Organizational Learning Process Research Articles

Linking organisational learning, performance, and sustainable performance in universities: an empirical study in Europe

Universities are facing changes that could be adapted by learning. Organisational learning helps universities in attaining better organisational and sustainable performance. The study aims to combine and explore how organisational learning culture enables organisational learning to contribute to better organisational performance and better sustainable performance, following the natural resource-based view and organisational learning theory. The study examines the relationship between organisational learning culture, organisational learning, organisational performance, and sustainable performance in the university context from university teachers. The author collected 221 surveys from public university teachers in Europe to test the model. The results indicate a positive relationship between organisational learning culture and organisational learning. In addition to that, the positive relationship between organisational learning and organisational performance is indicated. Moreover, the results indicate a positive relationship between organisational learning and sustainable performance. The results also show that the organisational learning process mediates organisational learning culture and university performance. The study addresses a gap in the scarce studies in the university context for organisational learning and sustainable performance. Finally, this study reproduces an organisational model that has been adapted for universities.

Organizational learning from failures: double moderating impact of organizational trust and owner-manager interest in human resource development

ABSTRACT This study examines how organisational learning processes, such as learning stocks, learning flows, and external learning affect Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) perceived recovery and organisational performance through learning from failure. The double moderated mediation impact of organisational trust and owner-managers’ interest in human resource development (HRD) in these relationships has been tested. About 400 SMEs were selected and a self-reported online survey was administered. Among them, 296 SMEs were analysed based on their experience in employee development. All three organisational learning activities have an impact on perceived failure recovery and organisational performance through learning from failure. Additionally, organisational trust and owner-managers’ interest in HRD moderates the relationship between organisational learning activities. However, owner-managers’ interest in HRD has a negative moderating effect, indicating that power-political relationships impede learning from failure. Using the method of self-reporting to identify the role of organisational learning from failure, this study addresses the lack of empirical research with an integrated approach on this topic. The findings have several academic and practical implications. Owner-managers must engage in various developmental activities to build trust among members and should create space and time where employees feel free to share ideas and reflect on their opinions.

Functioning of healthcare entities as learning organisations in Poland on the example of Podlaskie voivodeship


 
 
 The article aims to present issues regarding learning organisations in the context of the functioning of healthcare entities as examples of such organisations in Poland. A literature review was conducted, and the research problem and two research questions were formulated for verification. The subject of the study is public healthcare entities functioning as learning organisations in Poland, using the example of the Podlaskie voivodeship. In order to gather literature for the article, the desk research method was used, using scientific databases: Google Scholar and ScienceDirect. The literature on the subject covers the years 2015–2023. Firstly, the literature was reviewed, defining a learning organisation. Next, methods and tools used in organisational learning were listed. Lastly, the validity of medical entities as learning organisations was discussed. The next part of the article presented therapeutic entities from Podlaskie voivodeship as learning organisations in 2016–2022. The general criteria of the “Learning Organization” Competition were presented, followed by a discussion on the awarded therapeutic entities. In the end, the limitations of the article were discussed, and conclusions and practical implications were formulated. It was emphasised that changing and responding to market trends is essential for modern health organisations to sustain themselves in a turbulent market. The ability to constantly improve knowledge and search for it is crucial here. Therefore, in healthcare entities such as learning organisations, constant access to knowledge, not strictly medical, is crucial for medical and administrative staff. Helpful in the pursuit of this knowledge accumulation are various methods and tools that support the organisational learning and experience process.
 
 

The Impact of Organizational Learning on Organizational Resilience in Construction Projects

