Organizational Learning Research Articles

COVID-19 as an advantage or a disaster? Crisis and change management strategies of Hong Kong social entrepreneurs during the pandemic

PurposeA qualitative approach based on grounded theory was utilized, with data collected through 26 semi-structured interviews with social entrepreneurs. Alas’s Triangular Model provided the framework for data analysis and interpretation.Design/methodology/approachThis study explores how Hong Kong social enterprises approached crisis and change management during the COVID-19 pandemic, examining their resilience-building strategies.FindingsThe pandemic triggered an existential crisis for many social enterprises, causing severe revenue losses. However, strong leadership and cultures based on social mission enabled resilience. Enterprises demonstrated agility by rapidly transitioning operations online and establishing partnerships. Technology adaptation and social innovation were pivotal to sustaining impact.Research limitations/implicationsAs the sample comprises enterprises that survived the pandemic, insights into failed enterprises are lacking. Comparative analysis could illuminate differences in crisis response between successful and unsuccessful cases.Practical implicationsThe study’s practical implications suggest that social enterprises should focus on developing flexible crisis management plans, cultivating purposeful leadership, embracing digital transformation, strengthening collaborative networks and prioritizing organizational learning to effectively navigate crises while staying true to their social missions.Social implicationsFindings demonstrate how shared values and cultures grounded in purpose can anchor organizations amidst upheaval, fostering resilience. This underscores the role of social enterprises in modeling responsiveness to societal needs.Originality/valueWhile research has examined social enterprises’ vulnerability in crises, investigation into their crisis management practices is limited. This study enriches understanding of how social enterprises effectively navigate turbulence.

Administrative Strategies Affecting Organizational Sustainability of State Enterprises in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas, Thailand

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of administrative strategies on organizational sustainability of state enterprises in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas. The samples used in this study were 375 employees working in Thai state enterprises in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas. The research questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect data. Statistics used in this study consisted of percentage, mean, standard deviation, Correlation and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The research results showed that administrative strategies had an effect on organizational sustainability of state enterprise in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas with Chi-square Probability equivalent to 0.073, which was less than 0.05; CMIN/DF equivalent to 1.207, which was less than 3; GFI equivalent to 0.961, which was more 0.90; and RMSEA equivalent to 0.024, which was less than 0.06. The results of statistical analysis indicated that the four statistical tests passed the evaluation criteria at good fit; it can be concluded that administrative strategies had an effect on organizational sustainability of state enterprises in Bangkok Metropolitan Areas, which can be presented as strategic management ((β = 0.89, p = .00), learning organization (β = .75, p = .00) and total quality management (β = .83, p = .00) respectively.

Learning by exporting: the moderating role of employee human capital

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the means by which exporters foster innovation via the learning-by-exporting effect and to appraise the moderating role of employee human capital in the export–innovation relationship.Design/methodology/approachLeveraging the linked-survey-secondary data from the Human Capital Corporate Panel (HCCP) spanning 2011–2017, with 890 observations from 228 Korean exporters, this study utilizes Generalized Least Squares (GLS) regression to empirically test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that exporting significantly boosts a firm’s innovation performance by encouraging the generation of new concepts in products, services, technologies and/or production lines. Moreover, the presence of international talent and highly educated staff positively moderates the relationship between export intensity and innovation performance.Originality/valueBy integrating organizational learning and human capital theories, this study yields theoretical and managerial insights by elucidating the roles of exporting and human capital in advancing innovation performance, thereby guiding corporate export strategies and human resource policies.

The impact of leadership behaviors on organizational innovative performance and learning in AI-driven Industry 5.0 environments

Purpose Our aim was to elucidate how leaders’ behaviors may impact innovation and organizational learning in a fast-changing, human-centric and sustainability responsive AI-driven Industry 5.0 environment. Design/methodology/approach An unsystematic narrative review of relevant literature was conducted focusing on the influence of leadership behaviors on innovation and learning in Industry 5.0 environment. Findings We found that leadership behaviors that align with Industry 5.0 demands and values must emphasize collaboration, empathy, and continuous learning. The translation of leaders’ actions into desired outcomes requires a psychologically safe work environment, ensuing team cohesion, empowering team members, promoting a learning culture, engendering trust, and vision and goal alignment. Research limitations/implications Being aware of leadership qualities required in Industry 5.0 environment, characterized by machine–human collaboration, sustainable innovations, and continuous learning, enables organizations to focus their recruitment efforts on leaders’ characteristics that align with this environment. It also helps them design suitable leaders’ training and development programs. This study requires further expansion and empirical testing to validate the proposed model. Originality/value There is a plethora of studies on leadership in various contexts; however, there is very little research on the type of leadership that maybe effective in the fast changing and AI-driven Industry 5.0 environment. The findings of this paper shed light on such a leadership.

