Characteristics Of Learning Organization Research Articles

The Effects of Scenario Planning on Participant Perceptions of Learning Organization Characteristics

AbstractScenario planning is often used by organizations to think about future uncertainties. However, what it does in terms of changing perceptions is difficult to assess and quantify. To address this need, this article builds on previous studies documenting the effectiveness of scenario planning. Specifically, this article contributes to the data on perceptions of learning organization characteristics. This study compiles quantitative data gathered from 133 individuals working in 10 United States companies who participated in scenario planning. The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) instrument was used in a pre‐ and post‐test research design and differences were analyzed using a t‐test. Results show a positive relationship between scenario planning and improved perceptions of learning organization characteristics for six of the seven dimensions of the DLOQ. Interpretation of the results suggests that scenario planning can change participants' views of their organizations' adaptive learning characteristics.

Why are some firms more innovative than others? Exploring the role of learning organization components

AbstractBasing their study on the seven‐component framework for a learning organization suggested by Marsick and Watkins in 2003, researchers investigated the combined as well as individual impact of these components on innovation in 139 South Asian companies. They also examined the effect that organizational size and type have on innovation. Their results revealed that the characteristics of learning organizations have a strong positive effect on the innovation performance of firms when they are combined, but that individually the components have no significant influence. In addition, they found that the effect differed depending on the size and type of organization. These findings have implications for organizational managers who wish to encourage innovation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Academic staff's perceptions of characteristics of learning organization in a higher learning institution

PurposeThe main objective of this study was to examine academic staff's perceptions of the characteristics of a learning organization within higher education: in this instance, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The study also examined the relationship between the characteristics of a learning organization and satisfaction with performance in teaching and research activities.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used in a sample of 400 academicians with a return rate of 214 (53.5 per cent). Watkins and Marsick's and Marsick and Watkins's learning organization questionnaire was used to measure the characteristics of the learning organization and to collect data for the study.FindingsThe main results showed that the academic staff indicated moderate levels of the characteristics of a learning organization and satisfaction with performance. The results also showed that there were positive and significant relationships between dimensions of the learning organization and satisfaction with performance activities in teaching and research. Furthermore, dimensions of the learning organization accounted for small but significant variance of satisfaction with both teaching and research performance activities.Originality/valueThis study contributes empirical findings on learning organization in a higher learning institution, a research area in which there is a scarcity of empirical studies.

DESIRED CULTURE AND REALISTIC VALUE-JUDGEMENT

To create and to operate a knowledge management system is becoming a more and more popular targets of companies. Realizing the changes above can result in a failure - in spite of the strongest will – if organizations lack certain prerequisites which are necessary in companies’ lives. One of the most important prerequisites is organizational culture which can be characterized by confidence, common learning, development and an open atmosphere. This is called a learning organizational culture. This research has focused on bringing to light what kind of dreams colleagues in higher education have about their own organizational culture. These results were gained from an investigation with questionnaires which were realized by an advisory team. To evaluate the results of the investigation a circumplex method was used. These results were compared with the characteristics of a learning organization to confirm the hypothesis. As a result it can be stated that colleagues have the same images about their successful organization as the characteristics of learning organizations. Key words: circumplex model, higher education, knowledge, knowledge management, organizational culture.

Collective learning, change and improvement in health care: trialling a facilitated learning initiative with general practice teams

Many patients, families, health care professionals and politicians desire for quality improvement within the UK National Health Service. One way to achieve this change is for health care teams to work and learn together more effectively. This research aimed to design and trial a facilitated learning programme with the aim of supporting general practice teams in fostering the characteristics of learning organizations. This is an action research study. Qualitative data were captured during and after the trial from 40 participants in two multi-professional general practice teams within different Scottish health boards. Data were gathered using observations, semi-structured interviews and written learning notes. Taking part in the LPP was a positive experience of learning together as a practice and enhanced communication within the team was a particular outcome. External facilitation helped provide focus and reduce inter-professional barriers. Teams found working in small, mixed role discussion groups particularly valuable in understanding each others' perspectives. The active learning style of the LPP could be daunting at times but teams valued the chance to identify their own quality improvement goals. Teams introduced a number of changes to improve the quality of care within their practice as a result of their participation. This trial of the learning practice programme shows that, with facilitation and the appropriate input of resources, general practice teams can successfully apply learning organization principles to produce quality improvement outcomes. The study also demonstrates the value of action research in researching iterative change over time.

