Is the learning organisation still alive?
Abstract
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Purpose</jats:title>
<jats:p>It has recently been suggested that the learning organisation (LO) is dead (Pedler, 2013). The authors make the case here that it is still alive. This paper provides a brief history of LO and organisational learning, follows this with some survey findings, a discussion and an exploration of some related contemporary issues and concludes with an overview and summary of the conclusions.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Design/methodology/approach</jats:title>
<jats:p>Survey of practitioners.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Findings</jats:title>
<jats:p>From this small survey, whilst some of the 16 respondents are still excited by the idea, a larger group sees the learning organisation as more of a background concept, performed in ways that might not fit with the aspirations of 20 years ago.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Research limitations/implications</jats:title>
<jats:p>The authors started with the question: is the LO idea still alive in 2016? No clear answer emerges. Given the variety of the responses, it is difficult to sum them up in a simple way. The yea-sayer will find plenty of evidence for the LO’s continued existence and relevance, but the nay-sayers will also feel at least partly vindicated. What does emerge clearly arise from the mixed messages, are the opportunities for further research.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Practical implications</jats:title>
<jats:p>This paper calls for further research and suggests useful directions.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Social implications</jats:title>
<jats:p>LO is still seen as socially useful.</jats:p>
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<jats:title content-type="abstract-subheading">Originality/value</jats:title>
<jats:p>The paper is based on small empirical sample of practitioners who display multivocality on this concept.</jats:p>
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