Societal and cultural issues in the Chinese market and their effect on motivation, participation and retention

This paper offers an insight into the societal and cultural issues that must be addressed by any E-Learning provider that wishes to provide its services to the Chinese market. Further, this paper provides a solution based on cultural considerations as to how E-Learning students in China can be motivated Answers to the following questions are put forward in the paper and are supported by both qualitative and quantitative research: 1) What societal and cultural issues surround the Chinese E-Learning market and Chinese E-Learners? 2) What can concerned providers of E-Learning solutions do to increase the motivation, participation and retention of E-Learners in the Chinese market? Research for this paper was undertaken and conducted using staff from a western multinational company with offices based in China. The Chinese staff of the multinational company, ranged from low level customer service staff to staff at the senior and professional levels. The staff involved in the research were based throughout China in various provinces. The research undertaken represents how implementing a system which is sensitive to societal and cultural issues can increase participation in, and completion of E-Learning courses. The motivational approach taken during the research incorporated the societal and cultural issues identified as being barriers to E-Learning course completion and put in place a structure that was more culturally aware. These changes resulted in a more than doubled participation and completion rate. Copyright © 2007 Columbia University.