when approaching new partnerships. Understanding the strategic details of relationships like this
market leading example in a comparison format, may enable online education provider
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executives to highlight what works in meetings and where the opportunities exist to support the
need for partnership.
Increasing Executives’ Knowledge of Why Employers Do Not Promote TA Benefits
and Why Employees Do Not Participate at a Higher Rate. The results and findings of this
study indicated 84% of online education provider executives had knowledge of these reasons, yet
only three out of 19 interviewees saw ROI as a reason for employees not to participate and only
six viewed ROI as a reason employers do not promote the benefit, thus validating this as a need.
It is critical that executives understand all of the reasons this occurs and not only the most
prevalent time and money-related explanations. A recommendation rooted in information
processing theory has been selected to close this declarative knowledge gap (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006), as connecting learning to online education provider interests and purpose
would encourage meaningfulness and utilization.
The recommendation, then, is to educate executives by providing an internal job aid that
clearly structures the different reasons employers and employees do not promote and participate
in TA programs into meaningful categories. Employees need opportunities to utilize their new
education (Lee, 1997), and employers are concerned with turnover after their training
investment, yet, if the supported education is job-related and comes with advancement
opportunities, employees are less likely to leave the company (Marshall, 2006). Categories are
intended to connect lesser known reasons, such as employer fear of employees leaving the
company and employee concerns regarding lack of increased advancement opportunities related
to knowledge and skills learned. This includes tying these reasons to executives’ professional
experience representing their organization, personal experience as students, and their experiences
interacting with students for promoting retrieval and use of the information. The resulting
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knowledge could be disseminated in pitch presentations to employers, town hall meetings, or
equivalent interaction with corporate employees once partnerships are formed to educate
potential students about their organization’s support of higher education and how to overcome
the perceived barriers to desired TA participation.
Clark and Estes (2008) suggest enlarging the role of training with educational job aids
can widen the learning emphasis to include the cause and solutions for performance gaps and
provide access to services to close these gaps in cost-effective ways. Therefore, understanding
the root cause of the promotion and participation problem we find in organizations relating to the
use of TA for digital education will help executives use this information to aid the close of
performance gaps for Fortune 500 companies. The relevance effect refers to the facilitative or
enhancing effect of relevance on learning and enables deeper processing (Schraw & McCrudden,
2006). The relevance effect occurs whenever content is designated as relevant to a particular
goal, purpose, task, or learning outcome and meaning is constructed from the relevance. Thus, it
is reasonable to expect, when executives and administrators understand the relevance of a
learned solution to increasing retention and connect it to their prior knowledge, partnership goals
are viewed more strongly as a bridge to closing the performance gap. Being armed with the
relevant knowledge of all the reasons employers and employees do not engage with this benefit
currently creates ways for online providers to handle the challenge of persuading Fortune 500
companies to promote their educational benefits so that employees use them.
Increasing Executives’ Knowledge of Transfer and Methods of Knowledge Transfer
in order to Communicate This Organizational Benefit to Potential Partners. The results and
findings of this study indicated a validated need because 95% of online education providers were
concerned with the lack of effective transfer of knowledge and skills gained from higher
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education programs to the job and enhanced organizational performance. A recommendation
rooted in information processing theory has been selected to close this procedural knowledge
gap. Schraw and McCrudden (2006) found that how individuals organize knowledge influences
how they learn and apply what they know. This would suggest that providing executives with
training that demonstrates how employees organize new knowledge and transfer it to the job as
well as demonstrates how to quantify the benefits of the knowledge transfer and subsequently
communicate the impact of alignment with jobs to potential partners would support their
learning.
Additionally, social cognitive theory informs and Mayer (2011) suggests effective
observational learning is achieved by first organizing modeled behaviors and then enacting them
overtly. Executives or administrators enacting modeled behaviors in organizations that have
demonstrated how to communicate impact to potential university partners or OPMs when
forming long-term contracts may improve performance in these congruent situations with
corporations. The recommendation, then, is to provide training that informs new executive
behavior through demonstration of internal success stories communicating specific education
knowledge transfer methods and their execution in the workplace for organization, application,
and feedback.
Clark and Estes (2008) suggest one of the most powerful ways to prepare employees to
make use of education is to train them to summarize research for the development of powerful
human performance. Therefore, making clear the effectiveness of using training and degree
knowledge on the job through high-level organization of benefits may enhance perceived value
of new knowledge and skills gained from promoting corporate TA. People learn through
vicarious learning or observation because learning is a result of watching the behavior and
132
consequences of models in the environment (Mayer, 2011). According to Mayer (2011), live
demonstrations of a behavior or skill, verbal or written descriptions, video or audio recordings,
and other less direct forms of performance are also considered forms of modeling. Vicarious
learning from observing behaviors that resulted in successful relationships previously will help
stakeholders communicate potential employee knowledge transfer and methods of application
related to jobs. As a result of demonstrating this knowledge, Fortune 500 executives will likely
understand the elevated productivity, service, quality, engagement, and creativity levels that may
result from investing in job-relevant educational opportunities (Salas et al., 2011). The value of
training investment increases and elicits more interest from potential partners looking to
strengthen their competitive advantage (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The executives in
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) study demonstrated their belief that the lack of clear
transfer is one of the reasons TA programs for training are not promoted in the organization.
Therefore, the recommendation to train executives through modeling successful communication
practices and providing feedback on how they are organizing their new knowledge and skills
may advance the ability to create presentations that promote the use of funding for job-related
education.
Increasing Executives’ Knowledge of how to Create Value and Form Successful
Partnerships With Corporations to Utilize TA. The results and findings of this study indicated
a validated need because 74% of online education provider executives interviewed have not had
the direct experience of forming or assisting in the formation of a corporate partnership in the
field of higher education. Recommendations rooted in sociocultural theory and social cognitive
theory have been selected to close this procedural knowledge gap. Gallimore and Goldenberg
(2001) found that learning tasks that are similar to those that are common to the individual’s
133
familiar cultural settings will promote learning and transfer. This would suggest that providing
opportunities for executives to perform difficult tasks in partnership with others that are familiar
to the cultural setting will increase successful outcome potential. Additionally, Mayer (2011)
found effective observational learning is achieved by organizing and enacting modeled
behaviors. This would suggest providing opportunities for online provider executives and
administrators to check their progress and adjust their learning strategies will strengthen the
learned knowledge and skills they are applying. The recommendation, then, is to provide
impactful presentation job aids and communication training that utilizes successful case studies
from within the organization’s cultural setting and field to gain feedback and practice the
procedures required to create similarly valuable partnerships with Fortune 500 executives to
utilize TA.
Educating working adults provides organizations with the capacity to generate new
conceptual knowledge that will solve unique problems and handle unfamiliar job challenges
(Clark & Estes, 2008). Strategic partnerships are agreements intended to problem solve, multiply
skills, leverage capabilities, and transform resources to obtain a competitive advantage (Rezende
da Costa et al., 2018; Vanags, 2018). Since corporate partnerships with a focus on TA and digital
education are still uncommon to universities and OPMs, relatively speaking, the more common
relationships in the industry and organizational setting can be used as models to educate
executives about how to create unique and unfamiliar partnerships. Research has shown positive
change happens when boundaries become permeable and norms of collegiality and cooperation
are established such that a collaborative model evolves (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). In this
model Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) suggest the interactions produce better results and
increased value. Thus, it is reasonable to expect partnerships that transcend industry gaps help
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organizational cultures develop norms, expectations, behaviors, and patterns of interaction
focused on identifying common goals among distinct groups and learning new ways to solve
problems. Advantages can be attained when corporations are brought on board to work with
OPMs and universities where knowledge, resources, and risk are shared. Organizational setting,
cross-departmental feedback, training, and practice help communicate the value of working
together for employers and employees applying TA benefits that lower individual education
costs and are already company-funded.
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction. The motivation influences in Table 18 represent the most frequently
mentioned motivation influences to achieving the stakeholders’ goal in both the literature and
interviews. The two assumed motivation influences were validated and determined to be actual
needs. One influence is classified as goal setting, and one influence is classified under
expectancy value theory. A goal is something that a person wants to achieve, and, when multiple
goals are aligned and not in conflict, they are likely to lead to more adaptive behavior than when
they are not aligned (Rueda, 2011). Multiple short and long-term goals align to make up an
organization’s strategic plan for employees to carry out the larger mission. In this case, if online
education provider executives do not see developing corporate partnerships specified as a
strategic goal within the organization, they are not going to want to achieve the goal due to its
lack of tangible importance, and they are not going to see the alignment with the organization’s
mission. This creates a conflict for the executive and lessens the motivation to develop
partnerships. Task value refers to the importance one attaches to a task, and, consequently, there
are four dimensions associated with this type of value (Rueda, 2011). Two of those values are
most relevant to this study. Rueda (2011) asserts utility value refers to how useful one believes
135
an activity is for achieving a goal and cost value is the perceived opportunity cost of the activity
in terms of resources needed. Values are most influential in starting an activity and expectancies
are most influential in persisting at an activity (Rueda, 2011). In this case, online education
providers will persist if they expect corporate partnerships to be successful, and they need to
support their utility and cost value if they are to be sufficiently motivated to start pursuing the
goal by completing the associated tasks. Therefore, these validated influences have a high
probability of success for closing the gap and achieving the stakeholders’ goal.
Recommendations are shown in Table 18 for the goal setting and expectancy value influences
classified as needs based on theoretical principles. The evidence-based learning principles have
been identified to guide the recommendations in the context of prioritizing and utilizing
corporate partnerships initiated by online education provider influential executives.

