Systems Thinking and Shared Vision and Mission as Determinants of Organizational Learning Capabilities (OLC) in Academic Library

Mohd Shoid,Norliya Kassim

doi:10.5171/2012.819591

Abstract

This study aims to examine the perceptions regarding systems thinking and shared vision and mission of librarians in an academic library in Malaysia. In this preliminary study, questionnaires were distributed to fifty academic librarians in one large public university in Malaysia. The result shows that respondents’ perception on shared vision and mission, systems thinking and knowledge performance are very similar and moderately positive. In addition, a strong relationship exists between shared vision and mission and systems thinking. Shared vision and mission has a higher correlation with knowledge performance than systems thinking. The result also shows that there are no differences in the perceptions between males and females, middle and senior management as well as between those with bachelor degree and master qualifications. The outcome of the study is expected to lead librarians to improve the skills to acquire knowledge and learning capabilities for better knowledge performance in the academic library.

Highlights

Knowledge and learning as a key resource will contribute to improve knowledge performance if it is properly leveraged and harnessed
The reliability test results indicate that systems thinking (0.912), shared vision mission (0.876) and knowledge performance (0.964) have a high internal consistency, satisfying the validity assumption of the items in the respective dimensions
The results indicate a strong relationship between shared vision mission and systems thinking

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge and learning as a key resource will contribute to improve knowledge performance if it is properly leveraged and harnessed. Libraries in higher learning institutions are connected to the knowledge society which tries to make clear on how to use the knowledge in order to achieve its interest as well as to manage the streams of information. Both learning and knowledge are important resources of the organization which remain and give competitive advantages. The existence of learning and knowledge will create and define the true concept of knowledge management process through knowledge acquisition and organizational learning capabilities at libraries in the higher learning institutions. The increased capacity of identifying, distilling, harnessing and using information will help to construct knowledge for the organizational learning practices to become more effective

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion