NEC Corp. of America has partnered with SumTotal Systems to develop a new SaaS (Software as a Service) learning service for enterprises that provides integrated support for employee development. NEC will begin marketing activities for the new service in Japan, as well as in the U.S. through its unit, NEC Corp. of America.

The new SaaS learning service operates in tandem with SumTotal's ResultsOnDemand learning management system, leveraging the service platforms of both SumTotal and NEC to deliver a globally accessible on-demand service that can be customized to meet the needs of NEC customers. Consulting services for talent management and development will also be offered in collaboration with ABeam Consulting Japan.

"NEC is pleased to be working with SumTotal, a leader in the Learning Management Systems market," said Clay Swartz, general manager, Global Services of NEC Corp. of America. "Adding SaaS learning services to our portfolio ensures that our customers have access to the world-class tools they require for managing their business."

NEC said it intends to enhance the structure of its service business, including its new SaaS-delivered learning service, in an effort to offer a greater portfolio of services and increase our overall value to our clients.

"As one of the leading vendors in Japan, we wanted a partner that can create an exceptional solution that uniquely addresses the needs in Japan," said Donald E. Fowler, Chief Executive Officer of SumTotal. "With NEC, we can execute on our international strategy to deliver innovative products and services within the country and to a broader, global market."

The new SaaS solution provides collective learning for enterprises with 10,000 employees or more, as well as global, multi-location learning in multiple languages. When compared with "homegrown" talent management systems of a similar scale, the NEC service format reduces deployment time up to 80% as estimated by NEC. It also offers flexible learning that adapts rapidly to changes in the business environment, including revisions to legislation and the addition of new operations. With talent data stored in high-security data centers, the service ensures the safe management of operations.