How Organizations Learn: How Organizations Learn: The Developmental Perspective The Developmental Perspective

MPA 8002

Organization Theory

Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.

Organizational life is not conducive to Organizational life is not conducive to learning …learning …

…barriers to learning exist within the organization due to the fundamental, conflicting ways in which individuals have been raised, educated, trained, etc.

…which then form the “antecedents” and “theories of practice” that influence “practice episodes” (Sergiovanni, 1986)

The concept (DiBella & Nevis, The concept (DiBella & Nevis, 1998)...1998)...

learning orientation

Learning orientations (LORs) reflect how learning takes place and the content of learning; organizations have preferences as learning falls along a series of continua; collectively, the LORs represent the organization’s learning style

…a structure and action that affect how easy or hard it is for learning to occur and the amount of effective learning that takes place

` maturityorganization

entrepreneurial idea

Represents a developmental Represents a developmental perspective…perspective…

crisis

learning that

promotes renewal

`

`

` maturityorganization

entrepreneurial idea

……which contrasts with a “non-which contrasts with a “non-developmental” approach…developmental” approach…

crisisno learning

from experience

`

`

the learning organization represents a phase or stage of an organization’s development which determines the characteristics or style of learning

the learning organization operates in a continuous state of becoming as it adjusts to incremental and transformative changes in environment and technology

what gets learned from transformative efforts depends on the stage of organizational development, the perceived value of the information, and the perceived relevance of the experience

…the emergence of the learning organization derives as much from evolutionary adaptation to the environment as from revolutionary action responding to management/leadership vision and action

organizational learning is a later stage of organizational development

…places the organization within the context of its history and the cycle of stages organizations typically confront

…points out contextual influences for learning and the need to learn or to relearn from previous experience

the challenge for management/leadership is to engender a sense of urgency and to propose a vision that specifies the direction for organizational change which will result in learning (McWhinney et al., 1997)

Describing the learning choices…Describing the learning choices…

LORs represent the practices by which knowledge is acquired, disseminated, or used.

Principal characteristics of LORs...Principal characteristics of LORs...

reflect where and how knowledge is acquired, disseminated, or used

represent what is learned or considered important to learn

indicate where a work group or team makes its learning investments

described along continua of approaches determine the organizational learning style

The nine learning orientations…The nine learning orientations…

knowledge source

content-process focus

knowledge reserve dissemination mode knowledge focus

value-chain focus learning focus learning mode learning timeframe

Nine learning orientations...Nine learning orientations...

Knowledge SourceKnowledge Source: developing knowledge internally vs. acquiring knowledge developed externally

Content-Process FocusContent-Process Focus: emphasis on knowledge about what products/services are vs. knowledge about how those products/services are developed/delivered

Knowledge ReserveKnowledge Reserve: knowledge is possessed by a person vs. public knowledge

Dissemination ModeDissemination Mode: knowledge shared formally vs. knowledge shared informally

Knowledge FocusKnowledge Focus: knowledge is related to the improvement of existing procedures or services vs. knowledge is related to development of new procedures or services

Value-Chain FocusValue-Chain Focus: “design-and-make” functions vs. “market-and-deliver” functions

Learning FocusLearning Focus: the development of knowledge pertaining to individual performance vs. development of knowledge pertaining to group performance

Learning ModeLearning Mode: knowledge is generated through experience and reflection upon experience vs. abstract thinking

Learning TimeframeLearning Timeframe: an emphasis on learning that responds to immediate needs vs. learning that may have long-term use

Knowledge SourceKnowledge SourceApproachApproach: Internal/External...: Internal/External...

the extent to which an organization prefers to develop new knowledge internally or externally internal: there is a source of competitive

advantage, therefore it must be worthwhile to invest one’s own time and effort

external: there is an advantage in environmental scanning or evaluating from others

Knowledge Source Challenge...Knowledge Source Challenge...

Ask: What does the organization do well?

…the challenge is to decide whether to build upon what the organization does well or to attempt a transformation

Content-Process FocusContent-Process FocusApproachApproach: Content/Process...: Content/Process...

A preference for knowledge related to the definition of products or services as opposed to knowledge about the basic processes that might underlie or support them

content: the focus is upon the deliverables themselves

process: the focus is upon the core capabilities that can be applied to the task of developing or delivering the deliverables

Content-Process Focus Challenge...Content-Process Focus Challenge...

Ask: How does the organization approach its work?

…the challenge is to identify what knowledge fundamentally drives organizational processes

Knowledge ReserveKnowledge ReserveApproachApproach: Personal/Public...: Personal/Public...

the variations in behavior and attitudes as to the repositories of knowledge personal: knowledge is more private and

tacit, gained from education/experience or intuition

public: knowledge is defined more objectively as cultural generalizations that codify learning

Knowledge Reserve Challenge...Knowledge Reserve Challenge...

