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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to consider whether the future for e-learning is as bright as it has previously been heralded, or whether it is likely to fade into the background over time. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on 29 research case studies. Findings - The importance of time and commitment are drawn out, suggesting that a slower pace of development may not necessarily be a bad thing. Organisations need to focus on what really matters - creating an environment that truly values learning, which for many may involve a substantial culture change. The importance of communication, promotion and marketing are presented, with the commitment from the top giving e-learning the necessary status it needs in order for it to be taken seriously throughout the company. Selection of technology is also important as this can be a limiting factor to further e-learning development. Practical implications - Broader considerations for discussion as to whether an organisation is truly committed to an e-learning future or not. Originality/value - This article concludes the series by focussing on what the research tells us for the future development of e-learning.

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Purpose - To share the experiences of e-learning pioneers with regard to the cultural change necessary for e-learning to be successfully adopted in an organisation. Design/methodology/approach - Based on 29 research case studies. Findings - A cultural change needs to take place in organisations for e-learners to engage in the process. Blending e-learning with other forms of learning can be a useful introduction to the discipline, but enthusiasm soon wears off. Common resistances to the concept are explored including lack of time and the loneliness of e-learning, and how the 'any where, any time' element of the provision can be as much of a hindrance as of a help. Practical implications - Suggestions given for ways of overcoming the difficulties encountered by the case study organisations. Originality/value - Reflections of early adopters of e-learning highlights areas of success and difficulty to help other organisations to avoid the same pitfalls.

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Purpose - To draw attention to what experience has shown are the 'must consider' areas to be taken into account when considering an e-learning intervention. Design/methodology/approach - Based on 29 research case studies. Findings - This article draws on the experiences of a number of companies which experienced difficulties in taking the e-learning route. E-learning should not necessarily be used to replace classroom training as it is not suitable for everything. You need to make sure that the learning or training needs drive the technology rather than the other way round, and the technology itself can pose a multitude of problems. The time involved is also commonly underestimated, as is the diverse range of people who should be involved in the start-up team. Practical implications - Attention is drawn to key areas for consideration when venturing into an e-learning development. Originality/value - Reflections of early adopters of e-learning highlight areas of success and difficulty, to help other organisations avoid the same pitfalls.

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Purpose - The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of marketing an e-learning provision in-house in order that it should succeed. Design/methodology/approach - The study was based on 29 research case studies. Findings - E-learning itself has a somewhat negative image with a lot of people, and hence some companies have rebranded and renamed their e-learning provision to 'disguise' it as something else for uptake to increase. Money invested in the technology and design will not correlate with success unless implementation includes substantial effort in marketing. Even then it is unlikely to be successful without top level support on an ongoing basis. Practical implications - It is important to promote the value of e-learning at the early stages and on a regular basis thereafter. Originality/value - Reflections of early adopters of e-learning highlight areas of success and difficulty in order to help other organizations to avoid the same pitfalls.

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