BUILDING A LEARNING

ORGANIZATION
David A. Garvin

LEARNING ORGANIZATION
A learning organization is an organization skilled at
creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at
modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and
insights
New ideas are essential if learning is to take place
Without accompanying changes in the way that work gets
done, only the potential for improvements exist

ORGANIZATION AND
QUALITIES
Meaning
Plausible, well grounded definition, actionable
and easy to apply.
Management
Clear guidelines for practice, filled with
operational advice rather than high aspirations.
Measurement
Tools for assessing organizations rate and level
of learning to ensure gains have been made.

ORGANIZATION AND
QUALITIES
Three distinct stages.
Cognitive
Exposed to new ideas, expand their knowledge and
begin to think differently.

Behavioral
Employees internalize new insights and alter
behavior.

Performance Improvement
Changes in behavior leading to measurable
improvements in results.

BUILDING BLOCKS

Systematic Problem Solving

Experimentation
Learning from Past Experience
Learning from others.
Transferring knowledge
Measuring learning
Each is accompanied by a distinctive mindset, tool
kit and pattern of behavior.

SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM
SOLVING
Rely on scientific method for diagnosing

problems plan, do, check, act

Data
Statistical analysis

Generating ideas and collecting information

Reaching consensus
Analyzing and displaying data
Planning actions

EXPERIMENTATION
On-going programs
Series of small experiments
Steady flow of new ideas
Incentive system
Need managers and employees trained in
evaluating and performing experiments

EXPERIMENTATION
Demonstration Projects
First projects to embody principles and
approaches company hopes to adopt on a larger
scale
Establish policy guidelines and decision rules
for later projects
Encounter severe tests of commitment from
employees (testing rule change)
Limited impact on rest of organization (until
implemented)

LEARNING FROM PAST

EXPERIENCE
Companies revive successes and failures.
Assessment done systematically and in an

open and accessible forum

Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it

LEARNING FROM OTHERS

Most powerful insights come from looking

outside ones immediate environment to gain

a new perspective
SIS-Steal ideas shamelessly
Benchmarking
Ongoing investigation and learning experience
that ensures the best industry practices are
uncovered, analyzed, adapted and implemented.

TRANSFERRING
KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge must be spread quickly and

efficiently throughout the organization

Maximum impact when shared broadly

Written reports
Oral reports
Site visits and tours
Personnel rotation programs
Standardization programs
Education and training programs

MEASURING LEARNING
If you cant measure it, you cant manage

it
Actual data comparision
Learning or experience curves.
Incomplete measures, ignore other competitive
variables, like quality, delivery or new product
introductions

CONCLUSION
Learning organizations foster an

environment that is conducive to learning

Learning organizations open up boundaries
and stimulate the exchange of ideas