Enhancing learning organizations through employee resilience: Investigating the mediating influence of psychological empowerment

Enhancing learning organizations through employee resilience: Investigating the mediating influence of psychological empowerment

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Coaching: Redefining People Development and Organizational Performance

The confluence of organizational coaching and artificial intelligence (AI), specifically generative AI is set to permanently change how employees are developed and supported. This could result in significant benefits to individual and organizational learning, wellness, and performance. The benefits of organizational coaching are well documented through rigorous research, while the efficacy of AI coaching shows early signs of promise. The challenge now is how to optimally leverage AI in organizational coaching for exponential gains. In this article, I will explore the current and potential future applications of AI coaching in organizations, what we must be cognizant of, and which concerns are overhyped.

Understanding and Mitigating Leadership Fear-Based Behaviors on Employee and Organizational Success

Leadership behavior profoundly influences organizational culture, serving as a cornerstone for environments that foster safety, innovation, and employee satisfaction. This article utilizes research from the primary literature to demonstrate how leaders’ actions and underlying fears influence organizational dynamics and employee outcomes, highlighting the importance of respect, transparency, and trust. Studies have shown that leadership styles shape the work environment, driving innovation and performance. However, concerns over productivity, evaluation, and control can lead to poor communication, low transparency, reduced innovation, and diminished performance, creating a culture of mistrust and anxiety. Authoritarian control or neglect of employees’ needs exacerbates these issues, stifling creativity. The Pygmalion and Golem effects demonstrate how positive reinforcement enhances morale, productivity, and retention, while negative reinforcement is detrimental. Leaders operating under fears of failure or loss of control or political capital inadvertently create a culture of fear and increasingly severe feedback loops of reduced employee trust, satisfaction, and commitment. Addressing these fears fosters open communication, psychological safety, transparency, and mutual respect. Strategies for transforming leadership fears into positive change include promoting open communication, decentralizing decision-making, and implementing positive reinforcement mechanisms. Constructive feedback mechanisms encourage bidirectional communication and help mitigate the negative impacts of leadership fears. Leaders who address their fears can strengthen team trust, enhancing collaboration and engagement. Ultimately, managing leadership fears proactively catalyzes organizational learning and development, promoting a mindset where challenges are seen as opportunities for growth. This approach enhances adaptability and resilience while fostering continuous improvement. Addressing leadership fears and fostering a supportive culture is essential for sustainable productivity and success, serving as a starting point for exploring strategies that support employee performance and development, ultimately contributing to organizational success.

Roles of big data analytics and organizational culture in developing innovation capabilities: a hybrid PLS‐fsQCA approach

Big data analytics creates and consolidates competitive advantage by providing insights on data with enormous variety, velocity, and volume to firms. However, many companies' investments in big data analytics were unsuccessful, and they could not gain full advantage of these technologies. This study investigates the impacts of big data analytics capabilities on innovation quality and speed by considering organizational learning culture as a moderator. The study's data are obtained from a survey of 221 managers in the manufacturing industry. We integrate the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique and fuzzy‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to perform the analysis. The findings of PLS indicated that big data analytics capabilities positively influence both innovation quality and speed. However, innovation quality influences both market performance and financial performance, and innovation speed only affects market performance. Organizational learning culture negatively moderates the impacts of big data analytics on innovation speed and quality. fsQCA uncovered four solutions with varied combinations of factors that predict the high market and financial performance. The theoretical and practical implications are explained at the end of the paper.

