Technology in Support of Organizational Learning

Abstract

This paper presents a position on the use of technology in support of organizational learning. In bringing together some recent work on learning it is argued that to enable learning in the organizational context, computational technology — software, hardware, as well as networks — should be designed for social participation. This approach stands in stark contrast to other purposes for technology, e.g., technology as productivity amplifier, as agent of information transfer, as expert system or even as a knowledge delivery engine. This participatory position is based on two findings: (i) that organizations function, i.e., accomplish their work and learning, in virtue of their emergent organization rather than in terms of their authorized organization; (ii) that the social negotiation of understanding is a primary way in which organizations can be understood to learn.