Taking the learning organization mainstream and beyond the organizational level

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of learning organization concepts from the perspective of Dr Peter Senge and presents an interesting evolution of his systems oriented view of the learning organization field over three decades. Design/methodology/approach Through a conversation with a thought leading scholar, Dr Peter Senge, this paper discusses several topics pertaining to the evolution of the learning organization through a systems approach and provides his perspectives on the development of his theories. Findings Dr Senge explains his origination of the learning organization from three distinctly different theoretical tracks. However, more important than the theory, he illuminates how the theories embedded within The Fifth Discipline actually originated from action research and have continued to evolve. Of particular interest, his sites personal mastery as the most often cited of the five disciplines and offers readers explanations as to why the personal change dimensions are so important, and so often neglected. He clearly describes what it takes to make genuine progress in becoming a learning organization. Originality/value The discussion with Dr Senge reveals his perspective on the evolution of the learning organization debate from his personal perspective. He provides insights that lead the reader to understand “what is a learning organization” and “what does it mean”.

Effect of organizational learning and effectiveness on the operations, employees productivity and management performance

“…Systematic approaches to organizational learning from various literature perspective only offers guidance on organizational learning implementation but fails to provide measures for comparability and evaluation creating a major vacuum of learning for organizations pursuing and aiming to make their firm a learning organization (Aydin and Ceylan, 2009;Lantz et al, 2015;Kaminska and Borzillo, 2018;Reese and Sidani, 2018;Rose et al, 2020). Organizational learning has been advanced to be very crucial for organizations operating in a dynamic and unpredictable environment to build capacity for such organization to be able to respond quickly to unforeseen circumstances and to stay ahead of its competitors, this makes it compulsory for every organization to ensure their firm becomes a learning organization as almost all organization in today's business world operates in an environment that is dynamic, fast pace and ever-changing (Reese, 2020). Earlier research work considered organizational learning as a simple process while contemporary works on organizational learning consider it to be heterogeneous phenomena, deeper concept and richer as it concerns internal adaptation which is triggered by external environmental challenges and fierce competition from the organization's competitors (Yang, 2007;Aydin and Ceylan, 2009;Lantz et al, 2015;Tortorella et al, 2019).…”

“…The study also done by Tortorella et al (2019), looks at how different generations contribute to the development of a learning organization in companies undergoing a lean production implementation. The study was done by Rup ci c (2020), considered the context related to learning opportunities for individual and organizational improvement in learning organizations, while the study was done by Reese (2020), also look at taking the learning organization to mainstream and beyond the organizational level which was an interview with peter senge. These studies and others have looked at organizational learning from a different view and perceptive, the studies also depicts limitations to particular region or industry but none has mainly focused its study on the effect of organizational learning and effectiveness on the bank operations, employee's productivity and management performance; a gap/void in literature this study hopes to fill.…”

“…The study discovered that organizational learning plays a vital role in employees' innovativeness, but the study organization was not domiciled within the banking industry. The study was also done by Reese (2020) examined organizational learning at various units of the organization but did not make mention examining organizational learning and employees' productivity. This hypothesis was formulated in line with these findings to test if organizational learning and effectiveness have any effect on employees' productivity:…”

Liderazgo positivo en organizaciones saludables

“…El análisis e interpretación sobre la conducta organizacional, ha permitido integrar componentes psicológicos y sociales en materia laboral (sinergia, empatía, entorno familiar, salud, entre otros) que antes no eran evaluados por las corporaciones, debido a que las metas de cumplimiento tenían un basamento focalizado hacia la productividad y rentabilidad (Reese, 2020). Señalan Cedeño et al (2019) que, para mantener un comportamiento equilibrado y productivo dentro de las entidades, es importante que la alta gerencia mantenga la mirada hacia las realidades que circundan o forman parte del funcionamiento del negocio, sobre todo aquellas que generan cambios en las estrategias que pudieran afectar la toma de decisiones.…”

Editorial

“…The first article in this issue, "Taking the learning organization mainstream and beyond the organizational level: an interview with Peter Senge," contains an interview with Peter Senge himself, conducted by The Learning Organization's associate editor Simon Reese (Reese, 2020b). Simon writes "Implication for Practitioners" pieces for the journal, a task he shares with Nataša Rup ci c. Simon and Nataša also administer the journal's LinkedIn group, where they inform about the journal and anything else that may be connected to the areas that the journal covers and stimulate debate on these issues.…”