Better-prepared to face COVID-19: Organizational learning from SMEs’ experience with banking crises

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes whether experiencing a banking crisis influenced firms’ performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the organizational learning and crisis management literature, we hypothesize that firms with banking crisis experience may learn from it and, thus, have a greater capacity to react and adapt to future external crises through adequate adaptative mechanisms. Using a survey sample of over 31,000 small- and medium-size enterprises operating in 39 countries, we obtain results consistent with our hypothesis that firms with banking crisis experience coped better during the pandemic than other firms. This finding is observed regardless of the severity of the banking crisis episode or how long ago the banking crisis occurred. We further demonstrate that banking crisis experience’s positive impact is explained partly by the increase in human resource slack before the pandemic as a coping strategy.

Government emergency budgeting and disaster impact: Evidence from China

AbstractEmergency budgets have become indispensable fiscal tools for governments around the world to cope with disasters, but how governments determine the size of emergency budgets and to what extent such budgets are effective remain unclear. Drawing on organizational learning theory and using data collected from 30 provinces in China, we conduct a series of panel regression analysis and robustness checks to investigate the determinants and impact of emergency budgets. We find that both prior disaster experience and government fiscal ability as measured by budget surplus are positively related to the size of subnational governments' emergency budgets, but the interaction effect between the two is negative. Moreover, while emergency budgets can help maintain the level of government budget surplus, they only play a limited role in moderating the negative impact of disaster damage on governments' fiscal ability. In particular, this study reveals the importance of socioeconomic environment and organizational capacity for the decision‐making process and outcomes of emergency budgets, suggesting that subnational governments should always adopt a holistic approach and improve their financial preparedness for future emergencies by incorporating more information from past disasters and considering diverse drivers of the complex dynamics among emergency budgets, disaster experience, and government fiscal ability.

Disconnected Connections of Learning Beyond Formal Schooling Through Human–Computer–Human Interactions

AbstractThis article originated from a working group on “Learning beyond formal schooling through human–computer–human interaction (HCHI)” convened at the UNESCO EDUSummIT 2023 in Kyoto (Japan). A polylogue approach was adopted by engaging eight co-authors whose diverse perspectives culminated in propositions that addressed the pivotal question: How should the connections between formal, non-formal, and informal learning be considered in a digitally mediated world? Formal learning is typically structured, organized and chronologically arranged institutional learning, whereas informal learning is associated with everyday learning across contexts throughout one’s life, and non-formal learning is a hybrid of these forms of learning. Considering the growing prominence of informal and non-formal learning in a digitally mediated world, the evolving learning ecosystem calls for a recalibration of the emphasis on formal learning. In this regard, HCHI has the potential to mediate human–human interactions, thereby bridging formal and informal learning. Our articulated position is to preserve the distinct boundaries and inherent complexities of each type of learning while creating opportunities or ‘bridges’ to authentically draw on the processes of each through meaningful actions. The polylogue yielded three propositions to bridge the connections between formal, non-formal and informal learning spaces in a digitally mediated world: (a) formal education institutions can establish strategic alliances and collaborations with learning organizations beyond the formal educational system, (b) the creation of digital learning communities within formal and non-formal spaces exemplify a paradigm of operation in an unregulated, student-centric cohesive space where the educator is a co-participant, (c) the recognition of the value of informal learning experiences by formal education institutions is critical, with emphasis on the learning process rather than the product.

Innovation portfolio management for the public non-profit research and development sector: What can we learn from the private sector?

ABSTRACT Innovation Portfolio Management refers to the systems, processes and mechanisms to intentionally manage innovation investments and decisions within an organization against its mission or strategy. This approach to managing and optimizing innovation and scaling investments is rarely used by public non-profit R&D organizations. This study draws lessons from innovation portfolio management in private sector organizations. Private sector invests in innovation portfolio management to: (i) enhance transparent and evidence-based decision-making, (ii) strengthen organizational agility and mission-orientedness, (iii) facilitate monitoring, risk management and prioritization and (iv) improve overall organizational performance and learning. These innovation portfolio management benefits are equally relevant for the public non-profit R&D sector, where innovation performance and outcomes are for societal impact. Public non-profit R&D can and should manage their innovation portfolios more intentionally, and can learn from private sector successes and challenges. Embracing the opportunities, whilst managing the challenges and risks requires investment in methods, mechanisms and mindsets for effective innovation portfolio management.

