Exploring Organizational Learning: Theories And Models In This Essay.

Organizational learning refers to a process of developing, retaining and transferring knowledge within a business environment. In this present competitive environment, handling knowledge within the corporate structure is among the prime responsibilities of the management for achieving sustainable growth in the market (Quinney and Richardson 2014). Organizational learning process improves over the certain span of time, as it gained detailed information about the market concept and procedure (Cooperrider and Srivastva 2017). Over the years, several studies have been conducted on the organizational learning theory. Now, I feel proper utilization of organizational learning concept is important for the larders for enhancing the overall efficiency of the operational procedure. In this essay, I will illustrate the way organizational learning explores three ways including knowing, going and showing the knowledge within corporate environment. I will also concentrate on highlighting different theories and models associated with the organizational learning concept for assessing the kind of impact it can have on the operational procedure.   

The notions of thee organisational learning became prominent since there was the ongoing debate between the economists and behaviourists. After World War II, the economists started dominating the business market much significantly (Hood and Birkinshaw 2016. ). The theoretical views based on the organisational learning depend on the influencing factors that have the clear impacts on the associated functionalities (Duffield and Whitty 2015). In order to explain the conceptual ideas about the organisational learning, Donald Schon and Chris Argrys had shared their views about the learning process. It is to be stated that the organisational learning is the product of inquiry or investigate. Tarosa, Edwards and Branson (2016) explained if any outcome differs from the expected outcome, it will be further inquired to understand with proper clarification. We always seek the information about the new learning process and the benefits for the future prospects. Therefore, it is essential for us to understand the functionalities or the method of inquiry. It can also be implied that the learning process is helpful enough in aligning the individuals to interact with each other within the organisation and the learning would automatically take place (Duffield and Whitty 2015). Hence, learning is conceptualised as the process of directing interaction.

Schon and Argrys emphasized that the interactive process goes well beyond the organisational norms and rules. The clear explanation of the organisational learning aspect can be specified through the development of the theoretical analysis. One of the organisational learning theories is Expoused Theory that refers to the formal part of the organisation. It is ensured that every employee requires following the instructions to carry out their jobs. Siemens, (2014) implied that these instructions are often narrow in focus and help in confining the individuals to set a clear path. However, it is also noticed that the individuals often ignore this theory and mostly rely on brainstorming and interaction for resolving the issues (Cooperrider and Srivastva 2017). In terms of using the theoretical implications, the employees often refer to the social ways to resolve the issues. This is a process of learning while working within an organisation.

Expoused Theory

Three types of learning are generally followed within an organisation. The first is Single Loop Learning, which consists of one feedback loop when the strategy is amended for responding back to an unexpected result (Duffield and Whitty 2015). For example, in a sales company, the marketing managers often get involved in inquires when the sales are down. At the similar time, the identification of the causes helps these managers to recognise the fruitful strategies to bring the sales back on the expected loop. Another type of learning is “double loop learning” that refers t the strategies, values, and assumptions that are considering the transformed actions for creating more efficient environment (Li et al. 2014). For example, the managers often rethink about the strategic decisions or developments and transform the sales process accordingly. This transformation would help in future to prevent the fluctuations in the sales revenues.

Another method of organisational learning is the deuterolearning, which determines the improvements brought to the learning process. The effective, structured, and behavioural components are composing this method of learning that defines the proper way to learn or inquire stuff (Hayes 2014). However, the current business world is much competitive, due to which the organisations have been adopting beneficial method of sustaining the position. In order to adopt the newer approaches to the organisational functionalities, it is necessary to develop the ideas about three major ways of learning within an organisation (Cooperrider and Srivastva 2017). The first type is Training session that generally provides me an idea about the ways to improve the knowledge of the associated employees (Day et al. 2014). I believe that the effective training and development session within an organisation helps in upgrading personal, professional and technical skills. Accordingly, the associated staffs can opt for the innovative method of learning and training process is the best solution for this purpose.  

