European perspectives on the learning organisationNyhan, B.; Cressey, P.; Tomassini, M.; Kelleher, M.; Poell, R.F. Published in: Journal of European Industrial Training Document version:Peer reviewed version Publication date: 2004 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA):Nyhan, B., Cressey, P., Tomassini, M., Kelleher, M., & Poell, R. F. (2004). European perspectives on the learning organisation. Journal of European Industrial Training, 28(1), 67-92. General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.-Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research -You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain -You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright, please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. AbstractThis paper, based on a publication entitled 'Facing up to the learning organisation challenge' published in April 2003, provides an overview of the main questions emerging from recent European research projects related to the topic of the learning organisation. The rationale for focusing on this topic is the belief that the European Union goals related to 'lifelong learning' and the creation of a 'knowledge-based society' can only be attained if the organisations in which people work are also organisations in which they learn. Work organisations must become, at the same time, learning organisations.This paper has four main messages. The first is that, in order to build learning organisations, one has to ensure that a) there is coherence between the 'tangible' (formal/objective) and the 'intangible' (informal/subjective) dimensions of an organisation; and b) that the organisation's learning' goals are reconciled with individuals' learning needs. The complexity involved in ensuring the right balance between these different dimensions, means that in the final analysis one cannot realistically expect more than incomplete or imperfect learning organisations. However, this does not in any way negate the validity of the quest to reconcile these competing but 'real' interests.The second message is that challenging or developmental work is a prerequisite for implementing a learning organisation. One of the keys to promoting learning organisations is to organise work in such a way that it promotes human development. The third message is that the provision of support and guidance is essential to ensure that developmental work does in fact provide opportunities for developmental learning. The fourth message is that to address organisational learning there is a need for boundary...

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One of the most typical features characterising modern ways of living and working is represented by the dynamism required by individuals in navigating their career paths. This article explores some case studies of career development collected through biographical interviews carried out within the Italian strand of the Cedefop project. These relate to individuals showing different levels of career dynamism (from very active micro-entrepreneurs up to subjects who had to give up their career-related aspirations because of disabilities). They demonstrate, powerfully, three main drivers of career development: reflexivity, self-identity and resilience. Some theoretical references regarding such drivers are here briefly taken into account through a specific conceptual framework. Where the case studies hint at these drivers, and allude to the role played by career guidance, extracts are presented verbatim. In the concluding section, the need for new further research in this field is emphasised, both at the theoretical and at the empirical level.