From their unique perspective as adult educators experienced in the work of organizational change, the authors show both human resource professionals, as well as front line managers and others, how people learn and how to support that learning. They show how individual learning acts as a catalyst for group and organizational learning in such key areas as employee involvement, self-directed teams, and the balance of work and home life. Eighteen illustrative case vignettes feature companies such as AT&T, IBM, and Esso Petroleum.
The authors give guidance and advice on how to facilitate the complex change interventions that are required to build learning into the system so that it makes a difference. They highlight the need for business leaders and development professionals to work together.
The concept of the 'learning organization' is one of the most popular management ideas of the last few decades. Since it was conceived as an idea in its own right, it has been given various definitions and meanings, such that we are still faced with the question as to whether any unified understanding of what the learning organization really is can be established. This Handbook offers extensive reviews of both new and traditional perspectives on the concept and provides suggestions for how the learning organization can best be defined, practiced, studied, and developed in future research. With contributions from long-standing scholars in the field as well as those new to the area, this book aims to bridge the gap between traditional and more critical perspectives, and in doing so find alternative features and angles to take the idea forward. In addition to elaborating on and developing older definitions of the learning organization and suggesting updated and even new definitions, the chapters also provide focused explorations on pertinent aspects of the learning organization such as ambidexterity, gender inclusivity, and systems thinking. They also survey organizations that have made efforts towards becoming learning organizations, how the learning organization can best be measured and studied, and the universality of the idea itself. Some of the questions raised in this book are answered, or at least given tentative answers, while other questions are left open. In this way, the book has the ambition to take the learning organization an important step further, whilst having no intentions to take any final step; instead, the intention is that others will endeavour to continue where this book stops.
The concept of the 'learning organization' is one of the most popular management ideas of the last few decades. Since it was conceived as an idea in its own right, it has been given various definitions and meanings, such that we are still faced with the question as to whether any unified understanding of what the learning organization really is can be established. This Handbook offers extensive reviews of both new and traditional perspectives on the concept and provides suggestions for how the learning organization can best be defined, practiced, studied, and developed in future research. With contributions from long-standing scholars in the field as well as those new to the area, this book aims to bridge the gap between traditional and more critical perspectives, and in doing so find alternative features and angles to take the idea forward. In addition to elaborating on and developing older definitions of the learning organization and suggesting updated and even new definitions, the chapters also provide focused explorations on pertinent aspects of the learning organization such as ambidexterity, gender inclusivity, and systems thinking. They also survey organizations that have made efforts towards becoming learning organizations, how the learning organization can best be measured and studied, and the universality of the idea itself. Some of the questions raised in this book are answered, or at least given tentative answers, while other questions are left open. In this way, the book has the ambition to take the learning organization an important step further, whilst having no intentions to take any final step; instead, the intention is that others will endeavour to continue where this book stops.
Learning is increasingly seen as crucial to the success of organisations but many studies of the subject offer very little empirical evidence to substantiate this. Based upon in-depth research, including over seventy interviews with managers and employees, Organisational Learning and Effectiveness is an original and comprehensive analysis of learning organisations. Contents include: * detailed case studies of five major international companies: Coca-Cola and Schweppes Beverages, 3M, Siebe, Mayflower and Morgan Crucible * the intellectual origins of organisational learning * best practice in organisational learning * the importance of leadership roles and skills *a critical examination of the usefulness and relevance of organisational learning and effectiveness. Integrating management theory and practice, this volume is an extremely valuable resource for all those with an interest in organisational behaviour and human resource development.
'Lifelong learning' is moving from buzzword to reality for ever latger numbers of workers. Firms increasingly need their workers to be active, self-directed learners who contribute to innovations and improvements of processes, products and services. Companies that explicitly encourage and support worker learning, from a strategic perspective, are called 'learning organisations'. This book is the result of an European study into the changing views and practices of professionals in the field of Human Resource Development within such organisations. Focusing on Europe, the book contains authors and research from Finland, the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Italy. Theoretical explorations of the learning organisation and the changing face of HRD complement nearly thirty case studies of HRD functions. This book will be essential reading for both academics and professionals in the fields of HRD and lifelong learning.
The ability of a business to engage in real organizational learning and to do so faster and in a more sustainable way than its competitors is being increasingly seen as an essential component of success. In Making Sense of Organizational Learning, Cyril Kirwan examines the wide range of factors necessary to create and sustain organizational learning and knowledge at all levels. At the individual level, the generation of continuous learning opportunities and reflection on experiences are critically important. At the team level, it’s about encouraging collaboration, team learning and the sharing of knowledge. At the organizational level, the emphasis is on building systems to capture and share knowledge and providing strategic leadership for learning. The book shows you how you can best exploit the knowledge that already exists within your organization while at the same time develop the capability of the people that work there. It deals in turn with individual learning; learning with others; learning in organizations; and in particular the role of the HR function and of line managers. Each chapter provides theoretical background and real-world examples. Diagnostic questionnaires, checklists and other tools are also included. Making Sense of Organizational Learning provides an evidence-based argument for the adoption of effective organizational learning policies and practices, and offers a real opportunity to improve performance. Thinking practitioners working in and around learning and development or organization development will find it invaluable, as will those undertaking post-graduate study in HR and related disciplines.
