Organizational Learning

“Management Paradigm & Conceptual

Cycle”

Suresh A M

Definition A Learning Organization is the

highest state of Organizational Learning, in which an organization has

achieved the ability to transform itself continuously

through the development and involvement of all its

members. ~ Tsang

There are 4

common propositions that underpin

the concept

of Organiza

tional Learning

P1: In order to survive, an organization must learn at least as fast as its environment changes.

P2: The degree to which an organization needs to move away from traditional forms of learning to organizational learning is dependent on the degree of instability in its environment.

P3: In the past, maintaining alignment with the organizations environment was the responsibility of a few senior managers; however, the environment is now changing so fast that it is beyond the ability of a small elite of manages to keep pace with the necessary changes.

P4: The entire workforce needs to be involved in identifying the need for change and implementing it.

Systematic Approach to Organizational Learning

1.Knowledge acquisition

2.Information distribution

3.Information interpretation

4.Organizational Memory

Reservations & Relationships

1)Organizational Structure

2)Organizational Culture

3)Organizational Change

4)Organizational Learning, Environment & Choice

In terms of their structure, organizations need to

consider carefully the nature of environment in which they

operate.

There is a parallel cultural continuum ranging from role

to task.

A fourth continuum to parallel the environmental, structural and cultural ones: a change

continuum ranging form plan to emergent

Proponents put Organizational learning on the same end of the

spectrum as network structures, task culture and emergent change. It puts

traditional learning on the same camp as bureaucracy , role culture and planned change

Unbounded Learning

Impoverished Schem

a

Contentious

Schema

Groupthink

Schema

Productive

Schema

Interpretation Potential

Integration Potential

HighLow

High

Low

Learning StylesHONEY & MUMFORD 4 LEARNING

STYLES ARE STANDARD

1. Activists: People who learn best when they can use trial an error to discover something

2. Reflectors: People who learn best when they are given adequate time to digest, consider and prepare.

3. Theorists: People who learn best when there is sound structure and pattern or purpose

4. Pragmatist: People who learn best when they can be given real life practical issues, tips and suggestions

KOLB EFFECTIVE LEARNING ABILITIES

1. The ability to be involved fully, openly and without bias in new experience

2. The ability to reflect on and observe experiences from different perspectives

3. The ability to create concepts that integrate reflection and observation into logical theories

4. The ability to use theories to make plans and implement action

Cycle of Individual LearningReflective Observatio

n

Abstract Conceptual

ization

Active Experiment

ation

Concrete Experience

Integrating the Cycle of Individual Learning