THE LEARNING ORGANISATION (三)

ACCA P3考試：THE LEARNING ORGANISATION

Some formal tools and techniques that are helpful to drive learning are as follows:

• reverse scenario building (which is a method of identifying the opportunity the organisation wishes to pursue and then build the scenario backwards from that optimum position, in order to establish what has to be implemented, to maximise this opportunity)

• a mass media channel – for example, a company newsletter to spark new ideas and which is open to suggestions and which can inform of what is happening in other areas.

Another method is that of action learning, hands-on complex problem solving and problem-solving methodologies sharing within groups sessions.

It is one thing for learning to occur but there is also a need to disperse that learning, which is the connection between these hard and the soft elements. The hard issue can facilitate the learning; the soft issues will diffuse and embed the learning.

The soft issues to manage, for learning to occur, require the identification and understanding of the needs of the individuals, their groups and their tasks at hand, to develop a balance between those demands. Organisations have to look at how people perceive where they fit within the structures in order to determine how they learn – for example, how they see their contribution in their department, group or team. These structures tend to contain or retain their learning internally. A learning organisation works on shared knowledge.

Another soft issue is that of the feeling of security or trust. People tend to offer more ideas and tend to be more creative in a no-blame culture. Security, or the perception of both job security and knowing the accepting reaction of others before offering up ideas, will significantly alter the willingness of people to think, develop and share. Security as a feeling in the work environment can be created through an analysis of the organisation culture, using the cultural web model, and through human resource policies on training and contracts that allow time for employees to construct reflect and think. Communication mechanisms and mediums will also determine how, where and what is shared and discussed; communication for learning needs to be free of formality, such as having less formal reports and more managed online forums.

The main soft issue that requires the greatest management effort is the individuals. Individuals have mental models that they develop based on experience. In order to facilitate learning in general these mental models have to change. Change to these mental models according to Labiaca, Gray and Bass occurs in four phases:

1. Motivation to change – a want to learn has to exist driven by the organisation or the group or business need

2. New model generation – where the new information is drawn into the collective knowledge,

3. Comparison phase – where old knowledge is compared to the new and decisions made as to which is best suited and

4. Where the new mental model just developed becomes embedded in the organisation (Hannah, Lester, 2009).

The approaches that can create ways for new mental models to evolve are as follows:

• Question the taken for granted and develop innovative new ways.

• Articulate a collective vision to gain support for innovative changes.

• Encourage and facilitate the acquisition of skills needed for collective learning.

• Support values and openness to new knowledge, so as to create a learning culture.

• Help people understand cause-effect relationships and the determinants of performance for the team or organisation.

• Help people recognise when learning has occurred.

• Gain external support and financing for the acquisition or application of new knowledge (for example, acquisitions or joint ventures).

• Encourage experiments to gain more knowledge.

• Encourage teams to conduct after-activity reviews.

• Create decentralised subunits with authority to pursue learning and entrepreneurial activities in a responsible way.

• Develop support programmes that will encourage and reward discovery of new knowledge and its diffusion (Yukl, 2009).