THE LEARNING ORGANISATION

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION DEFINITIONS CHARACTERISTICS & RELEVANCE BUILDING A LEARNING ORGANIZATION

“ WHEN THE RATE OF CHANGE OUTSIDE EXCEEDS THE RATE OF CHANGE INSIDE, THE END IS IN SIGHT.” -JACK WELCH

INTRODUCTION LEARNING: Any relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience. LEARNING ORGANISATION: An organization that has developed the continuous capacity to adapt and change.

DEFINITIONS “ A Learning Company is an organisation that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself. ” -PEDLER, 1991

“Organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to learn together.” - PETER SENGE

LEARNING ORGANIZATION

CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic Definition Associated Best Practices Positive By-products Self mastery- individual The ability to honestly and openly see reality as it exists 1.Sharing experiences 2.More interaction time between supervisory levels 3.Emphasis on feedback 1.Greater commitment 2.Ability to face limitations 3.Ability to deal with change

Mental models - individual The ability to compare reality with perceptions; reconciling both into a coherent understanding 1.Time for learning 2.Forgiveness 3.Flexibility 1.Less avoidance of difficult situations Shared vision - group The ability of a group of individuals to hold a shared picture of a mutually desirable future 1.Trust 2.Empathy 3.Co-operation 4.A common language 1.Faster change 2.More effective communication flows

Team learning - group The ability of a group of individuals to suspend personal assumptions about each other and engage in "dialogue“. 1.Consensus building 2.Top-down and bottom-up communication flows 1.Group self-awareness 2.Heightened collective learning 3.Enhanced creativity Systems thinking - group The ability to see interrelationships rather than linear cause-effect 1.Practicing self mastery 2.Possessing consistent mental models 3.Possessing a shared vision 4.Emphasis on team learning 1.Long-term improvement 2.Decreased organizational conflict 3.Continuous learning among group members

IMPLEMENTATION OF LEARNING ORGANIZATION MECHANICAL SYSTEM NATURAL SYSTEM PARADIGM PARADIGM VERTICAL STRUCTURE HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE ROUTINE RIGID CULTURE TASKS EMPOWERED ADAPTIVE ROLES CULTURE FORMAL COMPETITIVE STRATEGY SHARED COLLABORATIVE SYSTEM INFORMATION STRATEGY

BUILDING A LEARNING ORGANIZATION Learning organization seems to fall naturally into three categories: I. The application of the academic theory systematic learning to business. The key factors which are aimed at enhancing an organization’s creative capability are: a) Team Learning b) Building a Shared Vision c) Mental Models d) System thinking e) Personal Mastery

II. The presentation of definitions followed by perspective ,practical solutions: a) Organizational Intention b) Autonomy c) Fluctuation and creative chaos d) Redundancy e) Requisite variety

III. The work of practitioners who decry a prescriptive approach but offer guidelines and practical hints as to how organizations can develop a bespoke approach. A.) Systematic problem solving. B.) Experimentation