Improving the Law Enforcement Response to Active Shooter Incidents: An Analysis of After-Action Reports

We examine all publicly available after-action reports (AARs) on active shooter incidents in the U.S. from 1999 through 2022 ( n = 31). We conduct a thematic analysis of recommendations provided in the AARs to identify common areas for improvement in the law enforcement response to these incidents. We find considerable overlap in the recommendations across AARs, with themes related to pre-incident planning, training, inter-agency coordination, incident command, and communication being the most common. Findings indicate recurring challenges for law enforcement, suggesting agencies may not be effectively learning from prior active shooter incidents. We discuss the potential of AARs to strengthen agency preparedness and promote organizational learning. We further provide recommendations to improve AARs and to centralize and disseminate their findings.

LECTURER'S COMMUNICATION ATTRACTIVENESS AND STUDENT CREATIVITY IN THAI SUMMER COURSE PROGRAM

This study aims to measure and analyze facts about the relationship between the lecturer's communication attractiveness in the Summer Course program in Thailand and student creativity in the study of culture tourism. The method used is quantitative; to measure the correlation, the researcher used the Correlation Analysis Test using IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software. The results of the research show that there is a significant correlation between the lecturer's communication attractiveness, who provides learning materials on the Summer Course program at the International College RMUTK, Thailand, and the creativity of Communication Science students in West Java, Indonesia, in studying Tourism and Thai culture. In general, the conclusion of this study has proven that the communication attractiveness of lecturers consists of six variables: lecturers' communication of attractiveness, namely: taking style attractiveness, communication skill attractiveness, communication techniques attractiveness, communication strategy attractiveness, communication behavior attractiveness, communication intelligence attractiveness has a positive and significant correlation with student creativity which is measured from 9 aspects creativity, namely: setting creativity, building creativity, organizing learning, facilitate creativity, positive creativity, balance and opportunity creativity, courage and imagination creativity, managing creativity, mastery of creativity. The variable with the highest relationship value is between the variable of Lecturer Communication Appeal and variable Y: Arrangement Creativity and Building Creativity. The relationship between variables that have the lowest relationship value is between the relationship of Communication Appeal and the variable of Learning Organization. The variable of Lecturer Communication Attractiveness (X) is closely related to Student Creativity (Y).

Historie z potencjałem, czyli storytelling w kierowaniu szkołą jako organizacją uczącą się

Przedmiotem podjętej analizy jest potencjał opowieści (storytellingu) w pracy kierowniczej. Głównym celem artykułu jest przedstawienie storytellingu w roli metody wspomagającej kształtowanie kultury szkoły jako organizacji uczącej się, a także zainspirowanie do dostrzeżenia i wypróbowania potencjału opowieści w procesie kierowania placówką edukacyjną. W świetle nieustannie dokonujących się w świecie zmian zachodzi potrzeba głębokiej reorganizacji modelu szkoły – od instytucji nauczającej do uczącej się. Podstawowym założeniem procesu kierowania organizacją uczącą się jest rozwijanie współpracy opartej na otwartej komunikacji polegającej na ujawnianiu i uzgadnianiu różnych punktów widzenia, akceptacji odmiennej percepcji zachodzących zdarzeń, praktykowaniu krytycznej refleksji w celu zmiany i doskonalenia codziennych praktyk w uczących się społecznościach. W szkołach rozwijających się w kierunku organizacji uczących się nabiera znaczenia współtworzenie wizji przez wszystkie podmioty oraz wdrażanie zmian niezbędnych do uzyskania wspólnie wypracowanych wartości. W tekście podjęto próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie: Jakie walory storytellingu mogą być wykorzystane we wsparciu działań kierowniczych zmierzających do kształtowania kultury placówki edukacyjnej jako organizacji uczącej się? Przedstawiono przy tym w syntetycznym ujęciu uniwersalny charakter opowieści oraz możliwości wykorzystania jej w praktyce kierowania szkołą.

