Learning Organizations

Learning Organizations

Osman Bayraktar
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-0058-3.ch016
OnDemand:
(Individual Chapters)
Available
$33.75
List Price: $37.50
10% Discount:-$3.75
TOTAL SAVINGS: $3.75

Abstract

The most important factor that protects organizations from solidifying is knowledge. In an organization, knowledge is produced by people and these people learn. However, learning alone is not sufficient for the success of the organization. For a lasting and sustainable process, organizational learning is required. The basic condition for the realization of organizational learning is the existence of an atmosphere that encourages individuals to learn. In the organizations that provide the necessary atmosphere for learning, both the individual's learning capacity increases, and learning as a team takes place in the organization. In this study, first, knowledge, knowledge types, individual learning, organizational learning, levels of learning, and learning organization concepts are covered. Second, different models for realizing the learning organization structure are narrated. Last, some examples from learning organization practices are mentioned.
Chapter Preview
Top

Introduction

Knowledge is the most important factor to put forwards the organizations in the competition. However, the competitiveness of knowledge depends on the environmental conditions. The knowledge, that the employees need to have alterations as the environmental conditions of the business and the technology it operates with changes. Although machine learning is mentioned, in business, actually people learn, and decide what will be uploaded to the machines, what will they know and apply these decisions of theirs.

Organizations that do not give the necessary reactions to the changes in a timely manner solidify and lose their vitality. The most important factor that protects organizations from solidifying is knowledge. In an organization, knowledge is produced by people and these people learn. However, learning alone is not sufficient for the success of the organization. For a lasting and sustainable process, organizational learning is required. The basic condition for the realization of organizational learning is the existence of an atmosphere that encourages individuals to learn. In the organizations that provide the necessary atmosphere for learning, both the individuals’ learning capacity increase and learning as a team takes place in the organization. Organizations, where organizational learning takes place, become a learning organization. For these organizations, learning transforms into organizational processes that reproduce itself transcending the individuals.

Key Terms in this Chapter

Explicit Knowledge: It is codified information and data that is written down and can be easily understood and decoded by the recipient.

Learning About: To have information about a subject only at the mental level. Learning about does not produce the ability to put it into use.

Organizational learning: A process in which managers and employees within an organization learn to deal with new situations and problems and so become more skilled and experienced.

Learning Organization: It is an organization skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.

Tacit Knowledge: It is knowledge that is stored in every person through his/her experiences, emotions, intuitions and observations. Tacit knowledge is knowledge which we do not have words to describe.

Learning to Be: Learning to be able to transfer a subject to the application.

Complete Chapter List

Search this Book:
Reset