Showing papers in "The Learning Organization in 1998"

Entrepreneurial learning and the growth process in SMEs

Abstract: This paper draws on case and interview material, from research with entrepreneurs in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to examine the process of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning in SMEs. The cases have been drawn from different sectors including services, manufacturing and technology‐based sectors such as hydraulics, and software development. This paper reviews the contribution of organisational learning theories, which, it is argued, have been developed for large firms rather than SMEs. More appropriate theories are examined from fields that accepted the impact of uncertainty and dynamics in decision making, such as Schumpeterian dynamic approaches to learning and development. Case study evidence is presented on the nature of entrepreneurial learning in growth SMEs and compared with theories in the literature.

Action Learning in Practice

Abstract: Contents: Introduction The state of the art, Mike Pedler Part 1 Origins: Introduction to part 1 Action learning: its origins and nature, Reg Revans The enterprise as a learning system, Reg Revans The power of action learning, Bob Garratt Minding our Ps and Qs, John Morris Continuity in action learning, Jean Lawrence David Casey on the role of the set adviser, David Casey Digging deeper: foundations of Revans' gold standard of action learning, Verna J. Willis Ad fontes a " Reg Revans: some early sources of his personal growth and values, Yury Boshyk Getting started: an action manual, David Pearce. Part 2 Varieties: Introduction to part 2 Self-managed action learning, Tom Bourner Action reflection learning, Lennart Rohlin Business-driven action learning today, Yury Boshyk Virtual action learning, Mollie Goodman and Jean-Anne Stewart Critical action learning, Kiran Trehan The practice and politics of living enquiry, Judi Marshall The varieties of action learning in practice: a rose by any other name, Judy O'Neil and Victoria J. Marsick. Part 3 Applications: Introduction to part 3 Leadership, Richard Thorpe Developing facilitative leaders: action learning facilitator training as leadership development, Katie Venner Action learning in SME development, Lisa Anderson, Jeff Gold and Allan Gibb Addressing systemic issues in public services, Clare Rigg Action learning for organization development in South Korea, Yonjoo Cho and Hyeon-Cheol Bong Facilitation and the affective domain, Ian McGill and Anne Brockbank Learning to be an action learning facilitator: three approaches, Christine Abbott and Tom Boydell Action learning and organization development, John Edmonstone Network learning in an Austrian hospital a " revisited, Otmar Donnenberg Action learning and social capital, Mike Pedler and Margaret Attwood Action learning round the world, Michael J. Marquardt. Part 4 Questions: Introduction to part 4 Action learning: a pragmatic and moral philosophy, John Burgoyne Practical knowing: the philosophy and methodology of action learning research, David Coghlan The action modalities: action learning's good company, Joe Raelin Action in action learning, Roland Yeo and Jeff Gold Learning in action or learning inaction? Emotion and politics in action learning, Russ Vince Reflective practice: origins and interpretations, Michael Reynolds Adult learning theories and the practice of action learning, Deborah Waddill and Michael Marquardt Evaluating action learning: a perspective informed by critical realism, network and complex adaptive systems theory, John Burgoyne Index.

Organisational learning and inter-firm 'partnering' in the UK construction industry.

Abstract: The paper explores the role of construction industry “partnering” ‐ the development of closer collaborative links between firms ‐ in stimulating organisational learning Drawing on case studies of partnering relationships involving large clients (British Petroleum, NatWest Bank, McDonald’s, Selfridges, Safeway) and over 40 of their contractors and suppliers, discusses the factors which influence the transfer of knowledge between organisations, the different levels at which learning takes place (eg individual, team, organisational) and the extent to which double‐loop learning can be observed

How do workers learn in their work

Abstract: It is often assumed by management in different workplaces that the people who work there acquire their training before they take up a job or that they are trained in their job. Learning is a lifelong process that should be embraced by all workers. Increasing interest is being placed on companies as learning organisations in which the employees collectively contribute to the improvement of the workplace enterprise. However, modest attention has been paid to the ways by which people learn in their work. This article indicates, based on considerable worksite research, that how people learn in their work is a complex process characterised by a range of variations. Management in different worksites needs to understand the diversity of approaches by workers to learning in their jobs and offer opportunities for such activities to be continuous, reflective, individualised and/or collective. A more effective workforce will result if the workers can maximise learning in their work.