In an increasingly volatile environment, organizational learning plays a crucial role in helping organizations turn crises into opportunities and enhance organizational resilience. However, the existing research remains unclear on how organizational learning affects the formation of organizational resilience. The aim of this study is to explore the pathways by which organizational learning impacts organizational resilience. An in-depth understanding of the learning within project organizations was initially obtained through field research and interviews. This investigation identified two distinct methods of learning within these organizations: acquisitive learning and experimental learning. A significant impact of managerial cognition on the process of organizational learning was also discovered. Subsequently, building upon the existing literature and research, a cognitive measurement scale for project managers was developed and validated through two iterations of questionnaire collection. Lastly, data pertaining to various variables were gathered via designed questionnaires, and a structural equation model was established to explore the interplay between organizational learning, managerial cognition, and organizational resilience. The findings reveal that organizational learning can enrich the cognition of managers, thereby enhancing the resilience of the organization. Managerial cognition plays a mediating role in the relationship between organizational learning and organizational resilience. In practice, it is recommended that organizations attach importance to the establishment of a learning-oriented organizational culture and foster a habit of proactive learning among their members. They should also strengthen the management of internal knowledge resources and pay attention to the iterative refinement of organizational management norms.

Exploring a practice theoretical tool-kit approach for studying professional and organisational learning processes: a pragmatist interpretation

ABSTRACT This article conceptually explores different practice theoretical vantage points in empirical studies of professional and organisational learning processes. Through an ethnographic study of a management development program in Denmark, possibilities and limitations of three different practice-theoretical approaches are considered. Firstly, learning processes are examined as professional identity formation through participation in the community of practice around the development program. Next, Schatzki’s practice-theoretical approach is applied, focusing on management as situated work practice. A third approach focusing on persons’ learning paths in professional and organisational practices is considered: Ole Dreier's concept of person is discussed as a further development of practice theories in line with Schatzki’s thinking. The article explores the epistemological and ontological stances taken by the three practice theories in relation to the study of learning processes. A pragmatist interpretation of a ‘tool-kit’ approach to operationalising different practice theoretical approaches in alliance is developed, considering how this can generate constructive analytical tensions for exploring and understanding learning processes.

Современные способы развития познавательной активности детей дошкольного возраста на занятиях по изобразительному искусству

This article examines the use of gaming technologies in the development of cognitive activity of preschool children using the example of the introduction of Advent Calendar technology in visual arts classes. In the process of analyzing the problem of developing the cognitive activity of preschool children by means of drawing, the author comes to the conclusion about the rationality of using innovative gaming technologies. As such, the use of the Advent Calendar technology is proposed. This approach in the work of a teacher of preschool and additional education can be identified as innovative, since it was introduced into the process of teaching and upbringing relatively recently, but certainly showed its effectiveness. Based on theoretical analysis and own observations, a conclusion was made about the effectiveness of using this technology in the formation of universal educational activities, curiosity, imagination, aesthetic taste and other personal qualities necessary for the successful development of a preschooler. The following research methods were used: the study and analysis of the thematic literature on the topic of the work, conducting a pedagogical experiment consisting of several stages, including diagnostics at the ascertaining and control stages. The relevance of the research is due to the need for a variety of learning processes in organizations of additional and preschool education and the introduction of modern innovative technologies in visual arts classes. This development meets not only the modern demands and needs of society, but also the requirements of the Federal State Budget. The article will be useful for educators, primary school teachers, as well as specialists interested in improving the system of preschool and additional education.

Reflective learning: a new leadership development framework driving engineering innovation

ABSTRACT Innovation is an organizational learning process that demands a reflexive perspective to take on uncertainties and question deeply held assumptions, propelling leadership and organizational structures forward. Discussions on the relationships between innovation and reflexivity predominantly focus on individuals rather than considering it a shared capability within an organization. This study elucidates the impact of reflexive-learning-based leadership development on promoting collective reflexivity, navigating its implications for organizational leadership and structures in innovation. A reflexive-learning-based leadership development program is a set of collective actions comprising four fundamental steps: acknowledging problems, reassessing assumptions, thinking of alternatives, and developing new perspectives. This study demonstrates its effectiveness in developing collective reflexivity within an engineering organization by repurposing the After-Action Review (AAR) as reflexive learning training. The findings underscore reflexive learning, making leaders exhibit the traits of ambiguity tolerance and interdisciplinary knowledge that favor innovation. This research contributes to an academic framework, opening avenues for future investigations into organizational development from a reflexive perspective and providing a proven managerial practice to improvise an effective solution to overcome those uncertainties in real-world innovations.