136
Table 18
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Motivation
Influence

Validated
as a Gap

Validated,
Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Online
education
provider
executives
need to
develop
concrete,
challenging,
and current
organizational
goals that
drive
performance.

(Goal
Orientation)

V Y Goal Orientation
Principles:

Goals motivate and
direct individuals
(Pintrich, 2003).

Focusing on
mastery, learning,
and progress
promotes positive
motivation (Yough
& Anderman, 2006).

Use task, reward,
and evaluation
structures that
promote mastery,
learning, effort,
progress, and less
reliance on social
comparison or
standards (Pintrich,
2003).
Strategy:

Encourage leadership to set
specific goals for
executives.

Recommendations:

Provide recognition
incentives and measures for
the individual prioritization
and delivery of corporate
partnership goals that drive
organizational performance
i.e. increased enrollment in
programs or increased usage
of innovative offerings such
as stacking educational
options or creating
company-specific content.

137
Assumed
Motivation
Influence

Validated
as a Gap

Validated,
Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Online
education
provider
executives
need to expect
corporate
partnerships
to be
successful
and support
their utility
and cost
value.

(Expectancy
Value
Theory)

V Y Expectancy Value
Theory Principle:

Higher expectations
for success and
perceptions of
confidence can
positively influence
learning and
motivation (Eccles,
2006).

Learning and
motivation are
enhanced if the
learner values the
task (Eccles, 2006).
Strategy:

Include rationales about the
importance and value of
creating corporate
partnerships.

Recommendations:

Discuss what has and has not
worked in the past to
achieve corporate
partnership development
goals and outcomes to
encourage stronger belief in
potential success.

Sharing success stories
among executives of what
has worked in the past will
strengthen the value of
success.

Provide rationales that
include data analysis
quantifying the potential
impact of successful
corporate partnerships on the
organization’s future.

Executives Need to Develop concrete, Challenging, and Current Organizational
Goals That Drive Performance. The results and findings of this study indicated that only 11%,
of online education provider executives had corporate partnership development as an individual
goal, establishing a validated need. Corporate partnership development is indicated more often as
a “nice to have” for the organization but only set as an actual goal when considered a part of a
138
completely new business growth initiative or strategy. While increasing in occasion
exponentially over the last few years, it is still not considered a current priority in most cases the
interviewees discussed. A recommendation rooted in goal orientation theory has been selected to
close this motivation gap. Pintrich (2003) found that goals motivate and direct individuals, in this
case executives and administrators. Focusing on mastery, learning, and progress promotes
positive motivation as well (Yough & Anderman, 2006). This would suggest that encouraging
executives to set challenging goals and use reward, task, and evaluation structures that promote
effort, learning, and progress supports their motivation to work towards achieving partnership
goals and developing mastery of related relationship skills. The recommendation, then, is to
provide incentives and measures for the individual prioritization and delivery of corporate
partnership development goals that drive organizational performance. These incentives could
consist of recognition-based rewards for increased enrollment in programs after a partnership has
been formed and launched. Incentives must be recognition-based or similar in higher education
due to regulations set by the federal government against commission or monetary compensation
for increased enrollment. Measuring Fortune 500 interest in innovative offerings, such as
stacking multiple educational options, course bundles, a subscription-based program, or creating
company-specific content will define the tasks and provide opportunity to evaluate alignment
and success of an innovative product approach.
According to Clark and Estes (2008), in the absence of clear business and performance
goals, people substitute their own goals due to the inconsistency and vagueness of what needs to
be done. This may not support the bottom line and causes an inclination to avoid use of best
efforts. To maintain executive focus on the goal to develop partnerships and not adopt their own
goals, the relative performance measures cannot be absent from the larger organizational
139
message of what is important to advancing the business. Pintrich (2003) discusses specific
strategies that influence learner perceptions. Leaders can (a) hold individuals accountable with
instructional and motivational support to ensure grasping of concepts and procedures before
engaging in an activity, (b) transfer responsibility gradually to individuals as they become
familiar with action steps necessary, and (c) express the value of the task and provide
opportunities for collaboration. It is reasonable to suggest, by employing these strategies at the
OPM or university, leaders can increase motivation of executives and administrators to achieve
the goal. Details, such as desired number of partnerships, size of partnerships, and percentage of
employees expected to participate in digital education programs at the new partner organizations,
will likely provide motivating clarity to use best efforts, a framework for action steps, and
concise value of the tasks needed to achieve the concrete and collaborative goals affecting the
bottom line. Perceived arbitrary and unnecessary barriers to goal achievement tend to demotivate
the most competent executives (Clark & Estes, 2008). Barriers such as limitations in the
offerings executives can discuss with Fortune 500 partners should be eliminated to open doors to
new combinations of education products that align with both company and employee goals.
Combinations of boot camps, short courses, and degree programs that qualify for TA may
breakdown the barrier and offer more job alignment possibilities. When organizational and
individual goals are aligned with clarity and innovation, barriers are weakened, persistence is
longer, engagement is stronger, processes are more effective, and the goal is perceived as more
important (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Executives Need to Expect Corporate Partnerships To Be Successful and Support
Their Utility and Cost Value. The results and findings of this study indicated that 84% of
online education providers did not expect corporate partnerships to be successful because there is
140
a lack of clear alignment between knowledge and skills gained from higher education programs
with improved organizational performance. The lack of alignment indicates the absence of utility
and cost value understood by executives and administrators, thus identifying a validated need. A
recommendation rooted in expectancy value theory has been selected to close this motivation
gap. Eccles (2006) found that higher expectations for success and perceptions of confidence can
positively influence learning and motivation and learning and motivation are enhanced if the
individual values the task. This would suggest that strategically communicating rationales about
the cost importance and utility value of the task would support executives learning (Pintrich,
2003). Providing education on the history of what has and has not worked in the past to achieve
corporate partnership development, financial goals, and utility outcomes may encourage stronger
beliefs in potential success. Sharing success stories among executives will further strengthen the
value of this education. The recommendation, then, is to provide education that includes data
analysis that quantifies the potential impact of successful corporate partnerships to the employee
and organizations future.
Employees working toward mastering new skills related to their current jobs and future
growth exhibit greater loyalty, engagement and less intention to depart the organization
(Marshall, 2006). Additionally, 49% of U.S. firms are challenged when filling jobs because
applicants lack required competencies (Becker et al., 2018; Molina-Ray, 2013). The continued
need to increase retention and close this skills gap in the marketplace supports the cost value of
increasing participation in higher education to improve capabilities, on-the-job performance,
contributions, and advancement of workers which provides ROI for the sponsoring organization.
Furthermore, value leads people to adopt a course of action and persist in the face of distractions
(Clark & Estes, 2008). The lack of tools and their usage in the form of data and analysis is
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causing distraction in this environment and preventing a persistent course of action towards
achieving valuable partnership goals. Quantitative data research will create the visible utility
value of the relationship investment by aggregating the potential for impactful hiring outcomes,
promotional outcomes, and resulting ROI from continued education needed to motivate
executives to expect success and inspire collaboration. The recommendation, then, is to provide
data that demonstrates the value added from measuring outcomes. Clark and Estes (2008)
suggest illustrating the realistic benefits of completing a less desired task, the data needed to
create value and the desire to complete the task, and the risks of avoiding the task to encourage
finishing. In this case, supplying the data analysis around positive outcomes builds motivation to
realize new and unique organizational goals being introduced because the information will align
and reinforce the benefits, build value, and affirm risks to be avoided by executives embarking
on new partnership initiatives.
Organization Recommendations
Introduction. The organization influences in Table 19 represent the most frequently
mentioned organizational influences to achieving the stakeholders’ goal in the literature and in
the interviews. The four assumed organization influences were validated and determined to be
actual needs during data collection. Two influences are classified as cultural models, and two
influences are classified as cultural settings. A cultural model, as defined by Gallimore and
Goldenberg (2001), is the often invisible or unnoticed shared mental schema or the normative
understandings of how the organization works or should work. In this case, the organization
providing online education needs a culture that values the development of corporate partnerships
and one that supports change. A cultural setting is a visible and specific social context where
organizational policies and practices are enacted by individuals and groups (Gallimore &
142
Goldenberg, 2001). In this case, the organization needs corporate partnership initiatives as a
strategic goal and needs to allocate resources to support the new corporate partnership goal.
Therefore, these validated influences have a high probability of value for closing the gap and
achieving the stakeholders’ goal. Recommendations are shown in Table 19 for the cultural model
and cultural setting influences classified as needs based on theoretical principles. The evidence-
based learning principles have been identified to guide the prioritization and utilization of
recommendations in the context of corporate partnerships with online education providers to
improve performance in organizations.

