**3. Methodology**

prefer to call it as people management. For this reason, a transition of the human resources management from a "department" to a "business unit" is observed. The results must be observed far beyond cost reduction and optimization of employee management activities. In other words, human resources management or people management starts to produce both operational results as well as knowledge within the organization. Consequently, the compa‐

People management in organizational environment has become the object of study and practical performance, more and more intense. This statement stems from the typical phe‐ nomenon of this time such as globalization, outsourcing and new business models. Besides, managers are witnessing a time where technology development and the increasing industrial automation has caused significant changes to organizations, therefore demanding a constant

Professional qualification delivers results for individuals, and consequently it will lead to gains for the organization. This qualification can occur both as in-the-job training or out-of-the-job training. According to Esi, educational activities are characterized as operating strategy in the pursuit of quality and productivity in organizational environment [47]. As a result, it enhances

Human learning in organizations is divided into two major groups: the natural learning, which is configured by trial and error and the induced learning, which is obtained through carefully

An important aspect is that qualification involves at least three social actors: government, workers and businesses. So far, government qualification provides a way to ensure the productivity and competitiveness of the country itself, for workers qualification brings a strengthening of their autonomy and self-worth, and for companies that practice is associated

Currently, human resources management tends to remodel, aiming to respond to the new challenges posed by the globalized world. There is also the tendency of aligning themselves more with the organizational strategy and to focus simultaneously on the internal (employee)

Then occurs a transition of human resources management from the "department" to the "business unit". The results must be observed far beyond cost reduction and optimization of employee management activities. In other words, HR starts to produce both operating results as well as knowledge across the organization, and consequently these results that become

Ulrich, in reference [49], advocates that in a company, the current HR task is to achieve organizational excellence. Thus, HR has to assume a new role, focusing on results and not the traditional activities of HR, such as hiring and remuneration. According to the same author, "this sector should not be defined by what it does, but for what it is – results that enrich the

company's value for customers, investors and employees" [49, pp.35–36].

nies are able to convert these results into financial resources.

330 E-Learning - Instructional Design, Organizational Strategy and Management

versatility, enrichment of tasks and increases employees' responsibility.

qualification of its workforce [46].

planned and structured situations [48].

and external costumers (market).

financial resources.

with productivity and their own survival [10-11].

**2.5. The new roles of human resources and distance education**

Companies of the industrial sector of Minas Gerais that have control over the academic training of their professionals were defined as the object of study. This choice is due to the importance this segment has on the state's economy and consequently, the role this state has on the country. According to the objectives of this study, we choose to perform a research divided into two distinct phases. Firstly, we performed semi-structured interviews with 12 human resource managers of small, medium and large industries. These interviews were carried on from August to September 2011. This number was established when it was observed the interruption of the marginal contribution of the interviews. That is, the interviews from this point did not contribute with more relevant information.

The first part of this work is qualitative; therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted to establish a better interaction with the theme and research problem in order to gather more information that complement the quantitative method. The qualitative method, in turn, has characteristics of an exploratory study that are designed to increase knowledge about a particular problem. According to Triviños, this type of research, apparently simple, explores the reality seeking greater knowledge that allows planning a descriptive research in the sequence to deepen the knowledge about the subject under study [52].

For Triviños, in reference [52, p.146], semi-structured interview is characterized by basic questions that are supported by theories and hypotheses that are related to the subject of research. The questions bear fruit to new hypotheses arising from the responses of informants. The main focus would be placed by the researcher–interviewer.

The second part of the study relied on quantitative method characterized by a "survey". Thus, this descriptive research seeks to know more about the reality under study, their characteristics and their problems. Survey helps to accurately describe the facts and given reality of a phenomena [52].

The population for this research consists of 18.591 industries characterized according to the methodology of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics – IBGE, as small, medium and large industries, in the state of Minas Gerais. Survey respondents were made of human resource managers of these industrial organizations with more than 10 employees. They were asked to inform if these companies employ undergraduate students. From this universe, we got a sum total of 377 questionnaires answered through Google Docs. Data were collected from October 2011 to January 2012. The answers of the quantitative research were submitted to descriptive analysis.
