Breaking the educational glass ceiling: an interview with Harry Lenderman

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the role that corporations can (and are) playing in removing restrictions to a college or university education for their employees – the educational glass ceiling.

Design/methodology/approach

An interview format is used with an experienced academic, and learning and development practitioner, drawing upon experiences and lessons learned from the creation of a corporate university within Sodexho corporation.

Findings

Directly connects the introduction of “performance‐based degrees” with the opening up of educational opportunities for the previously disadvantaged to corporate performance and achievement of commercial objectives.

Research limitations/implications

The paper primarily draws upon insights from the creation of the Sodexho Corporate University, but sets this within the context of best practice elsewhere. It identifies the educational glass ceiling that exists for employees of major corporations, opening the door for further study.

Practical implications

There are reputed to be around 2,000 corporate universities in the USA alone. This paper has implications for the scope and objectives for those developing or leading corporate universities and corporate business schools, or contemplating such an intervention.

Originality/value

This paper sets out an original train of thought, has useful pragmatic insights, and provides scope for significant further research.

Citation

Lenderman, H. and Sandelands, E. (2005), "Breaking the educational glass ceiling: an interview with Harry Lenderman", Education + Training, Vol. 47 No. 2, pp. 134-141. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910510587316