Ask: Is organizational knowledge found in people or in books?

…the challenge involves locating where the organization’s core knowledge is found

Knowledge DisseminationKnowledge DisseminationApproachApproach: Informal/Formal...: Informal/Formal...

Differences between establishing an atmosphere in which learning evolves informally and one in which a more structured, controlled approach is taken to induce learning

formal: knowledge is institutionalized through objective structures

informal: knowledge is transferred through serendipitous encounters, models/mentors, dialogue, or osmosis

Knowledge Dissemination Challenge...Knowledge Dissemination Challenge...

Ask: Are the channels through which organizational knowledge is passed formal or informal?

…the challenge requires determining not only how organizational knowledge is disseminated but also if this is the best way to disseminate organizational knowledge at this time

Knowledge FocusKnowledge FocusApproachApproach: Incremental/Transformative…: Incremental/Transformative…

the acquisition of knowledge is focused upon methods and tools that improve what is already known or being done or is focused upon knowledge that challenges the assumptions about what is already known or done

incremental: the organization seeks efficiency by taking small steps to effect the “one best way”

transformative: the organization adopts an experimental view in order to discover new ways

Knowledge Focus Challenge...Knowledge Focus Challenge...

Ask: Why are we doing this?

…the challenge is to ascertain the way knowledge is being used

A note about the “value-chain”...A note about the “value-chain”...

In the for-profit sector, every task is assessed to determine how it “adds value” in the production cycle

…because there are only a finite number of areas where an organization can be competent, competitive advantage is gained by adding value at a particular point where other organizations cannot

Value-Chain FocusValue-Chain FocusApproachApproach: Design-Make/Market-Deliver…: Design-Make/Market-Deliver…

indicates which core competences and learning investments are valued and supported design-make: knowledge related to

improving the internal factors related to the efficient delivery of goods/services

market-deliver: knowledge related to improving the external factors related to the efficient delivery of good/services

Value-Chain Focus Challenge...Value-Chain Focus Challenge...

Ask: How does each person and each stage “add value”?

…the challenge is to determine the degree of efficiency in core processes

Learning FocusLearning FocusApproachApproach: Individual/Group…: Individual/Group…

the value assigned to learning geared to individual skills development or to learning geared to team/group skills development individual: priority is given to improving

the individual’s knowledge base and skills group: priority is given to improving the

team/group knowledge base and skills

Learning Focus Challenge...Learning Focus Challenge...

Ask: What type of learning investment increases return-on-investment (ROI)?

…the challenge is to make strategic choices that develop some individual or team/group competencies at the expense of others and, then, to direct more organizational resources to those competencies which promise higher ROI

Learning ModeLearning ModeApproachApproach: Experiential/Cognitive: Experiential/Cognitive

necessary knowledge and skills are generated by reflecting upon actual practice episodes (“craft knowledge”) or by thinking about what ought to be the case (“theoretical knowledge”)

experiential: knowledge and skills are acquired by reflecting upon practice episodes

cognitive: theories of practice provide need knowledge and skills for practice episodes

Learning Mode Challenge...Learning Mode Challenge...

Ask: What kind of knowledge best serves organizational purposes?

…the challenge is to isolate the knowledge that contributes best to organizational learning

Learning TimeframeLearning TimeframeApproachApproach: Immediate Use/Long-Term Use…: Immediate Use/Long-Term Use…

emphasis is given to the learning that responds to immediate needs or to that which promises long-term utility immediate: knowledge and skills that

solve organizational problems here and now

long-term: knowledge and skills that offer solve organizational issues over the long-term

Learning Timeframe Challenge...Learning Timeframe Challenge...

Ask: Does the organization have the luxury of time?

…the challenge is identify the horizon for learning

The nine LORs and building The nine LORs and building learning capacity…learning capacity…

the nine LORs represent the critical dimensions indicating how organizational learning actually takes place……although it would be ideal for an

organization to incorporate all these learning orientations, rarely do they possess the learning capacity to do so

management/leadership must then formulate a learning portfolio and learning strategy to develop the organization’s learning capacity…

…but management/leadership must first understand those factors which facilitate organizational learning and identify the degree to which they are present or absent in the organization

This module has focused on...This module has focused on...

…the structures and actions that affect how easy or hard it is for learning to occur and the amount of effective learning that takes place

the developmental perspective

ReferencesReferences

DiBella, A. J., & Nevis, E. C. (1998). How organizations learn: An integrated strategy for building learning capability. Thousand Oaks, CA: Jossey-Bass.

McWhinney, W., Webber, J. B., Smith, D. M. , & Novokowsky, B. J. (1997). Creating paths of change: Managing issues and resolving problems in organizations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (1986). Understanding reflective practice. Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 1(4), 353-359.