The Learning Organization and its Impact on the Development of Organizational Prowess in Private Hospitals in the City of Irbid

The Learning Organization and its Impact on the Development of Organizational Prowess in Private Hospitals in the City of Irbid

Learning organization culture and knowledge sharing: the mediating role of social capital

Learning organization culture and knowledge sharing: the mediating role of social capital

A collaborative cybersecurity framework for higher education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the educational computer emergency response team (EduCERT) framework, an integrated response mechanism to bolster national cybersecurity through collaborative efforts in the higher education sector. The EduCERT framework addresses this gap by enhancing cyber security and mitigating cybercrime through collaborative incident management, knowledge sharing and university awareness campaigns. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose an EduCERT framework following the design science methodology. The framework is developed based on literature and input from focus group experts. Moreover, it is grounded in the principles of the technology-organization-environment framework, organizational learning and diffusion of innovations theory. Findings The EduCERT has eight components: infrastructure, governance, knowledge development, awareness, incident management, evaluation and continuous improvement. The framework reinforces national cybersecurity through cooperation between universities and the National Computer Emergency Response Team. The framework has been implemented in Jordan to generate a cybersecurity foundation for higher education. Evaluating the EduCERT framework’s influence on national cybersecurity highlights the importance of adopting comprehensive cyber-security policies and controls. The framework application shows its relevance, effectiveness, adaptability and alignment with best practices. Research limitations/implications Despite the impact of applying the framework in the Jordanian context, it is essential to acknowledge that the proposed EduCERT framework’s practical implementation may encounter challenges specific to diverse international educational environment sectors. However, framework customization for global applicability could address varied educational institutions in other countries. Practical implications Furthermore, the proposed EduCERT framework is designed with universal applicability that extends beyond the specific country’s context. The principles and components presented in the framework can serve as valuable design advice for establishing collaborative and resilient cybersecurity frameworks in educational settings worldwide. Therefore, the research enhances the proposed framework’s practical utility and positions it as an invaluable contribution to the broader discourse on global cybersecurity in academia. Originality/value This paper enhances national cybersecurity in the higher education sector, addressing the need for a more integrated response mechanism. The EduCERT framework demonstrates its effectiveness, adaptability and alignment with best practices, offering valuable guidance for global educational institutions.

The influence of deans’ transactional leadership behaviors on research productivity in public universities: The mediating effect of workplace learning capability

This study examined the effect of transactional leadership behaviors on research productivity in public universities, with organizational learning capability serving as a mediating factor. A quantitative research approach focusing on correlational design was utilized. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to 519 respondents. Both measurement and structural model analyses were conducted, with deans, colleges, and individual academics serving as units of analysis. The findings revealed that deans’ contingent reward leadership behaviors significantly and positively influenced the research productivity of academics and colleges, even when controlling for workplace learning capability. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that deans’ contingent rewards and active-by-exception behaviors significantly and positively impacted workplace learning capability, accounting for 44.5% of the variance, with moderate and small effect sizes, respectively. Additionally, organizational learning capability exhibited a significant positive effect, explaining 54% of the variance in research productivity and demonstrating a moderate effect size, which indicates an unexplained variance of 46%. Bootstrapping tests confirmed that workplace learning capability partially and fully mediates the relationship between deans’ transactional leadership behaviors and research productivity. Consequently, it is imperative for college deans to enhance their contingent reward leadership behaviors and foster workplace learning capabilities to maximize their impact on research productivity.

"Goldmine" or "big mess"? An interview study on the challenges of designing, operating, and ensuring the durability of Clinical Data Warehouses in France and Belgium.

Clinical Data Warehouses (CDW) are the designated infrastructures to enable access and analysis of large quantities of electronic health record data. Building and managing such systems implies extensive "data work" and coordination between multiple stakeholders. Our study focuses on the challenges these stakeholders face when designing, operating, and ensuring the durability of CDWs for research. We conducted semistructured interviews with 21 professionals working with CDWs from France and Belgium. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded inductively. Prompted by the AI boom, healthcare institutions launched initiatives to repurpose data they were generating for care without a clear vision of how to generate value. Difficulties in operating CDWs arose quickly, strengthened by the multiplicity and diversity of stakeholders involved and grand discourses on the possibilities of CDWs, disjointed from their actual capabilities. Without proper management of the information flows, stakeholders struggled to build a shared vision. This was evident in our interviewees' contrasting appreciations of what mattered most to ensure data quality. Participants explained they struggled to manage knowledge inside and across institutions, generating knowledge loss, repeated mistakes, and impeding progress locally and nationally. Management issues strongly affect the deployment and operation of CDWs. This may stem from a simplistic linear vision of how this type of infrastructure operates. CDWs remain promising for research, and their design, implementation, and operation require careful management if they are to be successful. Building on innovation management, complex systems, and organizational learning knowledge will help.