Transforming the rhetoric of organisational learning to the reality of the learning organisation

Abstract: It has become generally accepted that “people and not capital add the competitive edge” (The Sunday Times, 17 November 1996). This belief is often put into practice through the use of frameworks of organisational learning and the concept of the learning organisation. These are invariably packaged as initiatives which promise competitive advantage through people. Within this context the paper considers the rhetoric associated with the learning organisation and other frameworks of organisational learning. The research confirms the hypothesis that reliance on rhetoric alone can be dangerous and costly and identifies the problems associated with this approach. The paper recommends a solution which is embodied in the Molecular Development Model together with the “Learning” checklist. Together they enable organisations to become more effective in transforming themselves into learning organisations as well as providing a theoretical and conceptual tool useful in the education and development of managers.

The role of the emotional climate in learning organisations

Abstract: This paper describes the research directed at the study of the role of the emotional climate in learning organisations. It becomes increasingly obvious that an emotional climate pervades every level of human interaction inside organisations. Emotionality and rationality coexist in organisational settings. This research examines how an emotional climate arises, how it evolves, how it is maintained, and what are the consequences of a given type of emotional climate. We suggest that it may deeply affect organisational dynamics such as idea‐generation, creativity, adaptability to change, and facilitation or inhibition of learning processes. Hence, it ultimately influences performance. We are in the process of developing an instrument to measure the emotional climate in a learning organisation.

Practical steps towards a learning organisation: applying academic knowledge to improvement and innovation in business processes

Abstract: This paper outlines research currently being carried out at the Nottingham Trent University, in collaboration with a recently privatised utility. The aim of the research is to synthesise a learning process model from relevant learning theory, and from this, to derive a practical model, which can be used by organisations to facilitate individual, team and organisational learning, resulting in continuous improvement and innovation in business processes. The learning process model has been developed, and was the subject of an article in The Learning Organisation (Buckler, 1996). Workshops, based on the model, have been held, with groups of managers, and feedback from these has been used to assess the usefulness of the models in an organisational context. This process has resulted in the design of a series of six workshops which aims to help organisational management teams develop a deep understanding of the learning process. This will lay the foundations for a systemic approach to learning within the organisation, and a move towards the elusive learning organisation. Research is continuing, with further field trials of the workshops, which will provide insight into the links between individual, team and organisational learning, the relationships between learning and performance, systemic barriers to learning, and necessary leadership skills.

Managing learning: what do we learn from a learning organisation?

Abstract: Sets out the agenda for, and examines the findings from, the initial stage of a longer‐term project aimed at identifying the constraints which guide what are portrayed as self‐managed learning initiatives leading to the creation of “learning organisations”. At this stage the project has focused on qualitative research with informants and groups of practitioners in North‐West UK companies which have involved themselves in learning initiatives and analyses of official discourses and data relating to the criteria inherent in appraising such initiatives. The project has examined tacit agendas in training and development and concludes that the attempts to link individual development with organisational strategy inherent in the human resource practices necessary to underwrite a learning organisation can serve to restrict the possibilities of creating such an organisation.

Organizational Dilemmas as Barriers to Learning.

Abstract: The theories of Senge and Argyris and Schon were used in analysing an attempt to develop a learning organization in a Swedish manufacturer of tools. The research was a case study, using different sources of evidence for validating results. The organizational learning theory used puts emphasis on the individual in the flow‐group. Barriers to learning have been found because an individual’s mental models and metaphors are not consistent with management’s. When, as in the studied case, the ideology of organizational learning is not followed by values and norms for behaviour supporting the new ideology then barriers to learning occur. Barriers to learning have been traced to dilemmas caused by the individual and the flow‐group, the organizational structure and managerial actions.

Building and sustaining a learning organization

Abstract: Considers how to create a learning environment and the implications for learning organizations. Draws on an Internet conference with managers from airport owner and operator BAA plc to debate four themes: modelling the learning process in organizations; organizational readiness; teamworking and learning and networked learning. Relates these to an agenda for organizational learning and renewal.