Environmental sustainability change management in SMEs: learning from sustainability champions

This study identifies the change management processes involved in undertaking environmental sustainability (ES) initiatives within Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) and relate these to the main attributes of learning organisations. Using case study techniques, the study draws from the change management experiences of a sample of 12 ES champions in different industries. The findings suggest that the ES champions experience four distinct change management stages in undertaking ES initiatives; namely the design, internalise, implement and evaluate stages. Each stage is also found to relate strongly with a number of key characteristics of learning organisations. Overall, the findings suggest that SMEs with strong learning organisation attributes are more likely to be successful in implementing and managing ES change initiatives. The implications of the findings are also discussed.

Organizational culture and total quality management practices: a Sri Lankan case

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the effect of organizational culture (OC) on the total quality management (TQM) practices of a Sri Lankan public sector hospital, which practices Japanese 5‐S based TQM and has won several national quality awards.Design/methodology/approachThe data are gathered through direct observations, short‐time interviews, participative observations, in‐depth interviews, and obtaining relevant documentary evidence by the employment of grounded theory. The director, divisional heads, doctors, nursing sisters and nurses, paramedical staff, midwifery staff, clerical staff, and support staff of the hospital are appropriately considered as the informants during the employment of the above data gathering techniques. The data are analyzed qualitatively in line with the research variables.FindingsAs cultural characteristics of the hospital, the study identified low power distance, low uncertainty avoidance, low individualism, and low masculinity. The study identified high senior management commitment, high staff commitment, high stakeholder focus, high integration of continuous improvement, high quality culture, high measurement and feedback, and high learning organization characteristics as TQM practices of the hospital. Moreover, the study found that the supportive culture of the hospital has positively impacted on its TQM practices.Research limitations/implicationsTo overcome the limitations of the OC framework adopted in the present study, the paper invites future studies to examine the issue from a broader and new culture perspective.Originality/valueRecently, many organizations in Sri Lanka irrespective of their category and industry have been practicing TQM in order to stay competitive in both domestic and international markets. But empirical studies on the topic are very limited in the Sri Lankan context. This study as a case of a Sri Lankan public sector hospital aims to fill that gap.

Assessing the psychometric properties of the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire in the Korean business context

The primary purpose of this research is to adapt the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire developed by Watkins and Marsick, and examine its validity and reliability in a Korean context. Although the concept of the learning organization is well established, there has not been rigorous validation of the application of the questionnaire in the Korean context. The present research sheds light on the reliability and validity of applying the learning organization concept to the Korean workforce. The results of confirmatory factor analysis and internal consistency tests indicate that the Korean version of the questionnaire produces valid and reliable psychometric properties of learning organization characteristics in a Korean cultural context. Several demographic variables were used to identify the differences in learning organization cultural perspectives. Conclusions and implications are set out and the limitations of the research stated.

Factors that influence informal learning in the workplace

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate factors that influence informal learning in the workplace and the types of informal learning activities people engage in at work. More specifically, the research examined: the relationship between informal learning engagement and the presence of learning organization characteristics; and perceived factors that affect informal learning engagement.Design/methodology/approachWorkplace learning and performance improvement professionals were invited to respond to an anonymous online survey, and 125 professionals volunteered to participate in the study.FindingsThis study did not find a significant correlation between informal learning engagement and the presence of learning organization characteristics. While age and education level did not impact informal learning engagement, it was found that older workers tended to engage in more informal learning. There were also certain types of informal learning activities in which they were most likely to engage. The findings also include rank‐ordered lists of personal and environmental factors that workers perceived to influence their engagement in informal learning.Practical implicationsThe rank‐ordered lists of factors that influence informal learning engagement are likely to be useful to practitioners for prioritizing informal learning interventions. The results of this study suggest that the degree of engagement in informal learning alone would not be a sufficient construct for predicting the presence of learning organization characteristics.Originality/valueVery little empirical research has attempted to connect individual learning to the learning organization concept. This research addresses that gap by examining the relationship between individual informal learning engagement and the presence of learning organization characteristics.

