The Learning Organization

Debbie Richards

2010 The Learning Organization

doi: 10.1108/09696471011019844

Purpose – This paper seeks to understand whether significant senior management and structural changes within an Australian university is the result of learning or other influences and how these explain the impact of change on the careers of two individuals within the organisation. Design/methodology/approach – The organisation and the changes are introduced followed by a microcase study of two individuals aspiring to the same position. The cause and effect of changes are considered from organisational learning, structural, political and emotional perspectives. Findings – Organisational learning was not found to be the primary cause of the changes. (Re)structure was used to increase horizontal power and authority. Decision‐making ranged from rational to emotional based on the strengths of one's political affiliations. Research limitations/implications – Limitations exist by virtue of a restricted number of objects of interest being studied. Practical implications – This paper seeks to challenge the individual to understand the dynamics within their organisation and to respond in a rational rather than emotional way to organisational change so that they can benefit from or at least learn from the changes at a personal level. Originality/value – The paper considers a range of organisational perspectives and offers a general model of the relationships between structure, power, rationality, emotions, and the unitary v. pluralist views.

Margaret B. Takeda; Marilyn M. Helms

2010 The Learning Organization

doi: 10.1108/09696471011019853

Purpose – After a thorough literature review on multinational learning, it is apparent organizations “learn” when they capitalize on expatriate management, a “learning strategy” (international work teams, employee involvement and other human resource policies), technology transfer and political environment and cross‐cultural adaptation. This suggests learning is possible when control mechanisms are relaxed or reduced, resulting in an ambiguous relationship between multinational learning and control. There has been no research on the relationship between learning and control largely due to this assumption of ambiguity and this paper attempts to overcome this gap by presenting a holistic approach to multinational learning and control. This paper posits that focusing on optimizing learning and control through flexible IHRM policies is a globally sustainable approach to MNE management. The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework designed to address two major issues in international management: organizational learning and managerial control. Design/methodology approach – Multinational organizations are often faced with a perceived ambiguous choice of promoting learning throughout the organization in a way that facilitates local adaptation of corporate knowledge, while maintaining control over subsidiary corporate culture (control). This paper presents a new model designed to facilitate a balanced approach to learning and control in the multinational enterprise. Findings – The proposed model is one of sustainable management focusing on dynamic IHRM learning and control. The pillars of the proposed model thus include: National Culture, HRM policies and practices and IHRM strategies of the parent MNE; National Culture, locally developed HRM policies and practices, and transferred IHRM policies and practices in the affiliate unit; sharing of learning oriented IHRM policies and/or among MNE affiliates only; and global IHRM control and learning IHRM policies and practices (uniform across MNE units). Originality/value – While the literature in this realm addresses these issues separately, managers are faced with a delicate balancing act of promoting learning among multinational units while maintaining corporate control over key aspects of the company's core competencies.

Kaj U. Koskinen

2010 The Learning Organization

doi: 10.1108/09696471011019862

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe project‐based companies' knowledge production and memory development with the help of autopoietic epistemology. Design/methodology/approach – The discussion first defines the concept of a project‐based company. Then the discussion deals with the two epistemological assumptions, namely cognitivist and autopoietic epistemological assumptions. After that there follows an illustration of the concept of organisational memory. The main content of this article follows – namely the study on the autopoietic knowledge production and organisational memory development in the context of project‐based companies. Findings – Knowledge production in a project‐based company means that an individual team member, a project team and a project‐based company itself produce knowledge consistent with currently shared knowledge. That is, a project‐based company's accumulation of organisational memory at various organisational levels is an expression of change in knowledge that always maintains compatibility between the autopoietic system (i.e. team member, project team or project‐based company) and its environment. Originality/value – The current theories about knowledge production and organisational memory development in project‐based companies are largely based on the idea of codability and transferability of knowledge between the people and across the borders. This type of thinking is based on the traditional cognitivist epistemology that means that knowledge represents external reality. The new autopoietic approach suggests transition from these theories to the theory of knowledge production as a creational matter, which type of thinking can potentially provide a new explanation for project‐based company's organisational memory.

Kelly Rouse Riesenmy

2010 The Learning Organization

doi: 10.1108/09696471011019871

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore physician sensemaking and readiness to implement electronic medical records (EMR) as a first step to finding strategies that enhance EMR adoption behaviors. Design/methodology/approach – The case study approach provides a detailed analysis of individuals within an organizational unit. Using a theoretical lens of sensemaking and readiness for change gives a framework for triangulated inquiry. Findings – Findings reveal that physicians' key sensemaking factors are alignment, expectations, symbols (i.e. voice activation technology), outside influences, emotional arousal, trust, faith, forced implementation, controlled influence, and clarification of identity. These factors collectively describe how physician derive meaning through innovation. Research limitations/implications – The findings elucidate physicians as autonomous learners utilizing innovative thought processes to prepare for EMR implementation. Physicians used innovation in EMR implementation as a method of controlled influence to clarify their identity as efficient, competent professionals who demand performance excellence. Practical implications – These findings have implications for EMR implementation strategies and future research in innovation and EMR adoption behaviors. Originality/value – This study provides needed information about how physicians grasp EMR technology in the practice of medicine and how it impacts their readiness to use EMR. Much is known about the barriers, difficulties, and benefits of EMR, but little is know about how physicians construct meaning from the use of this new technology.

Gina Grandy; Judith Holton

2010 The Learning Organization

doi: 10.1108/09696471011019880

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how appreciative inquiry (AI) as a pedagogical tool can be generative in nature creating opportunities for development and change in a business school context. Design/methodology/approach – Using a qualitative approach this research involved data collection and analysis in three stages of AI with a group of undergraduate students enrolled in strategic management and organizational change courses. Initial data collection occurred over a three‐hour period with a larger group of students, followed by two sessions with a smaller group of organizational change students. Findings – The experiential nature of the AI process was a success in promoting inquiry and dialogue, encouraging collaboration and team building, and empowering individuals toward a collection vision. Through an iterative process, four possibility statements were developed including: meaningful relationships with professors and peers; leadership opportunities; experiential learning; and creativity and flexibility in program design. These statements serve as a starting point for future planning to the business school under study. Practical implications – The process offered a number of insights for both faculty and students regarding the symbiotic relationships between learning and change as fundamental to moving a business school from a place of learning to a learning organization. The inquiry process of AI opens the system up to learning about itself as a prelude to change. By intentionally ignoring the traditional deficit approach to change, AI encourages the system to seek its point of light, its achievements, and in so doing, inhibits the dissipative nature of problem‐centred methodologies. Originality/value – The use of AI in this context demonstrates the potential for AI as a pedagogical tool, as well as the usefulness of AI as a bridge to creating partnerships with multiple stakeholders in developing business schools into learning organizations.