1. Is My Organization a Learning Organization?
Rebecca Fairchild, Ph.D., RN
Tau Eta Chapter 437
Alcorn State University
October 22, 2015
Is My Organization a Learning Organization?

2. Objectives
Upon completion of this presentation the learner should be able to:
1. differentiate between a learning organization and organizational learning.
2. identify the major characteristics of a learning organization.
3. discuss the advantages an organization may experience by becoming a learning organization.
4. describe strategies to support an organization’s journey in becoming a learning organization
5. identify valid and reliable instruments for measuring the characteristics of a learning organization.
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Fairchild

3. What is a Learning Organization?
Concept founded in the fields of human resource development and business
Purpose: To enable businesses to stay ahead of the competition by being able to adapt to changes in the environment quickly
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4. Is there a difference between a learning organization and organizational learning?
Learning organization addresses characteristics and actions of the organization that favorably impact the ability of the organization to cope with change.
Organizational learning addresses processes involving knowledge acquisition, knowledge management, information distribution, and organizational memory.
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5. Major Contributors to the Concept of a Learning Organization
Peter Senge (1999)
Disciplines of a Learning Organization
Marsick & Watkins (1997, 2003)
Dimensions of a Learning Organization
Garvin (1993)
Building Blocks of a Learning Organization
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Fairchild

6. Disciplines of a Learning Organization
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
Mental Models
Systems Thinking
Senge (1990) wrote about the five disciplines that must be practiced in order for an organization to become a learning organization. The five disciplines are
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
Mental Models: those assumptions that determine how we think and act.
Systems Thinking
Senge’s Framework for a Learning Organization
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Fairchild

7. Underlying Concepts of Senge’s Model
Argyris & Schon (1974)
Espoused Theories vs. Theories in Use
Single-loop Thinking vs. Double-loop Thinking
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8. Dimensions of a Learning Organization
Marsick & Watkins
Continuous Learning
(DLOQ 1-3)
Dialogue & Inquiry
(DLOQ 4-6)
Team Learning
(DLOQ 7-9)
Embedded Systems
(DLOQ 10-12)
Collective Vision
DLOQ 13-15)
Connect
to Environment
(DLOQ 16-18)
Strategic leadership
(DLOQ 19-21)
Senge (1990) wrote about the five disciplines that must be practiced in order for an organization to become a learning organization. The five disciplines are
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
Mental Models: those assumptions that determine how we think and act.
Systems Thinking
09/18/14
Fairchild

9. Dimensions of a Learning Organization
Individual Level Learning
Team Learning
Organization Level Learning
Continuous Learning
(DLOQ 1-3)
Dialogue & Inquiry
(DLOQ 4-6)
Team Learning
(DLOQ 7-9)
Embedded Systems
(DLOQ 10-12)
Collective Vision
DLOQ 13-15)
Connect
to Environment
(DLOQ 16-18)
Strategic leadership
(DLOQ 19-21)
Senge (1990) wrote about the five disciplines that must be practiced in order for an organization to become a learning organization. The five disciplines are
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
Mental Models: those assumptions that determine how we think and act.
Systems Thinking
Personal Mastery
Team Learning
Shared Vision
Mental Models
Systems Thinking
Senge’s Framework for a Learning Organization
03/28/14
Fairchild

10. Building Blocks of a Learning Organization Garvin, Edmondson, & Gino (2008)
Building Block 1: A supportive learning environment.
Psychological safety.
Appreciation of differences.
Openness to new ideas.
Time for reflection.
Building Block 2: Concrete learning processes and practices.
Building Block 3: Leadership that reinforces learning.

11. Building Blocks of a Learning Organization
Garvin (1993)
Solving Problems Systematically
Experimenting
Learning from Past Experience
Learning from Others
Transferring Knowledge
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12. How do I know if my organization is a learning organization?
Assessment Tools

13. Disciplines of a Learning Organization

14. Dimensions of a Learning Organization
Dimensions of a Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ)
42 items divided into seven constructs
Reliability and Validity data available
Used across a variety of disciplines including nursing (Estrada, 2007)
Academic Version of the DLOQ
21 items divided into seven constructs
Used in the context of nursing education

15. The Learning Organization Survey (LOS)
Individuals may take the survey
Groups of individuals take the survey and average the scores.
Benchmark scores are available.
Did not publish reliability and validity data.

