Creating a Learning Organization

Rachel C. Josef

CREATING A LEARNING ORGANIZATION

As defined by many scholars, Learning Organization requires continuously looking for ways to make things better, having a mind-set where all thoughts are shared and individual from different functions work together as one.  To deal with a corporate level, Knowledge sharing needs to be part of a learning strategy. This strategy should integrate several aspects such as culture, tools and policies, among others to enable a learning environment.

Peter Senge introduced the Five Disciplines of Learning with his book in 1990 where he proposes that people put aside their old ways of thinking (mental models), learn to be open with others (personal mastery), understand how their company really works (systems thinking), form a plan everyone can agree on (shared vision), and then work together to achieve that vision (team learning). Keeping in mind to accomplish these objectives substituting an authoritative leadership with one believing in collaboration and trust is the first important step in reaching new objectives.

However, the recommendations regarding learning organizations including the five disciplines of Peter Senge were contended by David Garvin, a professor from Harvard Business School stating that critical issues are left unsolved as the discussions are far too abstract and very idealistic. The ideal learning organization has not been realized since it still needs a reasonable, well-grounded definition, a clear guideline for practice and a better tool measure the organization and level of learning as a whole. With this Garvin, together with two other Harvard Business School professors, Edmonson and Gino, propose a solution and address these deficiencies by developing the Three Building Blocks of the Learning Organization. These include a supportive learning environment, concrete learning processes and practices, and leadership behavior that provide reinforcement. The discussions focus on assessment tool and provide a comprehensive survey to analyse the present condition of the organization and pinpoint critical areas that require attention. It organizes all areas to set up a focused work-plan without forgetting all the building blocks that need to be addressed.

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