While the national department store chain JCPenney has used business television and videotapes to distribute information and training for many years, in 1996 it radically changed the way associates were trained. JCPenney made a strategic decision to close its corporate university and to stop traveling managers to Plano for training. It also chose to stop printing, warehousing and mailing paper-based training materials. And, it took the expense savings to purchase learning technologies. In 1996, it rolled-out distance learning interactive keypads to 700+ stores. In 1997, the roll-out was completed with a total of 1100 stores having the ability to interact with instructors via interactive keypads. One Touch response units allow two-way interaction. Each store has a television set in its training room and a number of One Touch response units along with the necessary satellite downlink and reception equipment. Small groups of employees can watch a program and use the One Touch units to identify themselves and respond to questions in real- time.

According to the manager of HRD, Deborah Masten, the interactive television system is very effective. She gives the example of a specific promotional campaign in which the stores that received their training via interactive tv shows sales gains almost twice as high as stores that only used printed sales materials. Furthermore, she explains that the system is viewed as a strategic business partner by other groups in the company who recognize its ability to immediately communicate business changes. It is a medium that is "just in time", "just down the hall" and "just enough". The system has been an effective change agent for JCPenney, Masten says.

In the course of a year, hundreds of programs are delivered to stores from a single studio located at company headquarters in Plano, TX. Programs typically range from 15 minutes to a couple of hours in length. However, costs to design and deliver programs are keep low through the use of an automated studio that allows the instructor to control inputs (e.g., cameras, computer slides, video clips, etc). A team of nine experienced instructors work with context experts from different departments in the production of programs. They may also work with other members of the HRD department if there are CBT, multimedia or internet components to a program.

One of the more interesting aspects of the system is its extra-curricular use. The system is used after hours for personal development classes in areas such as English language proficiency or SAT preparation. The classes are free to employees and delivered by outside specialists. This illustrates how a distance training delivery system can be used quite broadly for employee education beyond specific job skills and knowledge.

Note: To hear more about the use of technology at JCPenney, see the interview with Deborah Masten at http://www.gwu.edu/etl/cases.html