16. The LOS-27 Singer, Moore, Meterko, & Williams, S. (2012).
Development of a tool specific to healthcare setting.
Reliability and Validity data published.

17. Recommendations for Nursing Education and Practice
Continuous Learning and Personal Mastery
Hold employees personally responsible for continuous learning.
Seek education/clinical practice partner support in providing continuing education.
Inquiry and Dialogue
Employees should be encouraged to reflect on mental models (espoused theories vs. theories-in- use).
Practice dialogue as suggested by Senge (1990).
Initiate a zero tolerance policy for incivility.
Encourage formal and informal learning. Nursing education programs can support learning at the individual level by assisting with registration fees and time off for continuing education programs; sponsoring continuing education programs; developing creative scheduling for nursing faculty seeking a higher degree; and maintaining competitive salaries for nurses with higher degrees.
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Fairchild

18. Recommendations for Nursing Education and Practice
Team Learning
Establish teams.
Implement performance assessments by self, colleague, and supervisor.
Reassign team members to other teams as necessary.
Embedded Systems and Systems Thinking
Utilize accreditation standards to identify data to be trended.
Establish databases for trending data.
Utilize data for decision- making.
Establish networks with other clinical facilities/nursing education programs and professional nursing organization to share data and lessons learned.
Use double-loop thinking to predict the effect of change on the entire system.
Performance Assessment to include strengths, areas for improvement, and insights gained through performance assessment
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Fairchild

19. Recommendations for Nursing Education and Practice
Empower People Toward a Collective Vision
Periodically review mission and philosophy of the governing institution.
Allow teams to implement new strategies.
Provide necessary resources for attainment of the vision.
Cultivate an environment that promotes respect of individual and team ideas.
Connect to the Environment
Maintain collaborative relationships with education/practice partners.
Encourage new clinical teaching models such as dedicated education units.
Support faculty practice with work hours dedicated to clinical updates/community service.
03/28/14 Revised 10/09/15
Fairchild

20. Recommendations for Nursing Education and Practice
Strategic Leadership
Must model desired behaviors and mentor nurses/faculty at all levels.
Begin leadership training for new and/or younger employees.
Look for new opportunities for learning.
Share information regarding the organization with employees and other stakeholders on a regular basis.
Assist employees in using double-loop and systems thinking..
Form nursing education/practice partnerships and seek input from each other.
Incorporate regular assessment of the organization for the characteristics of a learning organization.
Incorporate becoming a learning organization into the strategic plan for the organization.
03/28/14 Revised 10/09/15
Fairchild

21. Limitations
The nature of some organizations limits full expression of the dimensions/building blocks of a learning organization.
The findings from an assessment tool produces only a snapshot in time.
Leadership must support the concept.
Becoming a learning organization is a process or journey, not a destination.
10/05/15
Fairchild

22. Selected References
Argyris, C., & Schon, D. (1974). Theory in practice: Increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.
Estrada, N. A. (2007). Learning organizations and evidence-based practice by RNs (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Arizona, AZ). Retrieved from
Garvin, D., Edmondson, A., & Gino, F. (2008). Is yours a learning organization? Harvard Business Review, 86(3), 109.
Hedderick, V. M. (2009). The utilization of NCLEX predictor assessments and the effect on NCLEX success rates in nursing programs within the state of Pennsylvania (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest UMI
Marsick, V. J., & Watkins, K. E. (2003). Demonstrating the value of an organization's learning culture: The dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire. Advances in Developing Human Resources 2003, 5(2), doi: /
Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization. New York, NY: Doubleday.
Singer, S., Moore, S., Meterko, M., & Williams, S. (2012). Development of a short-form learning organization survey: The LOS-27. Medical Care Research and Review, 69(4),