Learning organisation Part 3

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5CASE STUDIES ON ABN AMRO

In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that nolonger exists

-Eric Hoffer

Netherlands former two largest banks Algemene Bank Nederland (ABN) andAmsterdam-Rotterdam Bank (AMRO) merged to form ABN AMRO Bank in1991. ABN AMRO is an international bank with roots stretching back to 1824.ABN AMRO ranks eighth in Europe and 13th in the world based on totalassets. ABN AMRO is Hollands leading bank operating over 800 offices inHolland together with 2,600 worldwide offices in 75 different countries withover 110,000 employees.

5.1 Innovation & Creativity

Innovation and Creativity is a main pillar in any Learning Organisation.Innovation and Creativity will contribute towards potential increasedefficiency in an organisation provided that its employees learn quickly how to


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adapt themselves to new technologies and innovations in an effort toposition the organisation in a competitive edge.

5.1.1 Social and Environmental InnovativeSustainability

Sustained Social and Environmental causes form an integral part of ABNAMRO Social Responsibility business strategy.The bank strives to include a

LearningOrganisation


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concern for social and environmental issues in its decision-making andencourages other businesses to create benefit in society. Through its lending

practices, the bank seeks out and supports business activities that supportsocial or environmental causes. The innovativeness of this sustainabilitymindset has led to numerous activities that are creating a shift in the impactof ABN AMRO on both the environment and society.



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5.1.2 Common Office Environment (COE) DeploymentProject

ABN AMROs COE Wholesale Client Services business brought innovation andnew practices for over 3000 Traders in the organisation with the objective of streamlining common standards across its global business. This projectimpacted 10 different countries being UK, US, Netherlands, France,



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Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Japan and New Zealand whichare key to the ABN AMROs business.

The challenge was to provide user training with minimal impact on businessoperations and without taking the user away from their desks for longperiods of time.This task was entrusted to ILX Group which is a specialistprovider of customised training and implementation solutions and serviceswith considerable experience in the financial sector.ILX deployed a simple



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and unobtrusive global solution whereby users can self train with a practicalhands-on approach from their own PC through graphical step-by-step guides

and simple exercises. This was a new learning experience for the organisation taking advantage of innovative technology as a Learning Organisation process.

5.1.3 Pathlore Learning Management Solution



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strategic training initiatives rather than wasting its resources onAdministrative tasks.

5.2 Culture

Managing Cultural Change through Learning: One of ABN AMROs majorstrategies is the acquisition of Financial Institutions such as the LaSalleNational Bank and the Cragin Federal Bank in the USA. ABN AMRO is an



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active Learning Organisation and has an aggressive program aimed tochange the traditional banking culture to meet todays challenges.

"Were going through so much change," says Director of Training JudiDavenport "that I think everybody realises we need to help people throughthat change... as people need new skills and knowledge, we need to be thereto give it to them and not let that happen by chance"



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5.3 Continuous Improvement

The ongoing success of ABN AMRO is attributed to its commitment towardsemployee learning and personal development; learning is a major priority forthe organisation. Being a dynamic and a fast growing organisation, there is



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the need for staff flexibility, staff mobility and staff adaptation to newtechnologies, practices, situations and challenges. In order to support the

personal development and career development of employees, ABN AMROoffer continuous learning programmes such as:

Job-related training

Management programs



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Leadership programs

Development Programs

Learning is an investment and an ongoing process in ABN AMRO addingvalue both to the organisation and to its employees.



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E-learning: It is an innovative learning solution and is the only way forwardfor a global Learning Organisation such as ABN AMRO where staff is

deployed worldwide.Continuous improvement is achievable through the continued upgrading of the organisational Total Quality Management practices as an ongoinglearning experience. TQM can be achieved by having a knowledgeableworkforce who continuously strives for self-improvement and through



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personal development for the benefit of both the organisation and itsemployees.

5.4 Conclusion



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It is evident that ABN AMRO is a dynamic Learning Organisation which isalways in search of new opportunities for business growth. ABN AMRO

recognises that its survival depends on continuous development andinnovation and creativity which can only be achieved through a never endinglearning experience.

The main pillars of a Learning Organisation i.e. Continuous Improvement,Culture & Innovation and Creativity are a living monument in ABN AMRO



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Bank which contributes towards the organisations success, survival andpotential future growth.



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CONCLUSION



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Like it or not, the years ahead will be an era of change and competition The only thing one can predict about the future is

change-anonyms



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The perfect Learning Organisation is not an attainable goal, it is merely a

desirable concept: there is no correct implementation of the LearningOrganisation. Every company can continuously adapt and adjust and somewill be better Learning Organisations than others, but every one of them hassomething new to learn.



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Finally it should be mentioned that the Learning Organisation is just a meansto a business goal, created to improve productivity and most importantly

profit. Quite how long this philosophy will remain fashionable is unknown.What is certain is that for any company in today's global marketplacecontinuous change and adaptation is the only way to survive.



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REFERENCES

Books

Jeffrey K. Liker, The Toyota Way, Tata McGraw-Hill Edition, NewDelhi, 2004, Pg 250- 267

Michael E. McGill, John W.Slocum, The Smarter Organisation ,JohnWiley & sons,Newyork, Inc,1994, Pg 17-21,52-53



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Peter M Senge, The Fifth discipline , Currency Doubieday, Newyork,2004,Pg 57-61,302-306, 368-372.

Richard L Daft, Organisational Theory and Design , Thomson Southwestern, Bangalore, 2004,Pg 25-29, 507-508,419-424.

Reports and Case Studies



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Peter Gerard, The Learning Organisation: A qualitative researchproject to identify best practice in the field , Humdyn, London ,

2007,Pg 4-9 . Source- www.Academy-of-rocks. co.uk Jesmond Calleja, Case studies : ABN AMRO Bank , 2008, Source www.Speedy Adverts.com



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Lourival Paulino da Silva, and Flavio Soares Correa da Silva, AFormal Model for the Fifth Discipline, University of Sao

Paulo,2002, Source www.skyrme.com

Websites

en.wikipedia.org www.see.ed.ac.uk

http://www.skyrme.com/http://www.skyrme.com/


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www.infed.org www.fieldbook.com


Documents

Learning organisation Part 3