Lesson 3: Organizational Learning Flashcards
Definition: Organizational Learning
The process of creating, sharing, diffusing, and applying knowledge in organizations.
What things should be focued on in organizational learning?
It is not simply a focus on current needs or deficiencies, but also on continuous learning.
What is organizational learning a main characteristic of?
It is a main characteristic of an adaptive or agile organization; one that is able to identify the need to alter its practices based on shifts in its environment.
What is “The Learning Organization”?
An organization that acquires, organizes, and shares information and knowledge, and uses new information and knowledge to change its behaviour in order to achieve its objectives and improve its effectiveness.
What do learning organizations have the capability to do?
Able to transform itself by acquiring and disseminating new knowledge and skills throughout the organization.
Has enhanced capacity to learn, adapt, and change its culture.
Has the ability to make sense of, and respond to, surrounding environment.
Organizational learning results in continual improvements in:
Work systems
Products services
Teamwork
Management practices
What are the five disciplines of Organizational learning?
Principles of a Learning Organization
Everybody is considered a learner.
People learn from each other.
Learning is part of a change process.
Continuous formal and informal learning.
Learning is an investment.
Experimentation is valued.
Failure is tolerated if it leads to learning.
Four Key Dimensions of a Learning Organization
Vision - Requires clear vision of organization’s strategy and goals.
Culture - Fosters information sharing and continuous learning.
Learning Systems/Dynamics - Seek solutions to problems through a systemic view of the organization and its environment.
Knowledge Management/Infrastructure
Technology, systems and processes to support the capture, dissemination and evaluation of knowledge.
Ensure that the “right person has the right knowledge at the right time.”
What is Knowlage
Sum of what is known; a body of truths, information, and principles.
Found in the minds of employees.
Transferred and stored in information systems in the organization.
Embedded in tools and standard operating procedures and processes.
Why is Knowlage more then just information?
It is information that has:
been edited and put into context.
analyzed and interpreted in a way that makes it
meaningful, and therefore valuable to the organization.
What are the two ways that knowlage can be grouped?
Explicit and Tacit
What is explicit knowlage?
Things that you can buy or trade, such as patents or copyrights and other forms of intellectual property.
Knowledge that has been codified and documented.
Can be written into procedures or stored in databases.
Is transferred fairly accurately.
Small proportion of corporate knowledge is explicit.
What is Tacit Knowlage?
Known only by the individual and is not necessarily known by the organization.
Valuable wisdom learned from experience and insight that has been defined as intuition, know-how, little tricks, and judgment.
Difficult to transfer.
People are often not aware of the tacit knowledge they possess and how valuable it is to others.
Difficult to articulate.
Accounts for greater proportion of corporate knowledge.
Often this knowledge is critical to competitive advantage.
An example of Tacit Knowlage
One can learn a new language through their experience with others without the need of learning the grammar and formal sentence structure. On the other hand, one cannot open a book and memorize the grammar and expect to be fluent without practicing it with a native speaker.
What are the four types of Intellectual Capital?
What is the Life Cycle of Knowlage?
Compare formal and informal learning.