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Table 19
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
Organization
Influence
Validated as a
Gap

Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
The organization
needs a culture
that supports
change.

(Cultural Model)
V Y Organizational
Principle:

Effective change
begins by
addressing
motivation
influencers; it
ensures the group
knows why it needs
to change. It then
addresses
organizational
barriers and then
knowledge and
skills needs (Clark
& Estes, 2008).
Strategy:

Meet with influential
executives within the
organization to
discuss reasons
change is needed,
barriers, and how to
move forward once
there is a solid
consensus on how the
culture can be
modified to support
change.

Recommendations:

Provide high-touch
career pathing for
employees of the
provider
organization, in
particular for those
that are furthering
their education, and
show key executives
how a corporate
partner that utilizes
career pathing in the
same way will be
more likely to form a
corporate partnership
based on TA.

144
Assumed
Organization
Influence
Validated as a
Gap

Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
The organization
needs corporate
partnership
initiatives as a
strategic goal.

(Cultural Setting)
V Y Accountability
Principles:

People are more
productive when
goal setting and
benchmarking are
essential to
evaluating progress
and driving
organizational
performance in
accountability.

Data-driven
benchmarking is a
common approach
to benchmarking
(Dowd, 2005; Levy
& Ronco, 2012).

Different types of
benchmarking
contribute data to
improve
organizational
performance
(Bogue & Hall,
2003).
Strategies:

Meet with influential
executives within the
organization to
discuss how to make
the corporate
partnership initiatives
a visible strategic
goal within the
organizational culture
to drive performance
through
accountability.

Clearly communicate
your organizational
mission, vision, and
goals to stakeholders.
Be organized and
plan effectively to
promote
organizational
contexts that promote
motivation among
employees.
(Denning, 2005;
Gilley, Gilley, &
McMillan, 2009;
Lewis, 2011).

Recommendations:

Provide data and
analysis that
benchmarks the
impact corporate
partnerships can have
on the organization’s
success and learning
outcomes within
partner organizations.

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Assumed
Organization
Influence
Validated as a
Gap

Validated, Not
Validated
(V, N)
Priority

Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
The organization
needs to allocate
resources to
support the new
corporate
partnership goal.

(Cultural Setting)
V Y Organizational
Principle:

Effective change
efforts ensure that
everyone has the
resources
(equipment,
personnel, time,
etc.) needed to do
their job, and that if
there are resource
shortages, then
resources are
aligned with
organizational
priorities (Clark &
Estes, 2008).
Strategy:

Meet with influential
executives within the
organization to
discuss resources
needed to support the
new goal of
developing corporate
partnerships and the
details of allocating
those resources
according to the
goal’s priority for the
organization.

Recommendations:

Provide a mediator or
advocate or
champion
accountable for the
success of the
corporate
partnerships or create
jobs or a team within
the organization
responsible for
corporate
partnerships if the
department does not
already exist.

Provide influential
executives with the
opportunity to take a
class from a degree
program, boot camp,
or short course to
understand what an
employee utilizing
TA experiences.

