Corpedia

Training & Development, April, 2001 by Cher Stuewe-Portnoff

*** Diversity: It's Good for Business: 40 minutes, US$65. Publisher: Corpedia

Corpedia's course description espouses, "All employees from senior management to line workers should be considered for training in this program. That's a pretty tall order. But for the most part, this course delivers.

The course briefly addresses moral and legal issues, but the bulk outlines an economic rationale for diversity. The course focuses on how companies that take diversity seriously can attract and retain a higher number of qualified minority employees, improve their corporate images, serve their customers better, and more easily expand into new markets. That argument is clear and persuasive, but sometimes the examples are overly simplistic.

The course has an attractive, almost seamless Flash presentation with text animations and an audio track. Interactivity is limited to intermittent quiz-type questions and a final test. A nifty feature lets learners take notes, which Corpedia emails to them later. Navigation is simple, but the course lacks a fast-forward button.

* Diversity: It's Good for Business: A short course that focuses on a business case for diversity. Though the interface is attractive, its examples are often simplistic, and interactivity is limited.