Ideas and Aspects of Learning Organisations - Essay Example

Learning Organisations Development of Conceptual Framework 1. Introduction The following section is a critical review of literature relevant to learning organisation such as its theoretical underpinning, attributes, and actual work practices of such organisation. The main purpose of this literature review is to identify ideas and aspects of learning organisations that can be used to construct a conceptual framework for future research. Sections 5 and 6 contain the details of the constructed conceptual framework along with discussions on the proposed method of research. 2. The Learning Organisation The common view of a learning organisation is an organisation that is capable of constantly expanding its capacity, cultivating new ways of thinking, and takes in to account the value of systems thinking, personal mastery, shared vision, and team learning (Garcarz et al. 2003, p.1). In other words, such organisation encourages learning from all levels with the purpose of developing competence, better or effective ways of working, promote innovation, and keep up with change. This is the same functional, irreproducible, conscious, dynamic and complex core competencies discussed by Drejer (2000, p.12-15) contributing to high organisational performance. As a whole, they are the qualities of the organisation that enables supportive working environment, allow development and learning of new skills and knowledge (Griego et al. 2000, p.10), and with managers that are very supportive and committed to the concept (Hodgkinson 2000, p.165). Since learning itself occur continuously, developed, accelerated, and an “emergent property of the system” (Tosey & Smith 1999, p.114) learning organisations may be viewed as those group of individuals deliberately developing individual and collective learning and aware of the quality of relationships that can sustain or diminish learning experience within them (McNiff & Whitehead 2000. p.67). Learning organisations to be precise are organisations with life of their own and by themselves is developing collective learning capability, linking business strategy and learning together, purposely learns for opportunities and threats, and constantly learning better ways to learn (Harrison 2005, p.156). These organisations allow their members to access to their internal knowledge and skills repository, provide external learning programmes, monitoring and indentifying best practices (Logan & Sachs 1997, p.35). 3. Common Attributes of Learning Organisation Since most businesses are aware of the reality that the faster they learn the more they will become competitive (Cross & Israelit 2000, Introduction), their common attributes in terms of learning can be described as proactive leadership, effective communication and the use of dialogue, organisational wide learning programmes, cross-functional and self-reliant teams, strategic, focused on transformation, well-structured for knowledge sharing, all members think systematically, responsive and innovative, flexible and adaptable to the environment, always oriented to grow and prosper, measure their success and failure, recognize the importance of new and external information for their business, and accepting business dilemma as realities of life (O’Keeffe 2006, p.221; Triplett 2007, p.61; Cohen & Levinthal 2000, p.39; Sarlak 2010, p. 30; Mathison 2005, p.144; Cheminais et al. 1998, p.244; Marsick & Watkins 1999, p. 209). By analysis, learning organisations are characterised by their determination towards realization of common goals by “investing on people” (Greenhalgh 2006, p.203). The common attributes discussed earlier are by themselves having commonality and interrelated functions. For instance, proactive leadership allow the use of dialogue resulting to effective communication while the orientation to grow and prosper makes individuals responsive and innovative. Similarly, valuing internal and external information while providing a well-structured knowledge sharing environment contribute to systematic and self-reliant teams as well as reinforcing existing orientation for growth. Processes in learning organisations seems mutually complimenting each other in areas where management and employees interact. For instance, motivating employees to become responsive, innovative, and oriented to growth is not an easy task but since management is proactive and sharing their responsibilities and resources to the whole organisation, motivation becomes automatic. Similarly, since employees of these organisations are free to enhance their knowledge and skills (probably benchmarking their own performance also), and confident enough to think systematically, they transform from mere employees to agents of success. In learning organisations, staff or employees learning capacities is viewed as the most influential factor in ensuring business success thus HR departments in these organisations are often concentrating on designing and implementing staff development programmes (Hager & Holland 2006, p.275). In depth, such thinking and subsequent programmes such as prioritisation of participation, equal opportunities, and quality delivery among employees is an organisational-wide strategy to make all employees accountable for their individual work. This sense of accountability among employees results to wise use of resources, time, and money (Cook et al. 1997, p.180). It is also a way for the organisation to reinvent itself into a more market-responsive manner as its employees are skilled and motivated enough to work and pleased its customers (Aspin 2011, p.544). 