Learning in smaller organisations

Abstract: Drawing on research based on interviews with small firms in north‐east England, looks at the process of learning in and by small organisations (with 50 or fewer employees). Finds that the dominant culture of small organisations points to the need to develop alternative approaches to HRD that do not rely on business plans or training needs analyses. Examines small organisations in terms of five key characteristics: adaptability; planning; information and knowledge; human resource development; and growth. Finds that small organisations are characterised by: a paternalistic culture; an informal approach to planning; the importance of an individual’s ideas and character; learning by working with others (rather than formal training); and a belief in the importance of growth. Calls into question the validity of the often quoted “training deficit” from which small organisations are said to suffer and suggests that the networking function of the entrepreneur may be less important than other functions and qualities.

Towards Universities as Learning Organisations.

Abstract: The notion of “learning organisation” is, arguably, gaining credibility. This article takes this position as a starting point and, in the context of the authors’ own declared assumptions and beliefs, explores the meaning and potential application of the concept. This is achieved through examination of the literature on “learning organisations”, especially as it connects with emerging thinking on strategy and strategic management, and postmodern analyses of organising. The examination is then used as a comparison with conventional practices in UK universities. The argument is advanced that universities, as providers of management education, have both privileged opportunities and critical responsibilities to seek to adopt the ideal and practices associated with the concept of “learning organisation”. Some initial suggestions are included on what this might mean, and “look like”, in practice if the attempt to move towards learning organisation status is taken seriously.

The responsibilities of members in an organization that is learning

Abstract: As organizations move toward organizational learning the responsibilities of members change. Organizational members, themselves, should be giving consideration to what these new responsibilities should be, rather than leaving this task to management. Six possible responsibilities are suggested here to begin such a discussion. These responsibilities call on organizational members to accept greater responsibility for the generation and sharing of knowledge, but equally important is determining the organization’s purpose and sharing in its governance.

A methodology for generating feedback in the construction industry

Abstract: Project‐based industries, like the construction industry, are probably the most in need of a learning culture and yet may be least open to such philosophies. The paper gives a brief overview of the UK construction industry and then reports on a survey of attempts to engender learning which shows a clear recognition of a wish to learn from experience of the construction organisations studied, but also shows that the systems already in place are mostly informal and unstructured. A systematic procedure which will allow designers to gain effective feedback on their work is described which it is argued could be adopted for most project‐based industries.

Learning about learning organisations: case studies of skill formation in five New Zealand organisations

Abstract: This paper reports findings from five case studies of New Zealand organisations that introduced new initiatives such as TQM and “learning organisation” concepts as a result of facing a business environment of continuous change and uncertainty. The case studies, carried out between 1993‐96, highlight seven crucial limitations in the debate about the appropriate skills for such environments. Research findings also provide: evidence of the core skills that employees and managers need for such environments; and a new paradigm of the critical organisational characteristics, culture and form that facilitate learning in these conditions; and the implications for managers, human resource practitioners and training providers.

Conceptual frameworks beyond the learning organisation

Abstract: The learning organisation is a concept and, as with any complex concept, embodies sets of values, goals and beliefs. As consensus grows about these values, goals and beliefs, the probability increases that the concept will be translated from representational status to action and behavioural change. This paper argues that the organisation that attaches its strategic development to the highest level of conceptual framework will be the organisation best suited to manage adaptation to change and challenge in the future. It is suggested that the learning organisation concept can be thought of as the lowest of a three‐stage conceptual hierarchy of learning‐wisdom‐enlightenment. The paper explores the characteristics of the wise organisation and enlightened organisation and suggests that this sequence of development is not accidental but intimately related to the evolution of the human mind (that gives rise to the conceptual frameworks in the first place), from prepersonal to personal to transpersonal.

How literature may be used to assist in the education of managers

Abstract: This article explores two questions. First, can literature be a useful material for the teacher of management? Second, how might this material be used? The article acknowledges the many difficulties for the teacher in using literature but also suggests that literature, if used with attention to its inherent complexities and nuances, can be illuminating for students. The article describes in detail an attempt, by the author, to evaluate the use of literature in a university management class. Conclusions centred on: the value of private reading; input of the teacher; perceived relevance of the literary text to management education.

