Organizational learning goes virtual? : A study of employees’ learning achievement in stereoscopic 3D virtual reality

Purpose – This study aims to deepen understanding of the use of stereoscopic 3D technology (stereo3D) in facilitating organizational learning. The emergence of advanced virtual technologies, in particular to the stereo3D virtual reality, has fundamentally changed the ways in which organizations train their employees. However, in academic or professional studies, there is hitherto, very limited research has been found in understanding the framework of distributed organizational learning in stereo3D virtual reality. Design/methodology/approach – The aim of this research is to investigate the employees’ learning achievement in both the conventional in-house training program and distributed organizational learning approach in a designed stereo3D virtual reality to deepen our understanding of this undiscovered framework. In all, 76 employees from local fashion and apparel organizations were recruited in this empirical study. The quasi-experimental method was adopted to compare the experimental and control groups. The criterion-referenced assessment scale was applied as a post-test to assess employees’ learning achievement in a customer service management training course. A tailor-made stereo3D virtual learning environment was established to conduct the virtual training program. Findings – Surprisingly, the results of this research found no significant difference in both the groups, which indicates that, nowadays, the two completely different learning formats have become similar in organizational learning practices. Originality/value – This research, therefore, suggests a new organizational learning framework with three components: a blended in-house training, a distributed enhancement program in stereo3D virtual reality and an organizational memory system.