ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to show what the process is like – and to convey some of its excitement – based on the experience of the Shell Open University (SOU) within the Shell Group of companies. It reports on a recent strategic review of learning, drawing on internal documents. The chapter starts by describing how learning and development have historically been embedded in the Shell Group, and the origins and early years of the SOU. It describes the reasons for undertaking a strategic review followed by an account of the review process. The chapter summarizes the key ideas in the new strategy followed by a discussion of the early stages of implementation. It concludes with some reflections on the key issues that large, multicultural organizations will need to address if they are to learn how to make the most of the new opportunities for learning provision. The majority of Shell employees are working in Exploration and Oil Products.