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The Organization Needs a Culture That Values the Development of corporate
Partnerships. The results and findings of this study indicated that only 11% of online education
provider organizations and institutions had corporate partnerships as a goal and highly value
their development, thus validating this as a need. A recommendation rooted in organizational
theory has been selected to close this organizational gap. Clark and Estes (2008) indicate that
effective change begins when the group knows why it needs to change and ensures that
organizational messages, rewards, policies and procedures that govern the work of the
organization are aligned with or are supportive of organizational goals and values. This suggests
that online provider executives and administrators need to value corporate partnership
development to understand why the organization needs the related change and align internal
communication accordingly. The recommendation is for influential executives to meet within the
organization to discuss reasons change is needed to support the value corporate partnerships hold
moving forward. Additionally, it is recommended to provide suggestions to eliminate the barriers
to introducing new TA options in the marketplace and to emphasize the importance of evolving
employee knowledge and skills needed for organizational and individual economic survival. For
example, a meeting to discuss the ways TA is evolving can be held as part of a communication
kick-off to the corporate partnership initiatives. In the meetings, leadership can discuss ideas
such as limiting TA if it is too large an expense for a company so that employees need to apply
for it, the usage of independent school management financial aid that helps students defer
payment until they are in a career position appropriate to pay the loan back, or not cutting TA
during economic downturns because up leveling knowledge and skills through education can
help companies survive difficult financial phases.
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A relatively limited number of collaborative relationships exist between Fortune 500
companies and online education providers, OPMs or universities, compared to the number of
potential stakeholders in the field. For this gap to exist when collaboration and connectivity is at
the heart of universities and corporations today means the perceived value of the increase in
education, performance, and market share that can be gained from a shared strategy is weak
(Nodoushani, 2016; Pucciarelli, 2016). Clark and Estes (2008) state that assigning value helps
employees make critical connections among goals, work processes, and the benefits of achieving
work goals. Placing value on corporate partnerships in the higher education space may help
phase out the cultural barrier influencing online provider executives’ lack of motivation to
connect with the relevant goal and engage in the beneficial work processes. The core beliefs that
characterize organizational models can guide decisions about goal selection and the processes
and procedures used to reach those goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Endorsing expanded values will
likely align organizational culture with organizational behavior so innovative goals can emerge
and generate success by adopting new work processes that are sustained by changed executive
beliefs. Bridging the gap between the value digital delivery and TA add to quality higher
education options for individuals who are restricted by location and time, and the value
contribution partnerships can make in delivering those as realistic options improves processes
implemented by executives to reach the analogous goals (Moloney & Oakley, 2010).
The Organization Needs a culture That Supports Change. The results and findings of
this study indicated that 63% of online education provider executives were operating in a culture
that supported change. When separated, executives working for OPMs were significantly more
likely to feel their cultural model supported change than those employed directly by universities,
identifying a validated need. The organization needs a culture that supports change to become
148
innovative in an industry often guided by tradition. A recommendation rooted in organizational
theory has been selected to close this organizational gap. Clark and Estes (2008) indicate that
effective change begins by addressing motivation influencers to ensure the group knows why it
needs to change and then addresses organizational barriers. This suggests that online provider
executives, particularly universities, need to know why change is needed, ensure the members of
the administration know why it needs to change, and address the institutional barriers that may
block the change efforts to positively influence motivation and the cultural model. The
recommendation is for influential executives to meet within the organization to discuss reasons
change is needed, associated barriers, and how to move forward once there is a consensus on the
cultural modifications needed to support change. Additionally, it is recommended to provide
high-touch career pathing for employees internally. Career pathing is the process used to chart a
course within an organization for career development using an honest assessment of skills,
knowledge, experience, and personal characteristics needed for growth (Croteau & Wolk, 2010).
This strategy is most applicable to those who are furthering their education to demonstrate how a
corporate partner that utilizes career pathing will be more likely to form a corporate partnership
based on TA that covers digital learning and growth.
Most of the culture of organizations and institutions is implicit, hidden, and automated
beneath the surface and can be found in unconscious styles, attitudes, and behaviors (Clark &
Estes, 2008). Thus, when policy is not supported by effective work processes or procedures, one
possible cause is a conflict between some aspect of organizational culture and performance goals
(Clark & Estes, 2008). If an OPM or university is messaging the potential advantages students
working full-time at Fortune 500 companies can gain from going back to school, but that
organization is not offering their employees those same advantages when warranted by
149
knowledge application of their new education, the culture of the organization or institution may
become disconnected from the message, values, and beliefs it is founded upon. When the cultural
model does not support the conversations executives or administrators are having with potential
partners, it is possible the message will not be as persuasive because it is not implicit,
unconscious, or automated, and outcomes will not be met. If executives are familiar with growth
tools like career pathing from their own experience, they may believe in the benefits and
advantages of continuing education in a way that will enhance the communication process used
with potential partners and improve relationship-building performance. Implementing a
procedure and policy that helps employees grow and mirrors what is expected of partner
organizations contributes to the desired culture that supports change.
The Organization Needs Corporate Partnership Initiatives as a Strategic Goal. Data
analysis revealed a validated need because approximately 89% of online education providers did
not have corporate partnerships as an organizational goal, according to the results and findings of
this study. A recommendation rooted in the theory of accountability has been selected to close
this organizational gap. Theory posits that people are more productive when goal setting, and
varied data-driven benchmarking creates clear accountability; therefore, both are essential to
evaluating progress and driving organizational performance (Dowd, 2005; Levy & Ronco, 2012).
This suggests that online provider executives need to set corporate partnership initiatives as a
strategic goal to develop accountability through benchmarking and progress evaluation to
improve organizational performance. The recommendation is for influential executives to discuss
how to communicate corporate partnership initiatives as a visible strategic goal within the
organizational culture to drive performance through executive accountability of standards and
progress. By using effective communication strategies, the organizational mission, vision, and
150
goals will be clear to stakeholders, and they can organize and plan effectively to promote the
relevant organizational context that motivates employees to achieve the goal. For example, data
analysis can be done that benchmarks the potential impact corporate partnerships may have on
the partner organization’s success through learning outcomes and employee retention.
Subsequently, executives can be required to periodically evaluate their partner’s pace towards
meeting revised retention and performance expectations based on increased education
participation and share the data with the team.
Nordin (2012) suggests that, when valuable goals are communicated openly throughout
an organization, commitment to those goals is built and the associated priorities are understood,
so they can be carried out effectively to improve performance. Communicating evolved strategic
goals intended to produce change by the online education provider will create a cultural setting
where openly measuring progress against achievement may result in increased commitment to
relationships that intend to generate enrollment. Levy and Ronco (2012) assert applying data
from benchmarking against outside organizations will quantify progress and allow executives to
frame success and adjust so goals remain attainable and commitment firm when on an uncertain
path. Building organizational commitment contributes to the formulation of organizational
readiness for change (Nordin, 2012). Accordingly, when carrying out the change to make
partnerships a valuable goal for executives, an elevated commitment is necessary to provoke a
modification of priorities. When partners track results and communicate visible support of
program participation using central management accountability systems as well, they are two to
three times more likely to see positive performance outcomes from the translation of the
academic experience to the job (Johnson, 2005). Common goals foster accountability in an
organization and form a path between behavior and outcomes (Hallinger & Heck, 2002). Thus,
151
by working closely with partners to coordinate goals and maintain parallel accountability,
achievement of the goals for each organization will likely produce stronger outcomes because
behaviors are complementary and tracked.
The Organization Needs to Allocate Resources to Support the New Corporate
Partnership Goal. Data analysis revealed a validated need because approximately 95% of
online education provider executives did not have the proper resources to support corporate
partnership development, according to the results and findings of this study. A recommendation
rooted in organizational theory has been selected to close this organizational gap. Clark and
Estes (2008) purport that effective change efforts ensure that everyone has the resources, such as
equipment, personnel, and time needed to do their job. They suggest that, if there are resource
shortages, then the shortages align with organizational priorities. This would suggest that
providing executives with the resources to do their jobs effectively supports attainment of the
goal to develop partnerships with Fortune 500 companies. The recommendation, then, is to
conduct meetings with influential executives within the online education provider setting to
discuss resources and the details of allocating associated resources according to the goal’s
priority. For example, providing a dedicated team, position, liaison, mediator, advocate, or
champion for each corporate partnership institutes accountability and bandwidth. And offering
executives the opportunity to take a class from a degree program, boot camp, or short certificate
course to become knowledgeable about what an employee utilizing TA experiences in the
classroom provides specific information and experiential resources to the team.
The need for a stable organizational culture and work processes that are compatible with
the work setting must be constantly balanced with a need for flexibility to accommodate complex
and rapid market shifts (Clark & Estes, 2008). When an organization makes those shifts,
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resources are critical to success. Therefore, when people fail to get the necessary resources that
were promised for a high priority work goal, one of the possible causes is a conflict between
aspects of organizational culture and performance (Clark & Estes, 2008). For partnership
development to deliver its full potential, online education providers need the right amount of
time, budget, information, and human resources to develop the relationships, conduct meetings,
execute contracts, create product offerings, and communicate with partner employees. Allocating
resources like a champion or class visits to support innovative goals creates small successes that
will seemingly pave the way for more extensive application of change over time fueled by the
proper tools and materials to increase performance.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The model that informed this implementation and evaluation plan is the New World
Kirkpatrick Model for evaluation of training programs where training refers to any type of
modality in which individuals gain knowledge or skills to do their jobs more effectively
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). This model connects performance and accomplishing key
organizational results by guiding professionals to think about training events and their purpose as
well as what happened before them and, in particular, what happens after them to have the most
impact on bottom-line results and mission accomplishment (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
The four-level model starts with the end in mind, results or Level 4, and moves through critical
behaviors at Level 3, degree of learning on Level 2, and finishes with reaction to the training or
Level 1. Leading indicators help align and bridge the gap between individual initiatives and
organizational results and suggest critical behaviors that have a positive impact on the desired
learning and outcomes (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). This implementation and evaluation
153
plan was developed and integrated to create value among the influential executives and
administrators using the recommendations provided to initiate corporate partnerships in the
education technology sector.
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
This dissertation focused on examining the viability of partnerships between Fortune 500
companies and online education providers for the purposes of increasing the use of TA,
strengthening the relevance of quality online programs, and increasing working professionals’
participation in higher education opportunities. Increasing partnerships may offer an innovative
strategy to increase participation in quality higher education opportunities through
communication (Bersin & Associates, 2012; Dougherty, 2009; Eisenbarth, 2003; Pucciarelli,
2016; Smolkin, 2016). The reasons to seek postsecondary education will possibly increase if
internal communication helps employees and employers understand the mutual ROI TA helps to
achieve. Achievement of the goal will enhance the workforce, increase individual fulfillment,
strengthen organizations, and improve the reach of education (Weathers, 2018). The purpose of
this study was to understand the areas of knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
resources necessary to develop successful partnerships.
Influential executives at market leader online education providers, including universities,
constituted the stakeholder group of focus for this study. The stakeholder group was selected
because of the need to generate initial buy-in from OPMs and universities for partnerships to be
viable and to increase participation. When executives and administrators responsible for
innovation in the digital education industry see the partnership benefit, the goal will plausibly be
achieved because relationships will be initiated. If TA benefits are used to fund increased
participation in quality online programs through corporate partnerships, the participation barriers
154
of cost and location may become less significant. The expected results from the
recommendations produced by this study will help stakeholders cultivate a higher performing
workplace and employees realize their career potential. Increased usage of human capital
investment through TA programs helps narrow the achievement gaps partially caused by
perceived lack of ROI and participation challenges associated with higher education (Marshall,
2006).
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Leading indicators in the form of outcomes, metrics, and methods for internal and
external results are shown in Table 20. If the expected internal outcomes are met as a result of
the training and organizational support for the development of corporate partnerships, then the
external outcomes should also be realized.
Table 20
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
1. 1. Increased partnerships
between online education
providers and corporations
increases in higher
education.
The number of
relevant press releases
announcing new
relationships.
How to create the outcome:
Position organization as a change operator in the
space at industry events, communicate new TA
options in the marketplace, and communicate
the value of evolving employee knowledge and
skills needed for organizational and individual
economic survival.

How to determine the outcome:
Compare relevant press releases and media
occurrences from higher education publications
and events.

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Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
2.Increased employees at
Fortune 500 organizations
that further their education
through the use of TA.
The number of
employees utilizing
TA and career pathing
year over year.
How to create the outcome:
Encourage high-touch career pathing for
employees of the new partner organizations as a
part of the agreements, in particular those
employees that are furthering their education or
interested in doing so. Show key executives
how a company that utilizes career pathing will
be more likely to benefit from TA participation.

How to determine the outcome:
Compare annual industry trade reports on
number of employees utilizing TA and career
pathing.
3. Increased quality
perception of digital
education increases
thereby promoting greater
higher education pursuits.
The percentage in
hiring equity of
candidates with a
digital education
background for
competitive
opportunities.
How to create the outcome: Exercise a
proactive voice regarding the quality of digital
education by speaking at relevant conferences,
providing interviews, and creating opportunities
to make the quality visible to working
professionals.

