THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

Bruno C Correia-Lima,Cicero R Pereira,Elisabeth Loiola,Josimar S Costa,Cláudio B Leopoldino

doi:10.1590/1678-6971/eramg190016

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: To understand the relationship between the outcomes of individual learning (IL) of competencies and the outcomes of organizational learning (OL) of competencies, as well as the mediating role of organizational support for transfer (OST) of learning in the conversion of IL into OL. Originality/value: Measurement of OL in relation to IL since, as a rule, research on OL presupposes IL, without stepping back to measure it. Proposing socialization and codification as OL processes, which involves formal and informal learning, and tacit and explicit knowledge. Focus on converting IL results in organizations into learning of the organization, allowing a more accurate assessment of the results of organizational investments in formal and informal learning, considering the current practice of measuring T&D exclusively. Proposing the use of OST to enhance processes and results of IL and conversion of IL into OL. The use of exploratory and confirmatory modeling methods and data from two different organizations are aligned with good practice in the research field. Design/methodology/approach: The hypotheses were tested in two studies, carried out with validated scales, sent by the organizations via a link emailed to the respondents. Study 1, exploratory, involved 203 employees of a public bank and study 2, confirmatory, with 252 employees of a Civil Society Organization of Public Interest (CSOPI). Findings: The two studies show that there were IL and OL, that IL is net learning of competencies desired by the organization (IL1- IL0), that OL is the result of socialization and codification of IL applied to work, that IL predicts OL, and that OST mediates the relationship between IL and OL.

Highlights

The results indicate that the greater the individual learning (IL), the more the workers perceive that the organization promotes material support for transfer (MST) and psychosocial support for transfer (PST) needed for the application of IL at work, and the greater this perception, the greater the perception of COD
While PST played the role of mediator of the conversion of IL of competencies into organizational learning (OL), through SOC and, with less force, through COD. These results indicate that the conversion of IL into OL is explained, in part, by the presence of organizational support for transfer (OST), and can be enhanced by appropriate management of these forms of support
The studies presented analyzed the relationship between IL, OL, and OST, demonstrating that there were IL and OL, that IL predicts OL, that socialization and codification convert IL into OL, and that OST mediates and enhances the relationship between IL and OL

Summary

Introduction

Spread to other levels of the learning continuum: teams and organizations (Argyris & Schön, 1978). The worker learns (IL) in events structured and directed by the organizations (formal learning) and informally throughout his/her working day (Manuti, Pastore, Scardigno, Giancaspro, & Morciano, 2015). Not all IL is applied at work (Reinhold, Gegenfurtner, & Lewalter, 2018; Sparr, Knipfer, & Willems, 2017; Ahmed & Nawaz, 2015). This poses the problems of transfer of learning and organizational support for transfer (OST) to the OL research field

Results

Discussion

Conclusion