4. Work Practices of Learning Organisation Typically, as their orientation to continuous learning drives them to do, work practices in learning organisations coincide with their business and learning needs. They generally work as a team with great emphasis on quality and higher productivity (EFILWC, 2007, p.1-59). Self-directed work practises using multi-skilled production teams with free access to information (Plessis et al, p.71-94; Tosey & Smith 1999, p.110). Training and development is built-in in business strategy where management and employees see it as part of basic work practices (Griego et al. 2000, p.1-8). Awarding and recognising employees’ hard work and contribution to the organisation (Griego et al. 2000, p.1-8). Resources is always available even in unforeseen circumstances (Tosey & Smith 1999, p.10) Management is always open for suggestions while employees can question even existing work practices and the system itself (Lassey 1998, p.67; Marsick & Watkins 1999, p.190)). Widespread use of information and technology into their work (Choo 2002, p.20). Conversation and exchange of opinions, ideas, and feelings at work as core working practices (Ahern & Joyaux 2011, p.100) Observing, analysing, and providing customer needs (Choo 2002, p.21). Staff rotation or transfer to enable sharing of knowledge (Choo 2002, p.21). 5. Constructing the Conceptual Framework Based on the information presented earlier, the conceptual framework for a learning organisation may be constructed using the following relationship: The relationships in this conceptual framework were established using common theoretical description of a learning organisation as supported by known attributes and actual working practices. For instance, organisations transforming to learning organisation often mention increasing global competition and rapid change as primary reasons. They typically modify managerial functions or leadership style into a more practical or proactive approach and invest on employees’ development and well-being in response to these external pressures. Consequently, majority of their activities are focused on increasing their capacity, competiveness, and profitability through building learning infrastructures and developing or modifying processes. These include widespread promotion of systems thinking; competence, growth, and continuous learning that enable them to sustain what they started and pursue expansion relentlessly. Clearly, since challenges are rapid and constantly changing, learning organisations are typically engaged in an unremitting and seems endless cycles of learning and change. 6. Determining the Capacities and Performance Through Conceptual Framework Determination of learning organisation’s capacities and performance through the above conceptual framework requires an appropriate method of research. Since the nature of the data required analysing trends, traits, characteristics or attributes of the subject need numerical measurement, quantitative method of research is more practical. This will enable to research to determine the commonalities and differences between data as well as establishing the degree of variations and relationship among variables. More importantly, it can improve the accuracy this research by ensuring realistic representation of actual occurrences in learning organisations as opposed to results occurring only by change in the sample or bias interpretation of the researcher. For better understanding of the proposed method of research, the quantitative method of research is generally used for studies requiring precision, generalizability, and testing of hypothesis. It is deductive as opposed to the inductive approach often applied in qualitative research (Rubin & Babbie 2009, p.36). In other words, quantitative method is reliant on accepted premises rather than conditional probability or increased possibility of arriving at false conclusions. Using the conceptual framework, quantitative method can produce valuable information regarding the degree or extent of organisational challenges induced primarily by global change and increased competition. It can identify the external forces and the extent by which they impact organisational operation and management and the way organisations improve and synchronized knowledge to achieve better business performance (Cross & Israelit 2000, p.69). Moreover, the selected method can determine the most sought after strategies and the frequency by which these strategies are used in learning organisations such as the effectives of a particular workplace as a learning laboratory (Cross & Israelit 2000, p.91). It can individually identify the processes involved in building a favourable learning environment such as how wide is systems thinking, personal mastery, shared vision, and team learning is being promoted in learning organisations and their capacity to absorb learning and demand for innovation (Cross & Israelit 2000, p.39). How many of them are actually applying these principles and so on? The number of employees actually receiving reward and recognition and the number of learning organisations actually value their employees’ hard work and contribution. More importantly, it can measure how well learning organisations are actually keeping up with rapid change and competition or understanding how they act as a learning system (Cross & Israelit 2000, p.119) capable of building and determining their own future. Finally, determine the extent of their supposed expansion and performance affects their overall competitiveness and profitability. 7. Conclusion Learning organisations are typically sharing a conceptual framework that integrates team learning, mental models, personal mastery, and shared vision. It helps learning organisation understand they way its operation should go as well as ways to change them. It may view as a system consists of smaller a component that has a large impact of the organisation’s operation as a whole. For this reason, learning organisations are often with structures that freely allow these interactions to occur, enable discovery or identification of problems and needs and resolving issues through organisation-wide decision making process. The new conceptual framework constructed for further research was made possible by theory, attributes identified by different studies 8. 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