The bare bones of Internet-based learning: a case study

Summary form only given. The Australian red meat processing industry is struggling to improve its competitive advantage, manage with diminishing profit margins and increase its range of value added products to meet consumer demands. The export industry position, product prices and product concerns are major issues confronting industry managers in today's slowing world economic climate. To achieve change in the industry it was necessary to address the tyranny of distance in a dispersed industry, a culture of 'firefighting' rather than root cause problem solving and a low investment in staff training and development. Internet-based learning offers potential where off-the-job training is not feasible or efficient. Hence the decision to develop an Internet-based interactive decision support model. The approach described integrates high quality content, state-of-the-art instructional design principles and motivational strategies. The goal was the delivery of an industry specific cost of quality tutorial and activity based projects able to promote learners' ability to formulate conceptual generalisations and promote change in developing new responses to industry issues. The cost of quality approach proposes solutions to reduce failure costs through identifying and reducing 'hidden' costs.