Lecture 5 organisational learning

Jashapara, Knowledge Management: An Integrated Approach, 2nd Edition, © Pearson Education Limited 2011

Slide 5.1

Analysis 1: Evidence and the Nature of Knowledge in the Digital Age

Topic: Organisational Learning

Topic Number: 5


Slide 5.2

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• To explain common theories on how we learn as individuals

• To describe the difference between discussion and dialogue in team learning

• To distinguish between processes of knowledge acquisition, information distribution, information interpretation and organisational memory

• To assess the role of politics in organisational learning


Slide 5.3

Questions to Think During the Session

• How do you learn best as an individual?

• Have you ever explored your learning style?

• If so, how would you describe your optimal learning?


Slide 5.4

KOLB’S (1984) LEARNING CYCLE

Figure 5.1 The Lewinian experiential learning model (Kolb 1984)


Slide 5.5

HOW DO WE LEARN IN ORGANISATIONS?

‘There is something paradoxical here. Organizations are not merely collections of individuals, yet there are no organizations without such collections. Similarly, organizational learning is not merely individual learning, yet organizations learn through the experience and actions of individuals. What then, are we to make of organizational learning? What is an organization that it may learn?’


Slide 5.6

ORGANISATIONAL LEARNINGSINGLE- AND DOUBLE-LOOP LEARNING

• Behavioural learning – ‘single-loop learning’ involves maintaining an organisation’s ‘theory-in-use’

• Cognitive learning – ‘double-loop learning’ involves questioning assumptions and values


Slide 5.7

SUCCESS & FAILURE: WHAT DRIVES OL?

Figure 5.3 Success and failure in organisations


Slide 5.8

SENSEMAKING

• Making sense of ambiguous situations of high complexity and uncertainty e.g. nuclear attack

• Involves process of ‘situational awareness’ to understand linkages between people, placesand events

• Allows inferences to be made of future scenarios• Lack of situational awareness is primary factor

affecting human error


Slide 5.9

SENSEMAKING (CONTINUED)

• Use mental models from previous experiences• ‘Cognitive gap’ between mental models and new

observations or circumstances• World is different from expectations• Meaning arises from labelling and characterisation –

socially defined• Not about truth or accuracy but updating plausible

stories through dialogue• Identity shapes our mental models and actions


Slide 5.10

SENSEMAKING (CONTINUED)

Figure 5.4 Sensemaking and situational awareness


Slide 5.11

ORGANISATIONAL LEARNINGHuber (1991)

• Knowledge acquisition

• Information distribution

• Information interpretation

• Organisational memory


Slide 5.12

KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION

• Congenital learning• Experiential learning (experiments, self-appraisal,

unintentional, learning curve)• Vicarious learning• Grafting• Searching and noticing (scanning, focused search,

performance monitoring)


Slide 5.13

INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION

• Links with organisational communication• Probability that A will rout information to B (member or

unit)• Probability of delay in routing information by A to B• Probability and extent of information distortion by A

when communicating to B


Slide 5.14

INFORMATION INTERPRETATION

• Cognitive maps and framing• Media richness – variety of cues medium can convey

and rapidity of feedback• Information overload – detracts from effective

interpretation• Unlearning – discarding obsolete and misleading

knowledge


Slide 5.15

ORGANIZATIONAL MEMORY

• Personnel turnover results in loss of organisational memory

• Non-anticipation of future needs means that memory may not be stored

• Who has the information I want?• Storing and retrieving information• Computer-based organisational memory


Slide 5.16

REALIST CONCEPTION OF OL

• Gunpowder has the ‘necessary power’ to explode but does not explode. Needs ‘contingent condition’ of a spark to explode

• Necessary power : Experiential learning, vicarious learning, congenital learning, organisational memory, learning curves

• Contingent condition: Unlearning, information interpretation, information distribution, experimenting organisations


Slide 5.17

UNLEARNING (Hedberg, 1981)

• ‘Unlearning is a process through which learners discard knowledge. Unlearning makes way for new responses and mental maps’

• Challenge and negate processes to unlearn world views

• Challenge and negate connections between stimuli and responses

• Challenge and negate connections between responses


Slide 5.18

ORGANISATIONAL ROUTINES(Cohen & Bacdayan, 1994)

• ‘Organizational routines-multi-actor, interlocking, reciprocally triggered sequences of action are a major source of the reliability and speed of organizational performance’

• Sub-optimal performance when applied to inappropriate situations

• Link to procedural memory and skill and habit• Example of ‘single-loop’ learning?


Slide 5.19

ORGANISATIONAL ROUTINES (CONTINUED)

Figure 5.10 Organisational routines (adapted from Cohen and Bacdayan 1994; Feldman and Rafaeli 2002)


Slide 5.20

DYNAMIC CAPABILITY(Zollo & Winter, 2002)

• ‘…is a learned and stable pattern of collective activity through which the organisation systematically generates and modifies its routines in pursuit of improved effectiveness’

• Double-loop learning?• Learning mechanisms (experience, knowledge

articulation and codification) lead to dynamic capabilities which, in turn, lead to evolution of operating routines


Slide 5.21

SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE OF OL(Gherardi & Nicolini, 2001)

• Learning takes place through interactions between people shaped by cultural norms

• Social and political processes impact on organisation’s ability to absorb new knowledge and practices

• Similarities with social capital?


Slide 5.22

ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY

• Ability of organisations to absorb and apply new knowledge

• Capacity to learn and solve problems• Knowledge capacity driven by high previous

experience, diversity and commonality• Knowledge capability driven by problem solving and

knowledge transfer abilities• Gatekeepers important to transfer knowledge across

boundaries


Slide 5.23

ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY (CONTINUED)

Figure 5.11 Absorptive capacity processes


Slide 5.24

POLITICS & OL

Figure 5.12 Politics and organisational learning (adapted from Coopey and Burgoyne2000; Jashapara 2003; Vince 2001)


Slide 5.25

Reading and preparatory work to be done

Read:• Jashapara, A. (2011) “ Knowledge Management:

An Integrated Approach” Pearson Education, Chapter 5

Work to be done before the seminar:• Carry out all the reading above• Answer the questions on the handout• Bring your work to the seminar

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Slide 5.26

Essential work for next week

• Please consult the OLE for details of:– Essential readings*– Seminar/workshop preparation work*– Recommended further readings– Any additional learning

* Essential readings and preparation work must always be completed in time for the next session

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Slide 5.27

End of presentation

© Pearson College 2013

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Lecture 5 organisational learning