However the changes have been driven by a very strong competitive and productivity challenge, as opposed to a sense that this is an interesting new approach to training. Therefore the changes have received top management support, reward and incentives structures have been introduced to support and reinforce these behaviors and finally, technologies have been carefully designed to link learning, knowledge management and existing work practices. In all cases, time must be seen as the critical scarce resource. In short, knowledge workers and professionals find themselves under continually increasing pressure to be more productive and to contribute more time and energy to their work activities. Too many initiatives, such as Jitol, are presented as an additional activity, as an add-on to the existing work demands.
Busy practitioners are often unable to devote the time necessary to participate.
Thus even new approaches, which may be more effective than previous practices, are unsuccessful because they, initially, take up more time. Thus, for any new approach to workplace learning, such as Jitol or knowledge management, to be successful, the issue of time must be carefully considered. One of the most powerful features of the Jitol model involved the recognition, based on adult learning research, of the importance of social interaction in the learning process. Certainly, any new approaches to supporting workplace learning must incorporate both individual and social learning dimensions.