Learning Organizations

Learning Organizations

Sean Phelps

In today’s ever-changing environment, the ability for a company to adapt and make changes to its business plan, marketing structure, or product lines is a crucial key for success. An organization that has mastered this ability is commonly known as a learning organization. With the ever increasing markets stretching globally, the need for an organization to be a “learning organization” continues to grow. Tremaine & Seligman (2013) state that in 2011 alone, companies spent over 156 billion in employee learning to help build up their workforces adaptability. According to Greenburg (2011) a learning organization is one that has set aside the mentality of “this is the way we have always done this” and looks at the free sharing of ideas across the company to help generate not only improvements to the current operating procedures but the overall plan for achieving their new goals.

While stating, that as an organization, you are going to start down the path of being a learning organization is simple, the actual process however is anything but simple. Garvin (2008) discusses how many organizations think that as long as they articulate a clear vision, provide incentives for their employees, and provide training to everyone in the organization, they have adopted a culture that is the same as a learning organization. Garvin (2008) argue that not only is that mindset incorrect, but it can be risky for the organization when they find out later that they are not as adaptable to changes in the environment as they thought. Garvin (2008) goes on to explain that research over the span of twenty years has identified the 3 following factors, which they have deemed building blocks, which are crucial for a learning organization:

1. A supportive learning environment

2. Concrete learning processes and practices

3. Leadership behavior that provides reinforcement.

Similar to Garvin, Greenburg (2011) also sees 3 factors...