Learning organizations: diagnosis and measurement in a developing country context

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the performance of a sample of Lebanese organizations vis‐à‐vis some of the core learning organization dimensions identified in the literature, focusing specifically on those dimensions that are considered most salient and relevant in the Lebanese context.Design/methodology/approachThe paper capitalizes on a comprehensive literature review to identify the core dimensions of the learning organization construct to be tackled in the questionnaire. The questionnaire was then compiled, comprising 40 questions consolidated from the published literature, addressing seven key learning organization dimensions. Factor analysis following survey administration allowed for filtering five dimensions of learning organizations that are most salient in the Lebanese context.FindingsFive salient characteristics of effective learning organizations are identified through factor analysis, namely employee participation, learning climate, systematic employee development, constant experimentation, and learning reward systems. The findings from the Lebanese sample vis‐à‐vis these five dimensions suggest that the main strength of Lebanese firms lies in systematic employee training, while their weakness rests in fostering continuous learning/experimentation.Originality/valueThis paper draws attention to the fact that varying dimensions of learning organizations are accorded attention in different cultures, and it is important to use measurement instruments focusing on these to derive value added insights.

Organisational changes and learning in production and service organisations during a transition in society

This paper compares changes and learning in the production and service sectors during a transition in society. Interviews were conducted with members of top management teams of 137 Estonian organisations about organisational changes and organisational learning in these organisations. The results indicate that the changes were deeper and more successful in the production sector. At the same time, there was more attention to organisational learning in the service sector. In production companies the key factor for the success of changes was the commitment to the goals; while in the service sector, it was the organisational structure enabling information sharing and communication. The author proposes a model of the characteristics of learning organisations in different industries.

Delivering feedback on learning organization characteristics – using a Learning Practice Inventory

Learning is recognized to be at the heart of the quality improvement process in the National Health Service (NHS). However, the challenge will be how to ensure that learning becomes embedded within the NHS culture. The aim of this study is to identify a robust feedback process and format in which practices could receive data on their responses to a Learning Practice Inventory (a diagnostic instrument designed to identify a practice's capacity for collective learning and change). Five practices volunteered to test the instrument, and it was distributed to all members of the primary care team. A process was worked through to identify different formats for presenting scores within and between practices. The preferred method of data presentation was sought, and an evaluation gathered information on the preferred form of feedback, the usefulness of the data, the clarity of the questions and the level of interest in receiving further information. Eighty-five staff from five practices completed the questionnaire, and 61 individuals completed the evaluation forms. In most cases, there was a spread of scores by staff within practices and across the scale of 1-10. Medians were clustered at the learning practice end for all five practices. However, despite this skew, there were sometimes quite large differences between practices in their median scores. Our study suggests that a robust feedback process on collective capacity for learning and change can be identified that is useful and feasible. A key implication is that some form of educational support is required, and this work will take place as part of an ongoing programme of research by the authors.

Knowledge Management to Learning Organization Connection

The changes in the engineering-construction industry of the 21st century require organizations to take a more active role in developing knowledge management and learning organization initiatives. The need to both retain knowledge within the organization and focus on continuous human resource development throughout all levels of the organization is becoming a primary challenge throughout the industry. This paper addresses this challenge by focusing on the question of the link between knowledge management and learning organizations, and how to transform an organization from a focus on knowledge management to a focus on developing a learning culture. Based on a series of studies by the writers into the characteristics of both knowledge management and learning organizations, this paper outlines models of each of these concepts and introduces a bridge that details the level of knowledge management implementation that must be in place prior to an organization having the capacity to move to a learning focus. Additionally, the case studies conducted during the current study provide a basis for presenting potentially unsuccessful paths that may be selected by organizations during the imple- mentation of a knowledge management to learning organization transition.