Формирование принципов научной этики у студентов при изучении иностранного языка

The paper is aimed at analyzing the scientific information security problems when learning a foreign language. It clarifies the definition of personal security, in general, and information security, in particular, in scientific ethics context. The paper considers the communicatively conditioned approaches to mastering the scientific ethics principles by the researchers from the viewpoint of using linguistic means for different citation types and special learning process organization with moral, cognitive and linguistic aspects having been taken to the account. The research emphasizes the information component importance in the process of mastering linguistic disciplines. It describes the scientific ethics development levels with the foreign language means being used in researchers. The paper compares the outcomes of developing the skills in the field of scientific ethics compliance for experimental and controlling students` groups in foreign language classes.

Organizational learning starting points and presuppositions: a case study from a hospital’s surgical department

PurposeThis study aims to increase the understanding of the starting points and presuppositions of organizational learning (OL) processes in a hospital’s surgical department based on the existing theory of OL and to make visible the practical possibilities of the theory in this context.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted as a case study. The data were collected from personnel of the hospital’s surgical department and consisted of 26 thematic interviews. The data were analyzed using qualitative theory-driven content analysis.FindingsThis study found different starting points for both employee-oriented and organization-oriented learning processes that could potentially progress to different levels of the organization: from individuals to a wider group or from a large group to an individual. The starting point of employee-oriented learning processes was depicted as everyday life problems or situations or was based on the person’s interest. The starting points of organization-oriented learning processes were described as achieving or maintaining the organization’s expected skill levels, pursuing continuous development or pursuing the organization’s specific development needs. Different kinds of presuppositions were also located within the OL processes.Originality/valueThis study produced new practice-based knowledge about the starting points of OL processes and their presuppositions. In health-care organizations, learning is especially important due to intensive and complex changes, and this study provides empirical evidence on how to enhance learning.

Self-assessment policy and perspectives for learning and organizational innovation in postgraduation programs in business administration in brazilian northeast region

The objective of this research is to investigate how the Self-Assessment Policy is being implemented and the perspectives for Learning and Organizational Innovation in Postgraduation Programs stricto sensu in Business Administration of public Higher Education Institutions (IES – Instituições de Ensino Superior) in Brazilian Northeast Region. Methodologically, a multi-case study was conducted with four Postgraduation Programs; evidence was produced from interviews and documentary research and treated through Content Analysis. The conclusion is Self-Assessment can be translated into an Organizational Learning process, in which the analysis of the knowledge produced can lead to changes and innovations in the Programs. Elements confirming the perspective of learning, based on facilitating aspects, arranged in four dimensions (Experimentation, Interaction with the external environment, Dialogue, and Participatory decision-making) were identified. There was also an assertive perception regarding the perspectives for Organizational Innovation, highlighting, among other aspects, changes in the training process, approximation to other sectors of civil society, and changes in the management model. The results can help discussions about Self-Assessment in the postgraduation scenario and contribute to insights understanding learning and innovation in Postgraduation Programs beyond isomorphic aspects.

The role of leadership in organizational learning in multinational companies

PurposeThis paper aims to conceptualize the role of leadership in organizational learning processes in multinational companies (MNCs). The authors present a model describing how managers in an MNC facilitated transitions between sub-processes of organizational learning at several organizational levels.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from the plants of a global process company in Norway, Brazil and China. Observation, in-depth interviews and archival material enabled one to reconstruct the organizational learning process over a period of 30 years as the company developed its own tailor-made improvement programme.FindingsBased on the data, the authors describe the role of leadership in linking the sub-processes of organizational learning as orchestration, sponsoring and persistence. Orchestration included creating faith and optimism and designing the organization to allow close cooperation between operators and managers in the sub-process of experimenting. This eased transferring and institutionalizing in the global organization. Sponsoring included structural changes to support transferring and the demonstration of dedication to improvement programme values. These factors were important for institutionalizing. Persistence involved the continuous focus on adjustment of the improvement programme, which then facilitated further experimenting.Originality/valueFirstly, this study suggests that activities and decisions in one sub-process have important implications for the following sub-processes. Secondly, this study indicates that leaders’ role in facilitating the transitions between sub-processes extend beyond their individual traits and behaviour, which previous research had focused on, and includes decisions concerning organizational structure and culture that help link social and organizational learning.

