What makes a learning organization different from other organizations? This debate is brought to light by the contributions of Peter Senge and Donald Schon. We also explore the various themes that have emerged in literature about learning organizations.
Unfortunately, it is very hard to identify real-life examples of learning organizations. This is because the vision of the organization is either too ideal or it doesn’t meet the requirements of the organization. Second, the focus on developing a template has led to a reduction in the theoretical framework for learning organizations. This is because the need to create a compelling and commercially attractive learning organization template has led to a lack of power over the design of the learning organization.
In 1990, Peter Senge started to explore the various facets of the art and practice of learning organizations. His book, The Fifth Discipline, became very popular. Over 700,000 copies of this book were sold in the following decade. It is believed that The Fifth Discipline was the most influential book about learning organizations.
In 1995, Sandra Kerka noted that there is not a clear definition of what a learning organization is. Despite the various theories and approaches that have been presented about learning organizations, the lack of a clear definition has remained a major issue.
Three different definitions of learning organizations were identified. According to Senge, organizations that are designed to help people develop their capabilities and create the results they desire. These are also designed to allow people to develop collective aspiration.
In 1991, Peddler and colleagues defined The Learning Company as a vision that is focused on the continuous improvement of an organization. It is not only about training individuals, but it is also about developing a whole community of learners. This is an organization that is designed to transform itself continuously.
In 1992, Marsick and Watkins defined a learning organization as a process that involves the participation of all members of the organization in a collective effort to improve the value and the principles of the organization.
Senge and the learning organization have identified some of the problems that he encountered when he conceptualized the concept of learning organizations. These include his failure to fully appreciate the various imperatives that are commonly used in modern organizations. He also has a limited understanding of the dynamics of organizational politics. Unfortunately, there are not many real-world examples of learning organizations. Further, there is a lack of critical analysis on the theoretical framework of learning organizations.
Another issue that the learning organization have is the lack of understanding of the various dimensions of an organization. It claims that the concept of learning organizations is only focused on the cultural dimension. However, it is necessary to take into account the other aspects of an organization, such as the structure and the processes. Focusing on training activities only helps to promote a purely cultural bias within an organization. The concept of a learning organization is also found not designed to connect the collective and individual learning processes to the organization's strategic goals. Ideally, the link between the collective and individual learning processes should be made apparent in organization it serve as important succesful factors in building learning organization.
Although the concept of organizational learning is focused on achieving strategic goals, it is also important to consider the various aspects of the organization's operations, such as the capacity of the learning organization to learn. This is because the ability to learn is a prerequisite for thriving in the new environment. In order to effectively manage the learning organization, it is necessary to make the capacity of the organization more concrete.
Inevitably, The concept of the learning organization has gained a reputation as a valuable tool for managers and other employees. One of the most interesting developments that has occurred in this field is the attempt by Moingeon and Edmondson (1999) to link the learning organization's literature to the development of social capital. This has add alternative to a more technical framework that can help organizations grow and sustain themselves. Eventually it offers a variety of advantages to organizations that are looking to improve their performance.
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