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Transitioning to the learning organisation

Topic: Learning organisations
by Tarida, 2020 Cohort

Learning organisation in essence#

Over the years, many organisations strive to better themselves through continuous improvement programs, so the complexity that arises would be better managed. However, failed programs far outnumber successes as most organisations have been unable to admit a fundamental truth: It takes a commitment of learning to improve. In most organisations, complexity is a result of higher novelty that leads to a larger number of unknowns, thus finally lead to greater uncertainty. When uncertainty is inevitable, unknowns cannot be neglected. How do organisations deal with the unknowns? Scholars found that it can only be reduced by taking action and learning from what happens. In the absence of learning, organisations and its member would repeat old practices.

Therefore, Peter Senge popularised a concept called Learning Organisation (LO) and described it as “a place where people continually expand their capacity, new and expansive thinking are nurtured, collective aspiration is set free, and people keep learning how to learn together”. Senge also introduced the popular five disciplines in LO:

• System thinking: a framework to see inter-relationships that underlie complex situations and interactions
• Personal mastery: a process where every individual commits to mastering their role and learning the skills they need
• Mental model: a process when an organisation commits to challenging ‘the way things are done’ and looking for new solutions and paradigms
• Shared vision: a process of owning the common vision within the organisation
• Team learning: a process where a team share, challenge and support one another to build new organisational capabilities

Learning organisation in practical#

Surprisingly, Garvin (1993) found that over the years, a clear definition of learning has proved to be ambiguous. He believed that LO should be viewed as “an organisation skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behaviour to reflect new knowledge and insights”. Synergising Senge’s and Garvin’s views have created a more practical approach that could help organisations navigate their way to be an LO:

• Systematic problem solving (relying on the scientific method, insisting on data, using simple statistical tools)
• Experimentation with new approaches/ideas
• Learning from their own experience and history (review successes and failures, assess them systematically and record the lessons in a form that employees find accessible)
• Learning from the experiences and best practices of others (benchmarking to other organisations, conversations with clients)
• Transferring knowledge effectively and efficiently throughout the organisation (documenting written, oral, and visual reports, site visits, rotation and training programs)

Learning organisation in practice#

Who had succeeded in their attempts to become an LO? Many universities, even consulting firms, fail to qualify. Even General Motors (GM), despite its continuous efforts in performance improvement, is not yet considered as an LO. All of these organisations have mastered the creation and acquisition of new knowledge but noticeably less successful in applying that knowledge to their activities. Organisational consultants succeed to advise clients but are not able to reflect on itself. And GM, with a few exceptions, has had only little success in manufacturing practices revamp, even though its managers are lean manufacturing experts. By contrast, organisations that qualify (i.e. Honda and General Electric) have become adept at translating new knowledge into new ways of behaving.

Explore this topic further#

• Wikipedia entry on Learning Organisations{.link-ext target=”_blank” }
• Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline, Chapter 4{.link-ext target=”_blank” } on learning organisations

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Disclaimer#

This content has been contributed by a student as part of a learning activity.
If there are inaccuracies, or opportunities for significant improvement on this topic, feedback is welcome on how to improve the resource.
You can improve articles on this topic as a student in "Unravelling Complexity", or by including the amendments in an email to: Chris.Browne@anu.edu.au

Learning organisation in essence#

Over the years, many organisations strive to better themselves through continuous improvement programs, so the complexity that arises would be better managed. However, failed programs far outnumber successes as most organisations have been unable to admit a fundamental truth: It takes a commitment of learning to improve. In most organisations, complexity is a result of higher novelty that leads to a larger number of unknowns, thus finally lead to greater uncertainty. When uncertainty is inevitable, unknowns cannot be neglected. How do organisations deal with the unknowns? Scholars found that it can only be reduced by taking action and learning from what happens. In the absence of learning, organisations and its member would repeat old practices.

Therefore, Peter Senge popularised a concept called Learning Organisation (LO) and described it as “a place where people continually expand their capacity, new and expansive thinking are nurtured, collective aspiration is set free, and people keep learning how to learn together”. Senge also introduced the popular five disciplines in LO:

• System thinking: a framework to see inter-relationships that underlie complex situations and interactions
• Personal mastery: a process where every individual commits to mastering their role and learning the skills they need
• Mental model: a process when an organisation commits to challenging ‘the way things are done’ and looking for new solutions and paradigms
• Shared vision: a process of owning the common vision within the organisation
• Team learning: a process where a team share, challenge and support one another to build new organisational capabilities

Learning organisation in practical#

Surprisingly, Garvin (1993) found that over the years, a clear definition of learning has proved to be ambiguous. He believed that LO should be viewed as “an organisation skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behaviour to reflect new knowledge and insights”. Synergising Senge’s and Garvin’s views have created a more practical approach that could help organisations navigate their way to be an LO:

• Systematic problem solving (relying on the scientific method, insisting on data, using simple statistical tools)
• Experimentation with new approaches/ideas
• Learning from their own experience and history (review successes and failures, assess them systematically and record the lessons in a form that employees find accessible)
• Learning from the experiences and best practices of others (benchmarking to other organisations, conversations with clients)
• Transferring knowledge effectively and efficiently throughout the organisation (documenting written, oral, and visual reports, site visits, rotation and training programs)

Learning organisation in practice#

Who had succeeded in their attempts to become an LO? Many universities, even consulting firms, fail to qualify. Even General Motors (GM), despite its continuous efforts in performance improvement, is not yet considered as an LO. All of these organisations have mastered the creation and acquisition of new knowledge but noticeably less successful in applying that knowledge to their activities. Organisational consultants succeed to advise clients but are not able to reflect on itself. And GM, with a few exceptions, has had only little success in manufacturing practices revamp, even though its managers are lean manufacturing experts. By contrast, organisations that qualify (i.e. Honda and General Electric) have become adept at translating new knowledge into new ways of behaving.