The Application of Self-directed Learning in the Local Level Workplace

Abstract

The knowledge economy has made the half-life of information shorter and shorter. People need to commit to lifelong learning in the workplace in order to cope with changing professional requirements. However, corporate training in China currently suffers from a low return on investment, unsatisfactory training outcomes, limited duration and poor coverage. To improve this, the purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of self-directed learning (SDL) in the Chinese workplace, following an interpretivist research paradigm with qualitative methods, including interviews of company managers and staff. A Chinese company was used as the research subject and the article’s three main points can assist similar companies make decisions on SDL. The three central contributions of the article are showing how to develop an SDL system in the workplace from the perspective of an organization; showing an elemental model of SDL in the workplace from the perspective of learning theory; and discussing an operational model of SDL program development in the workplace from the perspective of training managers. SDL should consider educational, psychological and sociological perspectives, but this article lacks a sociological perspective, leaving space for future research. Keywords: Self-directed learning (SDL), Workplace learning, Training and development, Local governance and management.