Kommunale Nachhaltigkeit durch Organisationslernen?: Ein Plädoyer für Bescheidenheit Kommunale Nachhaltigkeit durch Organisationslernen?: Ein Plädoyer für Bescheidenheit

Abstract

Organizational learning is often seen as an opportunity for local sustainability strategies. However, by making use of special views in organizational sociology, this paper argues that it will actually be very difficult to increase the ecological efficiency of local governments using the concepts of organizational learning. The challenge lies in the fact that organizations like local governments have certain dynamics that hinder environmental progress. For example, local governments are typically embedded in complex surroundings and cannot be independent in their decisions. Moreover, they tend to aim at achieving acceptance rather than at solving problems. Additionally, such organizations are characterized by relationships of power. The paper evaluates these conceptual considerations by looking at the decision making and implementation of Local Agenda 21 Processes, the Environmental Impact Assessment, as well as the Environmental Management and Audit Scheme. Returning to organizational sociology, the author concludes that organizational learning for sustainability is easier if the method of recursive reorganisation is applied because it can integrate the difficulties of organizational learning into the learning process.