Economia de comunhão e organizações de aprendizagem: compatibilidades conceituais

RESUMO Com base em estudo anterior que sugeriu serem as empresas do projeto de economia de comunhão orientadas para a aprendizagem, principalmente pela qualidade de seus relacionamentos interpessoais e interorganizacionais, este artigo compara a prática daquelas empresas com o conceito de organizações de aprendizagem. Foram testadas 14 características conceituais de organizações de aprendizagem junto a funcionários e gerentes de quatro empresas do projeto, concluindo-se pela existência de considerável similaridade entre as duas concepções de organização.

What are the characteristics of a true learning organization?

A learning organization is perhaps better described as a learning culture. Cultures take time to build and require concerted, integrated effort. Of course, we also expect to see some tangible benefits to stakeholders as a result of creating such a culture. We can divide the characteristics of a learning organization into processes and behaviours.

Learning Organizations in Construction

The transformation of organizations from production-oriented entities to proactive learning entities that continuously leverage the knowledge of the workforce is a primary objective of management researchers. This focus has significant relevance to the construction industry where production-related research has predominantly overshadowed organizational development research. As one effort to change this emphasis, the writers present a research effort designed to study current organization learning techniques and technologies fielded by organizations both inside and outside of the construction industry. Through a series of exploratory case studies, the writers developed a maturity model together with the Construction Industry Institute that provides construction organizations with a framework for developing a learning organization culture. The maturity model focuses on learning organization characteristics of leadership, processes and infrastructure, communication/collaboration, education, and culture at the organization, community, and individual levels. This paper introduces the results of that effort including a presentation of the learning organization maturity model, framework application, and the overall characteristics of a learning organization.

Enhancing employee tendencies to share knowledge—Case studies of nine companies in Taiwan

Employee motivation in knowledge sharing is an important but neglected issue. It is especially important in Taiwan where cultural values predispose employees to hoard knowledge. This study uses case study methodology to explore organizational practices, which enhance employee motivation to share knowledge. Access was obtained from nine manufacturing firms in Taiwan for interviews, observations, and secondary data. Data analysis suggests three organizational practices can successfully enhance employee knowledge sharing tendencies. They include (a) continuous company-wide learning initiatives, (b) performance management systems which motivate employee knowledge sharing, and (c) information disclosure to create a sharing climate. These practices were highly involved and strongly supported by CEOs determined to motivate employees to learn and to share. Although these practices fit characteristics of learning organizations described in the literature, CEOs exhibited behavioral modes not reported in the past. This has implications for cultural differences.

Exploring the relationship between scenario planning and perceptions of learning organization characteristics

This article attempts to verify some assumptions evident in the scenario planning literature through the application of quantitative measures. The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire is used to measure participant perceptions of the learning organization characteristics pre- and post-scenario planning intervention. Results are discussed, limitations are identified and clarified, and conclusions are drawn with speculations and refinements for future research.

An Exploratory Study on the Effects of Learning Organization Characteristics on Internet Usage

The Internet is becoming a very important new technology in all organizations, including universities. Many in academia are adopting this innovative technology to aid in their teaching, research, and consulting. In this study, using the learning organization theoretical framework, the effects of learning organization characteristics, other organizational factors, and individual variables on the use of the Internet by a random sample of 245 business school faculty members in the United States were examined and analyzed. Some support for learning organization characteristics, as well as support for individual and other organizational factors, was found.

Examining the relationship between learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and organizational performance

The main purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship between certain learning organization characteristics and change adaptation, innovation, and bottom-line organizational performance. The following learning organization characteristics were found to be the strongest predictors of rapid change adaptation, quick product or service introduction, and bottomline organizational performance: open communications and information sharing; risk taking and new idea promotion; and information, facts, time, and resource availability to perform one's job in a professional manner.