How to determine the outcome:
Compare annual industry trade reports
addressing hiring rates of candidates with digital
education in their credentials.
4. Increased connection
between training and job
performance.
The rate of promotion
for employees that
have participated in
additional training and
higher education.
How to create the outcome:
Implement a strategy to create job specific
options or personalized course content for large
organizations based on their specific hiring and
performance needs.

How to determine the outcome:
Track promotions and performance of those
pursuing additional education at partner
organizations.

156
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
5. Increased collaboration
between online education
providers and Fortune 500
companies.
The number of
consortia being
formed between
stakeholders to
advance digital
learning outcomes
using TA.
How to create the outcome:
Provide influential executives at OPMs and
Fortune 500 companies with the opportunity to
take a class from a degree program, boot camp,
or short course to create a sense of urgency and
become knowledgeable about what an
employee utilizing TA and digital learning
experiences.

How to determine the outcome:
Track new agreements formed between online
education providers and corporations quarterly.
Internal Outcomes
6. Executives have
increased knowledge of
what would persuade
corporate partners to enter
into partnerships with
higher education
providers.
The amount and
frequency of data on
TA usage, the quality
of digital education,
knowledge transfer,
and partnership
success used in
presentations.
How to create the outcome:
Increase frequency of research conducted on
TA, digital education, knowledge transfer, and
partnerships in the education technology
industry.

How to determine the outcome:
Evaluate presentation content prior to the next
presentation for data improvement.
7. Executives strategically
target and communicate
more effectively and
frequently with potential
corporate partner decision-
makers.
The number of new
meetings scheduled,
and partnership
agreements executed.
How to create the outcome:
Evaluate successful presentations and
communication utilized in forming university
partnerships for the organization.

Increase volume of strategic outreach.
Explore current contacts for low-hanging fruit.

How to determine the outcome:
Track meeting occurrences and new agreements
formed between online education providers and
Fortune 500 companies quarterly.

157
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
Internal Outcomes
8. Corporate partnerships
become a more valued
organizational goal for
online education
providers.
The number of
partnership goals met
by executives year on
year.

How to create the outcome:
Provide time and recognition incentives for the
delivery of corporate partnership goals by
executives.

Develop innovative offerings such as stacking
of educational options, subscriptions, or
company-specific content to incentivize
potential partners.

Assign a mediator, advocate, or champion on
the team accountable for the success of each
corporate partnership.

How to determine the outcome:
Evaluate partnership goals met and exceeded in
annual reviews.
9. Online education
providers create an
organizational culture that
supports change more
visibly through the
addition of corporate
partnership development.
The number of times
communication of the
goal and its value are
executed within the
organization.
How to create the outcome:
Encourage risk-taking and creativity
specifically through company communication
channels like the intranet, newsletter, blog
posts, and signage.

Meet with executives to formally agree on
accountability and implementation of the new
goals.

How to determine the outcome:
Track the frequency of goal communication in
the organizational environment quarterly.
10. Company profitability
improves due to increased
program enrollment.
The enrollment
percentage in degree
programs and
continuing education
opportunities.
How to create the outcome:
Prepare to educate partner employees once
partnerships are formed on opportunities to
overcome the perceived participation barriers to
higher education.

How to determine the outcome:
Evaluate the organization’s digital education
enrollment numbers on a continual basis.

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Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. The stakeholders of focus are influential corporate executives and
administrators at market leading online education providers: OPMs and universities. The first
critical behavior is that executives will gather research on the education technology industry. The
second critical behavior is that executives will increase their strategic outreach volume. The third
critical behavior is that executives will meet their individual partnership goals. The fourth critical
behavior is that executives will develop innovative product offerings. The fifth critical behavior
is that executives will educate partner employees. The sixth critical behavior is that executives
will promote career pathing with partner companies. Finally, the seventh critical behavior is that
executives will experience the online classroom. The specific metrics, methods, and timing for
each of these outcome behaviors appear in Table 21.
Table 21
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
1. 1. Increased usage of
research on TA, digital
education, knowledge
transfer, and partnerships in
the education technology
industry in pitch meetings.
The increased
amount of relevant
information
collected and
presented.
Present research to executives at
regular meetings.
Quarterly
2. Increase volume of
strategic outreach i.e.
emails, calls, virtual
meetings, in-person
meetings, and follow-up.
The increased
number of
meetings taking
place each month.
Create a Monday morning strategic
plan for who and when outreach will
happen.

Utilize successful presentation
templates and communication
strategy formed for previous internal
successes.
Weekly

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Critical Behavior Metric(s) Method(s) Timing
3. Meet or exceed
individual partnership goals
related to revenue,
timelines, contracts, and
enrollment.

The percentage
increase in goal
achievement
evaluated at
performance
reviews held twice
a year.
Formally establish accountability and
implementation for new partnership
goals during high-level meetings.

Assign a mediator/advocate/champion
on the team accountable for the
success of each corporate partnership.
Semi-
annually
4. Develop multiple
innovative offerings such as
stacking of educational
options, subscriptions, or
job/company-specific
content to incentivize
potential partners based on
their specific hiring and
performance needs.
The increased
effectiveness ratio
and number of
different product
offerings in the
portfolio.
Brainstorm and review product
offerings regularly to adjust product
mix based on which options are
resonating the most with potential
partners and universities.
Quarterly
5. Educate partner
employees once
partnerships are formed on
opportunities to overcome
the perceived participation
barriers to higher education.
The increased
number of new
town halls held
each month at
partner locations.
Conduct town halls for new partner
employees that mitigate perceived
participation barriers to higher
education in the context of their
organization.
On-going
6. Encourage high-touch
career pathing for
employees of the new
partner organizations as a
part of the agreement
discussions.
The increased
number of partner
organizations that
implement an
internal career
pathing strategy as
a result of new
agreements.
Incorporate career pathing
discussions and coordinating data into
all presentations to potential partners.
On-going
7. Provide influential
executives at the online
education provider and
Fortune 500 companies
with the opportunity to take
a digital class to create a
sense of urgency and
become knowledgeable
about the delivery platform.
The percentage
increase in
stakeholder
executives that
have completed an
online class.
Provide executives with specific
scheduling information and next steps
to create ease of participation.
On-going

Required drivers. Executives require the support of their direct supervisors and the
organization to reinforce what they learn and to encourage them to apply what they have learned
to develop corporate partnerships that encourage usage of TA and digital education. Rewards
should be established for achievement of performance goals to enhance the organizational
160
support of influential executives. Table 22 shows the recommended drivers to support critical
behaviors of influential executives.
Table 22
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors
Supported
Reinforcing

Technological resources to assist increased research needed
based on practice and feedback.
On-going 1, 7
Job aid that demonstrates the different reasons employers and
employees do not promote and participate in TA programs at a
higher rate.
On-going 3, 5, 6, 7
Training that demonstrates knowledge transfer methods and their
execution in the workplace.
Project-based 3, 4, 5, 6
Presentation job aids that utilize successful internal case studies
as models.
On-going 2, 3, 5, 6
Data analysis and feedback quantifying the impact of successful
corporate partnerships.
On-going 2, 3, 4, 6
Encouraging
Feedback from effective partnership executives to increase
expectations of success, utility, and cost value of the initiatives.
As needed 2, 3
Rewarding

Provide recognition incentives and measures for the prioritization
and delivery of corporate partnership goals that drive
organizational performance.
On-going and
aligned with
performance
reviews
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Monitoring

Track progress of the organizational climate shift in terms of
employee feelings of support and resources allocated against
partnership development in order to self-correct accordingly.
On-going 1