AI and Organisational Learning: Exploring the Impact of IoTs and Innovation Management on Organisational Learning Process with Moderation of Perceived Risk

AI and Organisational Learning: Exploring the Impact of IoTs and Innovation Management on Organisational Learning Process with Moderation of Perceived Risk

AI and organisational learning: exploring the impact of IoTs and innovation management on the organisational learning process with moderation of perceived risk

AI and organisational learning: exploring the impact of IoTs and innovation management on the organisational learning process with moderation of perceived risk

Leading Educational Change: A Study of the Impact of Transnational University on China's Higher Education Reform

This study investigates the external impacts derived from the development of Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) in China and how the impacts have driven individual practitioners and Chinese higher education institutions to promote China’s Higher Education (HE) reform through the lens of individual learning and organizational learning. This study interviewed nine research participants from Chinese universities by employing a qualitative case-study focusing on the experiences of a Sino-foreign cooperative university in China. It examined various institutional documents to uncover the impacts and how they have been exerted. The findings indicate that TNHE can contribute to the transformational changes of the HE sector through exerting influences on individual cognition, which further triggers individual behavioural changes, and the aggregated individual change agent’s initiatives lead to organizational cultural shift as an institutional response to social calls for changes. This process of impacts is an interactive, dynamic and continuous organizational learning process, which relies on both Chinese participants and TNHE universities to take intentional initiatives.

Change to persist - The adaptation of European Red Cross societies to changing patterns of volunteering

Non-profit organizations active in disaster relief depend on the engagement of volunteers. Yet, society changes, and so do engagement patterns of volunteering. We examine in this paper how Red Cross societies across Europe perceive these processes and adapt to changes. As major aid organizations, Red Cross societies need to attract volunteers in various fields between disaster relief and social services. They are consequently particularly vulnerable to changes in volunteer engagement. Organizational learning is one way to mitigate this vulnerability by adapting to these changes. We analyze these organizational learning processes with a mixed-methods research design that embraces a quantitative survey as well as in-depth interviews with various Red Cross societies. The study, which refers to the 4I-Theory, demonstrates how perceived adaptation pressure is a key driver of organizational change. Red Cross societies experiencing this pressure spark an adaptation process, scrutinizing and potentially changing their structures and standards to stay the same regarding their essential characteristics.

Making evidence-based practice actionable in the social service context: experiences and implications of workplace education

PurposeResearch and experience show that evidence-based practice (EBP), i.e. using the best available knowledge in daily professional work, is difficult to achieve in social services. The purpose of this study is to understand the development of organizational EBP learning processes in daily work through workplace education for staff and managers of supported homes for people with cognitive disabilities. The authors examine how the EBP model and new knowledge are understood and made actionable in the workplace, applying theories of organizational learning.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used empirical material collected from an EBP workplace education pilot in Sweden, as well as documents on national EBP implementation in Swedish social services. Before the pilot, a focus group interview was conducted with regional senior managers. Participating managers and staff were individually interviewed two to three years after the pilot.FindingsThe study illustrates how knowledge-based action emerged from education where EBP was interpreted, understood, reflected on, and tested, supported by codified EBP tools in the work context. The participants, when supervised, and when observing and questioning their own behaviors in practice, contributed to double-loop learning (DLL) processes. Codification of EBP knowledge into useful tools and socialization processes during education and workplace meetings was crucial in developing individual and group DLL and knowledge-based actions.Originality/valueThe bottom-up approach to EBP development and the adaptive contextual learning at the workplace gave new insights into organizational learning in social service workplaces.

Does the sharing of leadership increase the coherence of a school's instructional framework?

