1. Describe in detail what a learning organization is and why it is critical to the competitive success of most firms today. A learning organization is an organization that strives to obtain knowledge, then uses that knowledge to help introduces new methods, ideas, or products in order to remain fiercely competitive in a rapidly changing environment. The 4 skill sets of learning organizations are: • Systematic approach to problem solving • Experimenting with new approaches • Learning and improving from past mistakes • Quick dissemination of knowledge gaining Due to the constant shifting competition, this method has proven to be very successful to several large firms throughout the World. “An organization’s ability to learn and …show more content…
Logical incrementalism is a combination of the planning, adaptive and to some degree the entrepreneurial approaches toward strategic decision making. The idea behind this method is to have defined missions and objectives, but use a ‘fluid’ strategy to develop based on debate, discussion, and experimentation to achieve those missions and objectives. I believe logical incrementalism is the most strategic choice. Today’s economy is constantly changing and this method allows the strategy to form based on debate, discussion and experimentation. The strategy is devopled over a course of time and is not committed to any one course of action. (Wheelen, Hoffman, Hunger and Bamford, 2015) 3. What strategic value do external and internal environmental scanning activities provide to businesses? Environmental scanning is used to identify strategic factors that assist with the analysis in deciding the strategic decisions of a corporation. It’s important for a firm to know the world in which it operates, whether internally or externally. External environmental scanning can help identify opportunities and threats. The external environment includes: natural, societal, and the task environment. An internal environmental scan helps identify strengths and weaknesses of an organization. The internal environment includes: structure, culture, and resources. Opportunities and threats are uncontrollable factors
The Processual approach is really talking about strategy emerging from the many different day-to-day decisions taken by the staff. It’s incremental, in that it is occurring by being added to with each decision taken. Each decision taken is based on what seems like the best thing to do at the time; and really, only by looking back can you see the pattern – the strategy – being followed by the organisation.
2. Give your opinion on the current Organizational Learning Mechanism(s) (OLMs) that hinder organizational learning. Support your response with one (1) example of a training or learning initiative (e.g., sharing knowledge, training programs, working as a team, experiences, procedures, processes, etc.) and the outcome when it was applied to the organization.
Many companies are very keen and ready to clinch Work Base Learning in an organization, not mainly because it provide you with lifelong learning, but also it is an important ingredient of what Senge (1990) has termed as the ‘learning organization’. A learning organization is a place in which the learning and flair of persons is backed and promoted so that the organization itself be able to form its future and it also very important to gain competitive advantage.
For most companies, identifying what a learning organization should be and actually becoming one is tricky at best, impossible at worst. One way that manager's and companies can promote the concept of being a learning organization is to assess whether the company is in need of a short-term fix or whether it is more focused on long-term results. Organizational learning is a long-term activity that will build competitive advantage over time and requires sustained management attention, commitment, and effort. Learning organizations maximize their competitive positions during strong economic times and they prudently train their employees and prepare for change even in turbulent times. As a result, learning organizations and learning
Linear strategy agrees with Ansoff (1987) about focusing on future planning. Adaptive strategy includes goal setting and planning and looks at how strategy can form in unpredictable environments. Interpretive strategy uses frames as references that make
There are many interpretations as to what defines a learning organization. But taking the sage
Just as students are learning at Post, organizations and the personnel within them need to continue to learn. Organizations need to continue to refine processes and focus on innovation. Organizational learning gives companies the ability to create, remember, and share knowledge within an organization. In order for an organization to be an effective learner they need to make it a focus on everyday work, practice it through all levels of the organization, create a focus on the creation, retention and transfer of knowledge through the organization, and solve problems where they begin, Organizational learning provides an opportunity to effect positive change throughout the organization. A company that is an organizational learner is one that is innovative, continually refining its processes and learns from its mistakes. Personal learning within an organization greatly enhances the organizations core competencies. It can be done through education and training programs. Such programs consist of schooling, training seminars, mentorships and on
I believe that Organizational learning is an area of expertise within an organizational system that studies models and philosophies about the method an organization understands and acclimates (Vasenska, 2013); Organization-wide on going logic which heightens its collective ability to accept, make sense of, and respond to internal and external change. Organizational learning is more than the totality of the intelligence understood by employees. It involves orderly
Batool, H., & Riaz, S. (2011). Factors for making an organization ‘a learning organization’. Retrieved on August 26, 2011, from http://www.trikal.org/ictbm11/pdf/OB/D1132-done.pdf
Week 9 lecture on Individual learning we came across that in an organization learning derives from the individual learning from each member of the organization. Consequently, individual learning is crucial for organizational learning. Learning is defined as gaining knowledge or skill. Thus, learning incorporates two meaning 1) knowing how-to which is implies the ability to act and 2) Know-why, which shows the
Organizational learning promotes: adaptability, participation and information openness. Consequently, not only employee performance will be enhanced, but also the increase of organizations effectiveness and efficiency.
In his book The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge emphasizes his model of a "learning organization," which he defines as "an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future." A learning organization excels at both adaptive learning and generative learning.
There are various schools of strategy that have been vigorously debated on and after a consolidated effort; three schools of strategy were produced. They are the planning school, the positional school, and the resource based school of strategy (Ritson, 2013). All these strategies will be described with examples to buttress each.
An organization’s capability to learn and convey that learning into action quickly, is the supreme competitive advantage. The learning organization is the structure that eases the realization of such competitive advantage, it empowers employees, it deepens and enhances the customer experience and cooperation with main business partners and eventually improves business performance. Organizational learning is considered as the suitable process to develop knowledge resources and capabilities/core competencies (human capital, social capital and organizational capital) that engender ongoing values; which in turn yield persistence superior performance; which lead to sustainable competitive advantage within the context of the strategic management.
Peter Senge is a Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the author of the widely-acclaimed book The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization (1990). He can be said to be responsible for the popularity of the concept of a ‘learning organization’ today.