Learning

Organizations
Saif Rahimuddin
Shin Sesthalao
Rishi Unadkat
Nihar Unadkat
MSE 608B Management of Engineering Professional
September 2, 2008

Agenda
Introduction / Agenda
References / Sources
Learning Organizations:
- Definitions / Peter Senge Concepts
- Types of Learning
- Why, How, and Who uses Learning Organizations
- Challenges in Implementing
Personal Experiences

References

Peter Senge:
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm
http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-organization.htm

David Skyrme Associates:

http://www.skyrme.com/insights/3lrnorg.htm

Edinburgh University:
http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/MENG/MEAB/lo_index.html

Society for Organizational Learning:

http://www.solonline.org/organizational_overview/

Definitions of Learning Organization

The essence of organizational learning is the organizations ability to
use the amazing mental capacity of all its members to create the kind
of processes that will improve its own (Nancy Dixon 1994)

A learning company is an organization that facilitates the learning of

all its members and continually transforms itself (M. Pedler, J.
Burgoyne and Tom Boydell, 1991)

The art and practice of the learning organization Peter Senge

A Learning Organization should be able to:

- Adapt to its external environment
- Continually enhance its capability to change
- Develop collective as well as individual learning
- Use the results of learning to achieve better results

Peter Senges Concepts of

Learning Organization

4.

Systems thinking
Personal mastery
Mental models
Building shared vision

5.

Team learning

1.
2.
3.

Peter Senges Concepts of

Learning Organization
1. Systems thinking
- Using feedback to determine areas of growth and limitations
- Advocates creating system maps to see how everything
connects
- Geared toward the long-term viewpoints / goals

2. Personal mastery
- Developing a personal vision of how things should be
- Having a realistic viewpoint of how things currently are

Peter Senges Concepts of

Learning Organization
3. Mental models
- Being able to reflect and determine what attitudes people
have and how this affects ones decision making process.
- Using this reflection to change oneself for the better
4. Building shared vision
- Having a collective vision or purpose for the entire team
- Setting team goals
5. Team learning
- Use dialogue and discussion within a team to enhance the
teams abilities so that it becomes greater than the sum of the
individuals

Types Of Learning
Four Levels of Learning are:

Level 1: Learning the process and the procedures, by knowing the

facts and gaining the knowledge of where an individual can
apply minor changes to improve the level of learning.

Level 2: Thinking outside the box, meaning learning new job skills
that would help you or your organization reach the next level,
(learning new skills that are transferable to other situations.)

Level 3: Learning to apply from past lesson of success and failures to a

more dynamic situations where the solutions need developing i.e. learning
to adapt.

Level 4: Learning to be innovative and creativity. Meaning trying to

learning how to structure the future rather than to accept and adapt the
situation that one maybe in. i.e. learning the to be self a learner.

Tools and Techniques Used To Create

A Learning Organization

v.

Provide continuous and better learning opportunities.

Use learning organization to make better choices in order reach
your goals.
Link individual performance with organizational performance.
Making it safe for people to share openly and take risks.
Embrace creative tension as a source of energy and renewal.

vi.

Techniques to use continuously be aware of the interaction with

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.

your environment.

Why should organizations become

Learning Organization

For companies to be able to adapt to changing

environments and stay ahead of their competition

To improve the workforce skill-set

To improve communication among employees

To improve morale and productivity and make the employees

feel like they are an important entity of the company.

To overcome

companies weaknesses and to utilize their

strength more efficiently

Who uses Learning Organization

Learning organization can be utilized to

any business, social, academic and
individual environments, etc

We will be focusing on:

i. Public business sector
ii. Private business sector
iii. Academic sector

Challenges In Implementing Learning

Organization

The challenges facing managers:

Effort needed to learn some of the new skill

and techniques

Getting the best out of every employee

Learning can be expensive for the company.

Its an investment, for instance ISO9000, UL,
CE

Challenges In Implementing Learning

Organization (Continue)
What if learning organization is not implemented

Overtaken by the competitors

Become inefficient

Fail to embrace new ideas and increase

productivity

Survival of the fittest

Learning Organization Example In A Public

Business Sector (City of Los Angeles)
How the City is an Learning Organization:
1. Many Departments offer tuition reimbursement for employees to
pursue higher degrees and are flexible in accommodating school schedules
2. Encourage involvement in professional organizations (e.g. ITE, IEEE,
ASCE) and obtaining professional licenses
3. City offers its own training seminars and often pays for consultants to
conduct training sessions
4. Many sections have team environments where senior members train new
hires.
5. Civil service protection and city environment allow SOME employees the
freedom to experiment and develop new technological advances

Learning Organization Example In A Public

Business Sector (City of Los Angeles)
Impediments in the City becoming a better Learning Organization:
1. Civil Service process does not effectively deal with ineffective employees
2. City bureaucracy (e.g. to order new equipment, enormous amount of paperwork
and time can be required)
3. City politics can make goals and objectives change all the time
4. Hiring / Promotion process does not always lead to the best persons being
selected.
5. Limitations in the salary structure make it difficult to retain some employees (to
create positions or make salary changes it has to be approved by the city council)
Repercussions of not becoming an Learning Organization:
If the city cannot perform a task it must seek help from the private sector. This
creates problems with exposing critical city functions or processes to outside
agencies.

Learning Organization Example In A Private

Business Sector (Software)

Learning to be self taught: Meaning leaning to learn different job skill for
different types of situations and pressure.

Learning to be absorbent: Meaning learning to be aware of the resources and

tools that you can use to help do your job.

Learning new Technical tool: Attending seminars, getting a higher education

degree be going to school. Willing to take the next step to move to the next level.

Learning to learn from your priers: showing enthusiasm to your co-works who
have been working for the company for 10 to 15 years and showing the
willingness to learn from them.

Learning to be creative to new situations and showing willingness to adapt to it.

Learning Organization Example In A

Private Business Sector (Hardware)

Learning is a necessity and a way of life

Engineers have to be up to date and
always one step ahead of their competitors
Competition between engineers within the
company
Constant work load and pressure
Project dead-lines, traveling, customer
service

Learning Organization Example In A

Private Business Sector (Hardware)

Learning curve is very steep

Working extra overtime hours with no pay

Need to be adaptive to the pressurized and stressful

environment.

Learning is encouraged where companies offer full

re-imbursement, sometimes offer 50% reimbursement and certain cases dont offer reimbursement at all.

Learning Organization Example In A

Academic Sector (Studying)

Instructor roles as manager

To be a better team, Using the 5 disciplines of Peter

Senge

Using Learning Organization tools and techniques

Learning Organizations concepts is fit to Academic

Sector

No Barrier from different graduation levels

Barriers from different cultures

THANK YOU
ANY QUESTIONS