PurposeExisting research suggests that organizational learning, jointly implemented by principals and teachers may reduce agency risks and improve school management effectiveness. However, research investigating how this process occurs is lacking. The relationship between school leaders promoting the involvement of teachers in school-wide processes focused on instructional improvement and the coherence characterizing a school's instructional program remains unclear.Design/methodology/approachThe authors identified shared instructional leadership and instructional coherence, as two key variables describing the process of organizational learning and the outcome of agency risk reduction. The authors employed hierarchical linear modeling to test the hypothesis that shared leaderships positively predicts differences among schools in instructional coherence.FindingsBased on a sample of 113 public high schools selected from a U.S. Midwestern state, the results confirm the hypothesis.Research limitations/implicationsThis study uses the existing theoretical and empirical findings to interpret the potential relationship between shared leadership and instructional coherence, and validates it through empirical data analysis. The findings expand the understanding of the shared leadership theory. Although the design of this study is strictly based on theoretical and empirical findings, and part of the purpose of the research is to find the reasons why shared leadership seems to be insignificant in some countries and regions, readers should still note that the sample source is American schools. The findings of this study are worth examining with different samples in future studies.Practical implicationsSince the direct relationship between shared leadership and student standardized test scores has been difficult to measure, and in some countries even negative, there is debate about the need for shared leadership. The difficulty of measurement is caused by the diversity of leadership subjects and the complexity of leadership tasks. This study finds out the direct object of shared leadership and the process of exerting its effects, which will expand the understanding of the positive meaning of shared leadership. This will help different countries and regions better identify and play the role of shared leadership.Originality/valueBased on the combination of organizational learning theory, agency theory and shared leadership theory, the study modeled the process of collaborative organizational learning among principals and teachers. The study employed instructional coherence as a form of structured organizational learning that is a prerequisite for improvement in common measures of student learning such as standardized test scores. Do so provide practical guidance for educators seeking improvement through organizational learning.

Organizational Learning Towards Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions: A Brazilian Case Study

Universities should be dedicated to providing an education that fosters social transformation by interrelating the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. This article asserts that a truly sustainable university extends beyond merely “greening” the campus—it emphasizes sustainability across all core processes, be it in education, management, research, or community relations. The primary aim of this study is to delve into organizational learning and sustainable management processes, drawing inspiration from the I3E model introduced by Cebrian (2016). A qualitative case study was undertaken at a Brazilian federal university listed in the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings to achieve this. The research thoroughly examined institutional documents and interviews with managerial staff to discern strategic decisions, sustainable initiatives, and best practices. The findings suggest that the journey towards learning for sustainability is riddled with challenges, such as a paucity of commitment, communication gaps, ineffective leadership, distrust within the institution, limited funding, conflicting interests among various groups and individuals, and the burden of rigid bureaucratic protocols. However, facilitating factors have also been identified, including reshaping pre-existing mental models, a genuine interest in learning, and a conducive organizational framework. This research enriches the existing discourse on sustainability and organizational learning and offers a comprehensive and interconnected perspective on these topics. Additionally, it delivers valuable insights for academic administrators aspiring to craft a blueprint for a sustainable university. It does so by addressing overarching challenges and placing the components of the institutional management model in context, thereby offering direction for sustainable core processes in areas such as teaching, research, outreach, and management.

Company Performance Analysis with Organizational Learning as a Mediating Variable Studies on the Metal Industry in Kramat District, Tegal Regency

Company Performance Analysis with Organizational Learning as a Mediating Variable Studies on the Metal Industry in Kramat District, Tegal Regency

Adaptive organizational responses to varied types of failures: Empirical insights from technology providers in Ghana

Although failure has been described as a significant trigger for the organizational learning process, current literature studies have provided limited insight into the organizational conditions that foster learning from failure. Interpreting the organizational failure as a missed opportunity for a firm to anticipate, recognize, avoid, neutralize or adapt to external environment generating diverse misfits, our study investigates how firms respond to different misfits within and in their environment. Using interviews and document analysis, we identify four types of misfits-managerial, cultural, technical, and political-and examine how firms respond to these misfits over time. Our research reveals that firms exhibit distinct patterns of response and learning depending on the type of misfit encountered. We also identify specific strategies and resources that firms utilize to anticipate, prepare for, and respond to misfits, such as developing innovative solutions and cultivating external networks. Lastly, we discuss the managerial implications of our findings and propose avenues for future research.