The development of management provides the diverse learning opportunities to the people within an organisation. I believe that the development refers to provide the legitimacy to the individual differences. It provides the opportunities to the people for actualising the self-potentiality (Engeström 2014). This process often encourages managers to transform their characteristics from a certain dimension. Many of the organisations invest more resources on the development process that often includes the career testing or the counselling process. In this process, the feedback obtained from an individual is prioritised and the judgements about the interests, abilities, and personality are considered (Duffield and Whitty 2015). Providing the new and innovative ideas and undertaking the continuous development process would be helpful in leading an individual towards accomplishing the personal and professional goals. The focal point of this method of learning is the self-development.

The third type of the learning process within an organisation is conceptualised as Organisational Development. Apparently, the organisational development process is quite different to the management development and training process. The organisational process is termed as OD that determines a planned, sequential, ad structural process of cultural change (Cooperrider and Srivastva 2017). This changing behaviour depends on the utilisation of the behavioural science knowledge, which is considered as the ground of interventions. This intervention aims at increasing the effectiveness and health of the organisation. The focus is based wholly on the entire organisation and not only on an individual. In a broader form, the organisational development concentrates on how the individuals relates to a group interfaces with another group (Duffield and Whitty 2015). The primary focus of OD is to bring more improvements in the system that constitutes the entire organisational functionalities.

Three Types of Learning

It is notable that in order to develop such planned process, it is necessary to structure some of the careful assessments or diagnosis that would provide the clear knowledge about the specific requirements (Cooperrider and Srivastva 2017). It is necessary to create the climate within an organisation where the employees or associated workers can meet their needs and optimize the realisation of the determined organisational goals (Lozano 2014). The effective team building and identification of the diagnostic needs would probably be the most fruitful aspect of facilitating this organisational development. It is even required to bring the functional changes to facilitate the effectiveness as a whole.

Conclusion

In this study, I have developed the extensive knowledge about the organisational learning process. I believe that the opportunities gained through the organisational functionalities are fruitful enough to improve our professional and personal skills. I have recognised that many of the organisations usually follow three types of the learning process. The first type is training and development session in which the associated workers would receive the opportunity to improve their professional and learning skills. The innovativeness and the advancements in this business world seek more efficiency from the workers. Hence, the training process would be most beneficial way of gathering the subjective knowledge regarding the innovative procedure. The second type of learning is management development, which depends on the individual improvements. It helps the individuals to recognise the self-actualisation and potentiality. The participation of the managers in career counselling is the significant example of this type of learning process. The final type of organisational learning is the organisational development that concentrates on the overall improvements and not limited within the individual improvement process.  The suggestive changes brought to the organisational functionalities and cultures are the specific examples of the organisational development.

References

Cooperrider, D. and Srivastva, S., 2017. Appreciative Inquiry in Organizational Life?. In Research in organizational change and development(pp. 81-142). Emerald Publishing Limited.

Day, D.V., Fleenor, J.W., Atwater, L.E., Sturm, R.E. and McKee, R.A., 2014. Advances in leader and leadership development: A review of 25years of research and theory. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(1), pp.63-82.

Duffield, S. and Whitty, S.J., 2015. Developing a systemic lessons learned knowledge model for organisational learning through projects. International journal of project management, 33(2), pp.311-324.

Duffield, S. and Whitty, S.J., 2015. Developing a systemic lessons learned knowledge model for organisational learning through projects. International journal of project management, 33(2), pp.311-324.

Engeström, Y., 2014. Activity theory and learning at work. In Tätigkeit-Aneignung-Bildung (pp. 67-96). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.

Hayes, J., 2014. The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan.

Hood, N. and Birkinshaw, J. eds., 2016. Multinational corporate evolution and subsidiary development. Springer.

Li, Y., Chen, H., Liu, Y. and Peng, M.W., 2014. Managerial ties, organizational learning, and opportunity capture: A social capital perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 31(1), pp.271-291.

Lozano, R., 2014. Creativity and organizational learning as means to foster sustainability. Sustainable development, 22(3), pp.205-216.

Quinney, S. and Richardson, L., 2014. Organisational development, appreciative inquiry and the development of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIEs). Part I: a positive psychology approach. Housing, Care and Support, 17(2), pp.95-102.

Siemens, G., 2014. Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age.

Tarosa, G., Edwards, F. and Branson, C., 2016. Organisational learning and development: A Vanuatu educational perspective. Waikato Journal of Education, 21(1).