Organizational support. As noted above in Table 22, the organization will support
influential executives’ critical behaviors by providing technology, job aids, training, and data
analysis to reinforce prioritization of developing corporate partnerships. Executives will also be
supported with feedback loops, incentives, and progress tracking. These methods demonstrate
accountability, support, and the value placed on partnerships that encourage the use of TA and
digital education by the organization. Additionally, the organization will need to encourage risk-
taking and creativity through internal company communication channels like the intranet,
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newsletter, blog posts, signage, and continuously recruiting ambassadors to provide change
success stories for encouragement of the evolving organizational culture. These touch points
provided to employees in company communications will be on-going and help align a culture
that supports change with innovative goals like partnership development. Furthermore, the
organization will participate in similar external communication through events, conferences, and
interviews by proactively contacting organizers and media to schedule visible communication
regarding new TA options in the marketplace and the value of evolving employee knowledge
and skills needed for organizational and individual economic survival.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) redefine the cognitive domain as the
intersection of the cognitive process dimension and the knowledge dimension. The knowledge
dimension classifies four types of knowledge that learners process. The key cognitive process
dimensions that characterize motivation are self-efficacy, attributions, values, and goal
orientation (Rueda, 2011). The classifications provide a framework for determining clear
learning objectives by bringing the different types of knowledge and cognitive process steps
together (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001). This study focuses on declarative and procedural
knowledge dimensions, as well as values and goal orientation. Learning activities assist in
meeting the objectives. Following completion of the recommended solutions, stakeholders may
be able to achieve these learning goals as constructed using the framework:
1. Select the most effective resources and research strategies needed to acquire knowledge
of which Fortune 500 companies offer the best TA benefits, currently have partnerships
with online education providers, and the details of the partnerships to determine
opportunities.
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2. Summarize the different reasons employers and employees do not promote and
participate in TA programs, as well as knowledge transfer methods, for use in meetings
and presentations with potential partners where job and education alignment are
discussed.
3. Carry out communication with potential partners that increases the value of strategic
outreach needed to meet goals.
4. Integrate key university partnership case studies from within the organization to improve
expected success and create similarly valuable partnerships with corporations to utilize
TA and digital education.
5. Clarify who in the organization is accountable for each part of the process deployed to
reach corporate partnership goals.
6. Determine innovative product resources based on partner mission, hiring, and
performance needs.
7. Provide career pathing data to incentivize executives of the new partner organizations.
8. Classify components of the digital learning experience to relate to ROI.
Program. Based on interviews with online education provider executives and
administrators at leading OPMs and universities, it was determined that the best approach to
closing the knowledge, motivational, and organizational gaps identified should consist of (a)
increased research and data about the landscape of corporate partnerships, university success
stories, TA participation, career pathing and ROI, and knowledge transfer to support outreach
and presentations to potential partners; (b) partnership development included in organization and
individual goals with clear allocation of resources, assignment of accountability, and a champion
for each initiative; (c) a process and execution plan to ensure success of new relationships,
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starting with an approach that accounts for velocity, scalability, and sustainability of agreements,
a communication strategy to address employees of new partner organizations, and executive
experiences in the digital classroom; (d) development of innovative products that consider
bundle options, subscriptions, specific job alignment, and customization of content for Fortune
500 companies through degree, short course, certificate, and boot camp options; and (e) a culture
that supports change, values collaboration, and has a voice in the online higher education space.
This program can be rolled out in 6 months by online education provider executives and
administrators. Increased research and data will be on-going, but, initially a team member needs
to be designated to be accountable for gathering information, and a quarterly meeting to share the
information needs to be added to the department calendar for presentation to executives. This
means the first round of data would be available in a maximum of 3 months. The goal of
developing partnerships can be added to organization and individual goals immediately to launch
the new initiative with resources, accountability, and a champion added at the following budget
and employee review milestone. Reviews typically coincide with goal setting. A process and
execution plan will be developed at the onset of the program and take no more than three months
to create and gain buy-in. Important components of the plan like scalability will be considered
immediately, while executive classroom participation will be on-going and the details of the
communication to employees of partner organizations will be determined after the research and
the plan are complete.
The creation of innovative products will be a part of the plan; however, the exact
offerings will be solidified after an initial partner conversation to determine the exact portfolio
proposal for each company. A cultural shift will be on-going because the internal communication
will need to be woven into the environment over time. The industry outreach will begin after the
164
initial three months of development to ensure alignment of the message being presented with the
provider mission and to allow time for adjustments. However, the initial contact with the media
and conference planners begins once goals are set to avoid a delay and ensure timing supports
the program at key higher education and technology events that may only occur annually. OPMs
work more rapidly than universities. Thus, if a university is going to develop the partnerships
without a third party OPM, the timeline needs to be extended to one year to allot for the realistic
bureaucracy a university faces when launching digital education directly.
Evaluation of the components of learning. It is important to evaluate whether
influential executives and administrators can apply the skills they are being taught. It is also
important to evaluate whether their confidence increased and if the value they place on learning
the skills has increased as it relates to their role in the organization. Table 23 lists the evaluation
methods and timing for these components of learning.
Table 23
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”

Explaining the reasons employers and employees do not promote or participate
in TA programs more widely and illustrating knowledge transfer benefits and
methods in meetings.
During and
after
Sharing career pathing data and recommendations with partner executives. During and
after
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”

Demonstration of resource usage to gain knowledge of Fortune 500 TA
benefits and educational partnerships.
During and
after
Planned participation in digital learning opportunities and application of the
experience.
During

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Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”

Designation of human resources, specifically who in the organization is to be
held accountable for each stage of the process.
At the
beginning
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”

Collaborate internally to create value and model success. At the
beginning
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”

Continuous discussions with potential partners. During and
after
Creation of new products for specific partner needs. During and
after

Level 1: Reaction
Table 24 below lists the methods that will be used to determine how the executives and
administrators react to learning events as well as the timing of delivery of those methods.
Table 24
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement

Observations of meeting content with attention paid to TA, digital
learning, career pathing, and knowledge transfer comprehension.
During and after
Interviews with team members for impressions of resource and
research usage.
Every 3 months
Executive attendance in digital learning classrooms. During
Check-ins with accountability leads. Every 3 months
Pulse check with team members for applicability of past internal
successes.
During
Relevance

Check-ins with executives about which products are resonating with
potential partners and any needed adjustments.
After every first meeting
with a new potential partner.
Customer Satisfaction

Check-ins with executives regarding outreach and outcomes i.e.
volume of meetings, progress of conversations, and agreement
generation.
Every 3 months

Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. A formal evaluation of Level 2
learning will be conducted three and six months after partnership development is added to the
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organization’s goals. Level 2 evaluation focuses on questions about building knowledge and
skill. The general manager or president of global partnerships, or institution equivalent, will
interview the lead executive or senior vice president of enterprise, or institution equivalent, to
record and understand responses to key questions regarding execution and outcomes of the
partnership development program implemented to support the partnership goal. For Level 1,
during the meeting, questions will be included that cover the relevance of the plan, confidence in
success, importance of learning progress, and accuracy of timeline. The Level 1 and 2 interview
question guideline is included in Appendix B.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Approximately six months
after the implementation of the program, the organization’s president of global partnerships or
institution equivalent will conduct a pulse check with the lead enterprise executive or institution
equivalent on the team by way of interview questions delivered in-person or through email. This
follow-up evaluative approach, based on the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016), will measure executive’s satisfaction and perception of relevance of the
program (Level 1), confidence and value of applying the program (Level 2), application of the
program to the organization’s goal of developing partnerships (Level 3), and achievement of
desired outcomes (Level 4). Appendix C contains the delayed evaluation interview question
guideline.
Data Analysis and Reporting
The Level 4 goal of online executives and administrators in higher education is measured
by the successful implementation of a program that increases the number of partnerships with
Fortune 500 companies to improve the usage of TA and digital learning by working
professionals. Once agreements are formally signed, any new partnership will be announced
167
internally by email, at company meetings, and strategically released to the larger education
technology community via external press releases and at industry or university events.
Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) was used to design
this implementation and evaluation plan, which begins with stakeholder goals and subsequently
develops critical behaviors and drivers that lead to optimizing the achievement of those goals.
This strategy seeks to foster an innovative approach to developing partnerships between Fortune
500 companies and education providers to increase the utilization of TA and quality digital
education. The recommendations, therefore, are designed to make clear to influential executives
and administrators the impact increased support of TA programs has on pursuing quality higher
education by working professionals and the resulting improved organizational performance.
Implementing these recommendations that connect partnerships with Fortune 500 companies to
the employee TA participation problem along with evaluation of the change can build value,
organizational engagement, and support for increased knowledge, skills, and motivation.
Limitations and Delimitations
Not all studies are designed and conducted perfectly; however, as in any inquiry,
transparency on the part of the researcher is essential. There are limitations and delimitations the
researcher was cognizant of as this study was conducted. Limitations involve components of the
study that are not within the realm of the researcher’s control. Four limitations were identified in
the study:
• The study did not include Fortune 500 executives in the interview sample to maintain a
narrow scope. The perspective of Fortune 500 executives in a future study seems like it
would add value to the findings and recommendations.
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• The respondents may have past personal career experiences related to higher education
that shaped how they responded during interviews, potentially causing a bias either for or
against experiential versus academic learning.
• Respondents often could not share confidential details regarding strategic plans at their
current organization or university.
• The study was conducted at a time when the landscape of corporate partnerships within
higher education was changing. During the study, significant partnerships and
acquisitions were announced periodically, such as the acquisition of Trilogy, Inc., a large
boot camp provider, by 2U, Inc., a leading OPM. Trilogy has many corporate
partnerships in place, while 2U does not, perhaps suggesting corporate partnerships are
already planned to become more important for OPMs and universities in the future.
Delimitations bind a study and involve decisions made by the researcher that may have
implications for the study. Six delimitations were identified in this study:
• Data collection only involved one type of respondent: online education provider
executives and administrators.
• Data was collected through only one qualitative method: interviews.
• A significant portion of executives interviewed came from the same leading OPM in the
industry, where the researcher is employed, due to limited access to the competition.
• The recommendations resulting from the study may be more applicable to larger OPMs
and universities due to their capacity and ability to get the attention of Fortune 500
companies.
169
• The recommendations resulting from the study may be more applicable to larger Fortune
500 companies due to the size of the employee base and likelihood of existing TA
benefits contributing to the ability to scale and sustain an initiative.
• Administrators interviewed represented a limited sampling of universities.
Implications for Future Research
To expand on the research that has already been conducted, more researchers should
consider the perspective of executives from large Fortune 500 companies with substantial TA
benefits offered to employees. Most of the current research on corporate partnerships is not
specific to partnerships for the purpose of increasing the utilization of TA or digital education,
nor cases of knowledge transfer to the job. In addition, most current research on TA
effectiveness is bound primarily to the utilization of TA in isolation. Simultaneously, 43% of
working adults do not know if their employers even offer a TA program, according to the
Lumina Foundation (Wan, 2019). The unfavorable figure comes despite increased investor
attention to corporate learning, with eight corporate learning-focused companies accounting for
39% of education technology investing in 2019 (Yoder, 2019). With increased investor dollars
and the advent of learning-focused companies like OPMs, along with university gradual
openness to the quality of the online learning modality and its benefit to brick and mortar
establishments, it is reasonable to suggest research focused on the awareness of education
options would result in valuable findings. Fortune 500 executive perspectives on customized
curriculum and innovative pairing options and their deployment into the marketplace would also
be of particular interest emerging from this study.
Although there has been some significant research conducted on the evolution of digital
education, further in-depth data gathered from a wider variety of universities and the eight most
170
influential OPMs addressing quality of digital learning could prove beneficial. This type of study
could increase partnership buy-in, as different sectors may necessitate varying levels of
applicability. The most important factors for traditional universities to further penetrate the
online education market are accreditation, content assessment, control standards, and reputation
because they constitute the backbone of quality in higher education (Eisenbarth, 2003). In fact,
the questions regarding online learning quality have led to several quality assurance standards
specific to the courses and programs offered. The first of the standards to come to fruition were
the California State University rubric, iNACOL standards, the Online Learning Consortium five
pillars, and the Quality Matters control framework (Lowenthal, 2015). The standards focus on
online teaching, online course design, and faculty adaptation of skills critical to the level of
quality (Portugal, 2015). Research concentrated on the effect of elevated standards on the
perception of digital education quality could be useful.
Navigating more specific issues that arise for varying OPMs and universities regarding
supporting enrollment by targeting large corporations to meet working adult needs could prove
constructive. Regardless of the synchronous online modality ensuring the same quality of
academic excellence is achieved as with a traditionally obtained degree (Mandelbaum, 2014),
results still indicate that there is a much greater likelihood that a candidate with an online degree
could be viewed less favorably for employment purposes compared to the candidate with the on-
campus degree (Linardopoulos, 2012). Employer hiring managers tend to view online learning in
terms of perceptions of what is lacking from the student that is not going to campus: interactions,
mentoring, academic rigor, monitoring of cheating, diploma mill controls, and commitment
(Mandelbaum, 2014). Mandelbaum (2014) suggests some differences in attitudes and
perceptions based on an employer’s position and industry. The higher the position in the
171
organization and the higher touch the industry, such as healthcare, the less acceptable the online
degree credential. Further research around hiring differences between candidates with a
comparable online degree and candidates with an on-campus degree seems it would be valuable.
Online best practices have been identified by institutions when developing a digital
offering to protect their brand and ensure delivery and content are on par with university
standards. The institutional context and commitment, curriculum and live classroom instruction,
faculty support, student support, and evaluation and assessment are the basis for these best
practices (Huber, 2003; Moloney & Oakley, 2010). More than two-thirds of companies offering
TA include online learning in the plan because of evolving best practices, successful
implementation strategies, and the accessibility of an online portfolio to the working adult (Hass,
2018; Linardopoulos, 2012). Just like the questions regarding digital downloads of music
reducing the demand for concerts and the availability of live-streamed sports reducing the
demand for tickets to sporting events (McPherson, 2015), it is natural to question if quality, cost
efficiency, and convenient online education will reduce the need for large campus-based
universities to some degree. It is reasonable to suggest research with a focus on this question be
conducted in the future.
Researcher Reflections
The data analysis and completion of this dissertation occurred in the Spring of 2020 in
the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the pages and pages of data collected and analyzed
in December and January, one quote is particularly salient from the section of the interviews
where the quality of digital education was discussed. The comment is from Bart and reads,
“Social media should be mirrored to attract talent using early adopters, so it does not take a
horror story to see the positive change in the perception of online education.” The significance of
172
the comment was not lost. COVID-19 is a “horror story,” yet, on the other hand, it may result in
significant transformational change for digital education. The pandemic spawned by the virus
has created the need for millions to continue their education online as a result of universities
cancelling the rest of their on-campus school year. In fact, the situation has changed significantly
since March, and institutions are beginning to face the likelihood of beginning the next academic
year under similar conditions. It has also created the need for millions of working professionals
to work remotely who were not anticipating that change, using tools common to the online
classroom. And finally, millions of parents are learning about remote education as they
homeschool their children unexpectedly. Certainly, the perception of online education is going to
be affected by this rapid and unprecedented shift and, whether due to lockdown or social
distancing, the indication is academic activity will never look the same again. Perhaps after some
time, a new and different normal may even present itself (Dans, 2020).
The COVID-19 pandemic took the world by surprise and is changing the way we live in
numerous and profound ways. As a result, people, organizations, families, and students have
been forced to embrace the remote world to a greater extent than before. Research does not exist
on the outcomes, as this is happening now. However, it is important to note it is changing the
world of digital education. In many cases, online education had to be adopted without
preparation, but with a gratefulness for the options to avoid interruption of learning.
Unfortunately, due to the speed at which many have had to adapt because of the quick impact of
the virus and the stay-at-home orders following, many of the best practices for ensuring quality,
credibility, support, and assessment of the digital learning deployed could not be put in place
where online delivery was new. This may lead to a positive perception of online education in the
future because of the increased need and ability to be a solution, or it may lead to negative
173
perceptions because of the lack of applied checks and balances in place compromising quality
when many had to transition rapidly, or, perhaps, a unique combination of both viewpoints. The
implication is that further research will be critical as a result of the pandemic, in particular with
regards to the perceptions of the quality of digital education, deployment methods, and increased
necessity.
One of the discussions happening now with relevance to the study is around post-
pandemic partnerships forming between large technology companies around the world and elite
universities to help them expand or survive in the new normal (Walsh, 2020). For example, MIT
could partner with Google or Stanford with Apple. In these partnerships, the tech company
would be responsible for scale and the online component, and the university would be
responsible for the accreditation and applicable content. This is not the first time a disaster has
sparked a transformational moment of innovation in society. One of the great disasters in human
history, the Great Plague of 1666, aided Sir Isaac Newton’s discovery of gravity when he had to
practice social distancing and work from home (Moe & Rajendran, 2020). It is reasonable to
anticipate this recommended topic for future research to be one that garners significant interest
for higher education over the next 12 to 24 months.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to identify the resources necessary for the development of
partnerships between digital education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase the
utilization of TA. The hope is that, by increasing the number of partnerships for this purpose,
working professionals will utilize TA benefits available to them and pursue higher education at
an increased rate. Ultimately, this study recognizes that employers play a vital role in supporting
advancement opportunities and growth for employees, and digital education options are viable
174
resources for employees to gain the knowledge and skills to improve individual and
organizational performance. This study examined this issue from the perspective of multiple
knowledge, motivation, and organizational change theories and identified several innovations for
addressing Fortune 500 company collaboration with online education providers to support
increased ROI for all stakeholders. The viable recommendations presented in this study can
support employers in integrating a benefit mindset when it pertains to employees using TA
available, as opposed to a cost mindset, based on the organizational advancements that are
possible as a result. In addition, these recommendations may promote a stronger knowledge
economy and workforce needed for economic survival as well as mitigate barriers to individual
progress.
175
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Appendix A: Interview Guide
Opening Transition: Thank you for participating in my research on corporate partnership
development in higher education. I understand your time is valuable and I am grateful. Your
insights and experience will provide rich data to help improve participation in higher education.
I appreciated receiving your signed consent form via email prior to today. That document
included the purpose and standards for this study. As a reminder, you can withdraw from the
study at any time because your participation is completely voluntary. I would also like to
reiterate that your responses are completely confidential, as well as your organization or
university affiliations. I will be storing the recording and transcript in a password-protected
folder on my personal computer, which will be deleted upon completion of the final dissertation.
I will now ask you questions focused on the knowledge, motivation, and organizational
influences on working professionals going back to school. I look forward to hearing your
perspective and will begin the recording now if you agree.

