Organizational Learning Culture and Knowledge Management - Literature review Example

Organizational Learning Culture Student’s Name Subject Professor University/Institution Location Date Organizational learning culture is business-relevant and thrives under supportive learning environment. Supportive learning environment acknowledge and appreciates the differences in the workforce, opens up to new ideas, offer time for reflection and ensure psychological safety. In turn, concrete learning practices and process develop where the workforce adopt process of information collection and analysis, experimentation, education and training. In turn, active knowledge management promotes organization success by facilitating decision-making capabilities, building learning organizations through a routine learning and stimulation of innovation and cultural change. This literature review recap on organizational learning culture and knowledge management and identifies gaps in literature for continued knowledge development. According to Yukl (2009), effective learning culture improves employee engagement, lead to higher retention, lead to more efficient and streamlined business processes and long-term success. To create learning organization culture, leaders and managers need to recognize workers, who learn new abilities and information, emphasize the importance of learning, create opportunities for staff and collaborate with others to teach and learn. Apart from promoting knowledge sharing, they empower employees to be in charge of their own learning and invest money, resources and time in learning. On the other hand, Dalkir (2013) argues that, knowledge management (KM) is a multi-disciplinary approach or organizational ability to capture, create, develop, share and effectively use organizational knowledge. Public institutions, large companies as well as non-profit organizations dedicate resources to internal KM efforts. Organizations who have taken on KM have realized that change is inevitable but growth is optional and intentional. In organisations where managers have a tendency to create learning opportunities in their areas of interest, it can hamper the knowledge sharing across the organisation. Without perceived efficiency, human sources managers can easily tamper with learning making KM inefficient in an organization. Organizational learning develops into a culture and in turn ensures that the staffs learning process are maintained. Transformations arise from developed learning culture that values creativity and encourages innovation. Learning is imperative to an organization that desires to propagate new ideas or product. As Michael (2002) observes, the management has a major role in creating an open environment to new ideas. Eventually, they assist each individual in an organization to achieve personal goals and also contribute to the organizational goalsIn order to obtain competitive advantage, organizations have to challenge and encourage risk taking in learning and so that new knowledge can be created. This knowledge should be tailored to focus on staffs’ potential towards final products and service delivery to the customer.  According to Zheng, Yang & McLean (2010), much literature has been devoted to internal organizational contexts focus on characteristics like culture, structure, power and political aspects and their centrality in influencing organizational success and outcomes. However, much is lacking on explanations of the paths which influences organizational context, strategies and effectiveness. As Gherardi (2009) points out, knowledge is created, given importance and utilized according to set cultural norms and values that are embedded in organizational structural relationships. Strategic priorities also determine which area of learning and knowledge is to be leveraged within an organization. Eventually, many organizations consider learning and utilization of knowledge avenues when a need arises or when faced with significant changes like the need to improve efficiency or enhance effectiveness. Organization culture and resources may shape learning trends and knowledge management. For instance, organizations which do not continuously improve towards valued outcomes or where staffs see their roles as less dynamic may end up creating a culture that resist learning. In most case, the need and value of knowledge has to be demonstrated for staffs to consent to initiate and maintain their own learning. Consequently, most organization does not have a continuous model of learning. Resources directly impact on learning and knowledge management (Zheng, Yang & McLean 2010). According to Dalkir (2013), without a core data or technology infrastructure to support learning requirement, information creation, storage and retrieval, the value of learning diminish. Where there are fewer resources, some organizations may use a hybrid of electronic and paper-based recordkeeping to operate and supporting training, guidance, policy and procedures. However, the prevailing patterns of learning and knowledge management can make some patterns adopted by organization appear ineffective and thus affect learning. Fig. 1.0 Integrated learning-based knowledge creation with enabling factors (Adopted from Yoon, Song & Lim 2009, p. 52). Knowledge management can create a very powerful workforce when the different cultures are combined. Besides, when employees meet informally they also share information. A dominant way to ensure coordination and continuity of managing information is to involve as numerous personnel as probable. As Laurence (2005) states, involvement assist in assembling of information, creation and compilation of cultural knowledge and network. Employees access to broad information and also communicate often with managers, other staffs and external consultants. As Argote (2012) observes, working on a collection of projects enhances knowledge and experience. Information acquired can be used in real-life planning and in the creation and coordination of work, creating of delivery networks and continuous information collection. Well maintained databases impact on internal and external knowledge sharing as it help