Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dr. Karen Bower
Committee Member
Dr. Joan Murry
Committee Member
Dr. James Pietrovito
Keywords
analysis, assessment tool, commercial underwriting, descriptive statistics, development, dissemination, electronic mail, evaluation, evaluation forms, formative committee, implementation, implementation plan, information utilization, intranet, internet, knowledge management, literature review, needs assessment, Peerless Insurance Company, performance gaps, program evaluation, publication, regional offices, research questions, responsive evaluation, survey instrument, summative committee, training, training program, underwriters, validation, workshops
Abstract
As a result of a recent knowledge management initiative, Peerless Insurance Company's (PIC) commercial underwriters {n=45) were provided access to the Internet and a company-wide intranet. The problem addressed was that incorrect underwriting decisions were being made due to the fact that information available was not being utilized, and there was no training program in place to address the shortcomings of this knowledge management initiative. Based upon an evaluation of this initiative, a training program was developed to address identified knowledge management performance gaps, with a plan for implementation and evaluation. The following five research questions were developed to address the problem:
1. What criteria should be used for the evaluation of PI C's commercial underwriting knowledge management initiative?
2. What assessment tool and design should be used to gather data for the evaluation of PIC's commercial underwriting knowledge management initiative?
3. What are the identified performance gaps as a result of comparing data collected to the criteria established?
4. What should be the structure, form, and content of a training program for PIC's commercial underwriters to address identified performance gaps?
5. How should a training program to address identified performance gaps for PIC's commercial underwriters be implemented and evaluated?
A combination of development, evaluation, and research problem-solving methodologies were employed. Procedures included literature reviews, development/administration of a survey instrument, analysis of results, and development of a training program to address identified performance gaps with a plan for implementation and evaluation. Formative and summative committees were used throughout these procedures for review and validation purposes.
The implementation and evaluation plan calls for the publishing of the training program on PIC's intranet along with dissemination of an electronic mail announcement of this fact including a direct electronic link to the program. A paper version of the program will also be produced and distributed to PIC's commercial underwriters (n=45). Onsite workshops for PIC's four regional offices are to be scheduled within three months of the program's publication. After this initial round of workshops, future sessions will be offered for new employees once per quarter in each regional office. Six months following the introduction of the training program, the researcher will use descriptive statistics to analyze the training program's returned evaluation forms, and this information will be combined with feedback from the informal responsive evaluation process to recommend improvements to the program. A formative and summative evaluation process will be used prior to any recommended changes being made.