Managing the empowerment of employees to address issues of inter‐employee co‐operation, communication and work redesign

Abstract: This paper reports on the outcomes of a study in a service industry in which concept maps were used to facilitate the process of employees at all levels of an organisation discussing and negotiating work issues. The use of the maps in the discussions facilitated inter‐employee co‐operation and communication. Specifically the use of the maps assisted employees to understand the perspective of others, organise their own thoughts, keep on track during meetings, reduce confrontation in meetings, share information, and involve all participants. The authors include, as an example, a description of one of the nine cases in the study in which two employees redesign a component of their work, and in the process improve their working relationship, thus addressing issues of significance to both employees. The authors conclude that concept mapping is an innovative tool which can be used by employees at all levels of an organisation for co‐operative work redesign.

Increasing the organization’s IQ: public sector leadership in Southeast Asia

Abstract: We live during an era in which the pace and scope of change are unprecedented. This is particularly true in the Asia‐Pacific region where rapid growth has challenged the capacity of people and organizations to adapt. It has become increasingly clear that learning is now the keystone to bringing about change at both the personal and organizational levels. This article examines the role which system‐level leaders in public sector organizations play in creating learning organizations. It discusses tools which system leaders may use to establish conditions that support development of a learning organization.

Structural constraints on organizational and interorganizational learning in the restaurant sector

Abstract: Examines the rates of mortality, survival, and entrepreneurship in the Danish restaurant sector, and demonstrates a considerable turbulence in the sector over the period 1980‐1993. Opportunities for organizational learning are enhanced by size as well as age. However, surprisingly, survival is not clearly related to managerial capacity, nor is affiliation with other restaurants an important factor for survival. The study indicates that learning in restaurants is decisively embedded in processes and technologies rather than in relations between human beings.

Strategic crisis aversion: the value of a “style audit”

Abstract: Reminds us that different organizations seek to deal with environmental pressures in different ways; some are proactive, others rely largely on reaction. Paradoxically, reactive crisis fighters typically thrive on the challenge of short‐term problems. Effective organisations, however, need clear direction for the longer term, winning strategies and an appropriate decision‐making style for managing strategy creation and implementation in an environment of change. Looks at how organisations might seek to audit their decision‐making style with a view to managing their knowledge and intelligence more effectively and introducing the changes that will open up new competitive and strategic opportunities.

Model for change and learning (one example of a member of the UN family creating its own process by using the experience of its own people)

Abstract: The United Nations Staff College Project (UNSCP), conceived in 1996 as a project with an initial life‐span of five years, has been entrusted by the United Nations to the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin. The college aims at promoting and developing a series of new and innovative learning and training opportunities in support of a more effective United Nations system and as a contribution and support to the process of change and reform currently under way. This paper is a commentary on the progress made in conceiving, creating, developing and applying a learning and change process in the United Nations Staff College Project. The time span is from January to June 1997.

The Stumbling Stone method

Abstract: The Stumbling Stone method is a practical way of establishing a learning organisation. Mobilising employees bridges the gap between the legitimate system and the shadow system of the company. The method takes into account the view of the organisation as a complex adaptive system and provides means to link the legitimate system and the shadow system of the organisation thus tapping into the creativity resource of the employees.

Focusing learning on customer service: an example from the public sector

Abstract: Describes an example of a successful learning programme focused on customer satisfaction. Reports on a programme for experienced staff in the European Patent Office called ChOral (CHairing ORAL proceedings). The stages of the programme included sponsoring by a top manager to overcome initial resistance, to support cognitive task analysis and to give “pep talks” to the learners to emphasise the customer‐satisfaction goal; using a consultant to learn “active listening” and “empathy” techniques, which were then included as training content; creating representative case studies and “courtroom” role‐playing exercises; self‐study by the learners of the recommended procedures; and a video‐based, role‐playing practice and feedback system using recently trained examiners as “models”, demonstrating the procedures to be learned by new trainees, with subsequent feedback commentary from respected experts.