to connect with other organizations for more information. Access to other organizations’ databases may also be used to assist in evaluating recent information resources, recommending new materials and assigning priorities in an organization. Similarly, Allan (2009) states, the responsibilities of each employee should be well stipulated. In turn, explicit learning opportunities should be accessible and be well managed to ensure accountability as well as effective environment for learning to take place. This will ensure not only success; but also, achievement of departmental goals and objectives in a company. Another convenient step is making sure that employees have contact to proper resources to identify, plan, complete and reflect on organizational knowledge. Currently, knowledge is measured as a valuable asset for management. It is the basis for steady development and a source of keeping competitive nature of an organization. As Gary (2009) points out, technology based systems are considered as a modern approach to knowledge management. It involves the use of programs and data based intranets that each employee can effortlessly access. Moreover technology increases contact to Internet and websites for resource information. This is as opposed to use of traditional methods such as seminars, meetings and mentoring program in KM that were less efficient and without many options for learning. Gareth (2006) demonstrated that, the habits of people in communicating with each other, the conduct and organization evaluation processes impacts on performance. Learning culture in turn lead to improved skills, changed altitude, values and beliefs .Moreover, and the fresh applications of knowledge to realize the goals of the organization promote dynamic solutions in the systems. This is aimed to modify proposed processes, reduce waste and ensure the maximum levels of competence and performance within an organization. The ideology has operated in the world of business and manufacturing. Its objective is to ensure continued growth and development of the organization. Also as Dalkir (2013) states, well developed strategies lead to expansion of organization's capacity and innovation. The pattern of learning and knowledge management is ingrained in the organizational culture. A culture promotes a cyclic process of learning. The need assist the organization to select and develop learning processes that will be linked to work and input. Edvardsson (2008) observes that, as learning is a process, the managers create specific activities, topics or subjects that are merged with functional and administrative processes. The processes are then implemented across the organization and staff taken through on how to use it. Dalkir (2013) further noted that, knowledge management potentially mediates and connects organizational context and strategies with effectiveness. Successful knowledge management has great potential to enhance organizational competitive advantage, employee development and relations, customer focus, innovation and lowered costs. Fig. 2.0: Learning-based knowledge creation and supportive organizational culture (Adopted from Yoon, Song & Lim 2009, p. 63) So far, organization learning culture and knowledge management have been discussed and analyzed from general contextual environment. However, this study acknowledges that learning culture and knowledge management is context-specific. Instead of looking at learning culture and knowledge management as mediating mechanism in a general organizational context, there need to be a study that will focus on antecedents of learning and knowledge management. Therefore, it should focus on specific aspects of culture, organizational structure and technology which are closely related to learning and knowledge management. New information management systems are being developed, with data developed in different access databases in order to provide technology and core data infrastructure that can support functional requirements. The structure will be central in determines who and how staffs will participate in learning process. The culture in an organization will look at the aspects of culture that would promote continuous learning and knowledge management. In conclusion, organizations have moved ahead to incorporate efficient mechanism that can promote the way they will integrate knowledge across and share resources to support changing business goals. Learning has major implications to human and organizations as it is the basis for survival. In order for an organization to exist and compete successfully, it must advocate for organization learning and manage its knowledge effectively. Learning culture ensure adequate and relevant feedback, great perceptions of other people’s responses, good interpersonal and organizational inquisition skills among the workforce. On the other hand, knowledge management promotes policy, procedures and management tools to support learning and organizational activities. Organizational learning culture and subsequent knowledge management are thus vital aspects of any organization that continue to leverage its strengths and opportunities. References Argote, L 2012, Organizational learning: Creating, retaining and transferring knowledge, Springer. Dalkir, K 2013, Knowledge management in theory and practice. Routledge. Edvardsson, I. R 2008, HRM and knowledge management. Employee Relations, 30(5), 553-561. Gary, N 2009, Competing for the Future. Boston: Harvard Press. Gherardi, S 2009, Organizational knowledge: The texture of workplace learning. John Wiley & Sons. Yoon, S. W., Song, J. H., & Lim, D. H 2009, Beyond the learning process and toward the knowledge creation process: Linking learning and knowledge in the supportive learning culture. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 22(3), 49-69. Yukl, G 2009, ‘Leading organizational learning: Reflections on theory and research’, The Leadership Quarterly, 20(1), 49-53. Zheng, W., Yang, B., & McLean, G. N 2010, Linking organizational culture, structure, strategy, and organizational effectiveness: Mediating role of knowledge management. Journal of Business Research, 63(7), 763-771. Read More