Transition: Let’s start with some relevant background questions and then move to questions
regarding higher education.
1. What are your responsibilities within your current position and organization?
2. How many years have you been working at this organization? In your current role?
3. What is your academic background?
4. What do you feel are the biggest barriers to working professionals going back to
school?
5. What are your thoughts about the benefits of employees going back to school?
a. For the employer?
187
b. For the employee?
c. What are the challenges?
6. What are your perceptions of online education?
a. What recommendations do you have for mitigating the perceptions you
shared?
Transition: I am going to switch gears here a little bit and ask questions now about a specific
aspect of going back to school.
7. Does your organization or university have a tuition reimbursement program?
a. If so, what does it look like?
8. Please describe your professional and personal experiences with tuition
reimbursement programs for me.
Transition: And finally, this set of questions will help us explore related strategy.
9. Have you had experience with corporate partnerships?
a. If so, can you describe one of the partnerships?
10. What are the challenges to creating corporate partnerships?
a. How might those be mitigated?
b. Are partnerships apart of your goals or the organizational goals?
11. What resources do you think executives need to develop effective partnerships?
a. Human resources seem to be a strong need. What qualities do those
executives need to develop effective partnerships? (if applicable)
12. Specifically, can you tell me about those partnerships, if any, that had a context
within higher education?
188
13. What do you feel are the potential benefits and/or disadvantages as a result of
corporate partnerships within higher education?
14. Let’s say you want to craft a partnership for the purpose of utilizing tuition
assistance. What do you think your organization would need to make this happen?
a. What steps would you take?
b. What resources would you need?
c. How well positioned would you say your organization is today if it wanted to
do this?
15. Does your organization currently have any strategic initiatives or goals related to
corporate partnerships?
a. Can you think of any examples you would be willing to share?
16. How open do you feel your organization would be to crafting partnerships for the
purpose of utilizing tuition assistance?
17. Based on what you know about the field, how much potential might there be for
partnerships like these?
a. In your opinion, to what extent would they be attractive to corporations?
b. How might you go about communicating their benefits if you were interested
in doing so?
18. Are there any other executives you think would be willing to speak with me?
a. Would you be willing to share my contact information with them?
Closing Transition: Thank you again for your willingness and taking the time today to provide
your professional and personal feedback on this topic. Your responses provided valuable insight
for the study. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any related questions or concerns.
189
Appendix B: Evaluation Tool - 3 and 6-Month Milestone
Interview Question Guideline - Partnership Development

The following questions are intended to assist executives to reflect on the Partnership
Development process, execution, outcomes, learning, and potential improvements. Mark an “X”
in the box with the appropriate response. Expand upon answers if appropriate with discussion.
Level 1 and Level 2 Survey Strongly
Agree
Agree Disagree Strongly
Disagree
It was helpful to understand the reasons
employers and employees do not promote or
participate in TA programs more widely?
(Level 1 – Relevance)

It was helpful to understand the concept of
knowledge transfer and application.
(Level 1 – Relevance)

The response to career pathing from Fortune
500 companies was positive.
(Level 1 – Engagement)

I had the research and resources necessary to
understand the partnership landscape.
(Level 1 – Satisfaction)

190
Attending an online class provided valuable
insight into the digital experience.
(Level 2 – Attitude)

Assigning a lead on each partnership to be
held accountable for progress was successful.
(Level 2 – Confidence)

Understanding internal successes within the
organization was helpful.
(Level 2 – Confidence)

Customized products are resonating with
potential partners.
(Level 2 – Commitment)

Volume of outreach, number of meetings, and
agreements have increased.
(Level 2 – Commitment)

What additional information do you need to perform your job related to developing
partnerships?
(Level 2 - Declarative Knowledge)

191
What are the biggest challenges you faced in the pursuit of developing partnerships with
Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization of tuition assistance and quality digital
education?
(Level 2 - Conceptual Knowledge)

What are your recommendations for overcoming challenges and improving outcomes?
(Level 2 - Procedural Knowledge)

How have your recommendations evolved from your 3-Month evaluation?
(6-Month Milestone Only)
(Level 2 - Conceptual Knowledge)

192
Appendix C: Evaluation Tool - 1 Year Milestone (6 Months after last Evaluation)
Interview Question Guideline - Partnership Development

The following questions are intended to assist executives to reflect on the Partnership
Development process, execution, outcomes, expectations, and sustainability. Mark an “X” in the
box with the appropriate response. Expand upon answers if appropriate with discussion.
Survey of Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 Strongly
Agree
Agree Disagree Strongly
Disagree
I am able to understand and communicate the
reasons employers and employees do not
promote or participate in TA programs more
widely?
(Level 2 – Knowledge)

I am able to understand and apply the concept
of knowledge transfer to job-applicable
education.
(Level 2 – Knowledge)

Since outreach has started, I am more
comfortable explaining potential career
pathing outcomes to Fortune 500 companies.
(Level 2 – Confidence)

193
I feel supported to share the research and
resources gained with my peers, team, and
leadership.
(Level 2 – Encouraging and Rewarding)

Attending an online class provided knowledge
about the digital experience I can apply to my
partnership discussions.
(Level 3 – Transfer)

Having a lead on each partnership to be held
accountable for completion of negotiations
improved our outcomes.
(Level 4 – Results)

Applying successful strategies from varying
university partnerships or other internal wins
improved negotiation effectiveness.
(Level 3 – Transfer)

Customized products are motivating partners
to enter partnerships that are relevant to their
employees and organizational improvement.
(Level 4 – Results)

194
Increased quality of outreach, meetings, and
relationships are leading to an increased
number of partnerships that increase tuition
assistance usage for digital education by
Fortune 500 employees.
(Level 4 – Results)

I have created my own smaller, more
incremental milestones relating to the larger
goals of the department and organization.
(Level 2 – Monitoring)

What information was most relevant to your partnership outreach and meeting success?
(Level 1 - Relevance)

What strategies do you recommend as a result of the implementation of the partnership
development initiative?
(Level 4 - Results)

What can be improved upon for next year’s execution of partnership development?
(Level 1 - Satisfaction)

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The overall goal of this study was to identify potential solutions for increasing corporate partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase utilization of tuition assistance (TA) and quality digital education, which can improve individual fulfillment and organization performance. This study utilizes the Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge, motivation, and organization (KMO) framework. The researcher interviewed 19 participating U.S. education providers already employing digital education delivery, some of whom were executives at online program managers (OPMs) and some of whom were administrators at major universities. ❧ This study identifies notable areas to address in partnership design, such as ability to measure impact, communication of critical data, alignment of goals, accountability measures, product innovation, and allocation of resources. Based on the interview findings, in conjunction with a thorough literature review, this study outlines recommendations centered on promoting digital education collaborations based on increasing the ROI of TA participation for increased employee growth and improved organizational performance needed for economic survival. Building capacity in the following areas informed the recommended solutions: (a) knowledge of TA benefits and competitive landscape

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Asset Metadata

Creator Zivic, Jennifer Marie (author)

Core Title Developing partnerships between education providers and Fortune 500 companies to increase the utilization of tuition assistance and quality digital education: an innovation study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 07/26/2020

Defense Date 06/15/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag corporate partnerships,degree requirements,digital education,economic survival,Higher education,Human Capital Theory,knowledge requirements,knowledge transfer,OAI-PMH Harvest,online education,online education providers,online program managers,tuition assistance,tuition benefits,tuition reimbursement,working professionals

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Malloy, Courtney (committee chair), Canny, Eric (committee member), Stowe, Kathy (committee member)

Creator Email jennifer.zivic@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-347690

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