Learning organization

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A learning organization ( LO ) describes an adaptable organization that reacts to external and internal stimuli . The term is used in organizational development (OE).

Definitions

Reinhardt and Schweiker differentiate between organizations that are capable of learning and organizations that are capable of learning. This distinction arises from the fact that the ability to learn does not necessarily result in innovations. Learning about isolation, withdrawal, resignation or resistance (Wagner & Saar) is also conceivable. The degree of an organization's ability to learn is called organizational intelligence.

A learning organization is ideally a system that is constantly in motion. Events are taken as suggestions and used for development processes in order to adapt the knowledge base and scope for action to the new requirements. This is based on an open and individualized organization that allows and supports innovative problem solving. Mechanisms that support such learning processes are (see Frieling):

  • clear visions, common goal setting processes, orientation towards the benefit of the customer
  • Ability to cooperate and resolve conflicts, mutual trust and team spirit
  • Process orientation and self-regulation in groups
  • Democratic and participatory leadership style , support for new ideas (especially through leadership), idea management, integration of personnel and organizational development
  • Rewarding commitment and tolerance for mistakes in risky projects
  • Ability to (self-) observation and prognosis (well-functioning information and communication systems - quick and precise overview of the effects of the most important processes)

Learning organization according to Senge

Peter M. Senge

Peter M. Senge was director of the Center for Organizational Learning at MIT Sloan School of Management and director of the Society for Organizational Learning, SoL . He became known around 1990 with his book The Fifth Discipline , in which he coined the term of the learning organization .

Senge takes the position that five skills ( disciplines ) must be mastered in order to develop learning organizations:

Personal Mastery - individual growth

Personal Mastery describes the discipline of self-management and personality development. Formative is the continuous striving for expansion, development, but also recurring reflection of one's own individual abilities, which in turn can have an influence on the work of the individual in the organization. For Senge, the focus is on people, while increasing performance is a positive side effect for the organization. Personal Mastery must be understood as a lifelong process.

Elements of Personal Mastery are

  • personal vision
  • Keeping creative tension
  • compassion
  • Commitment to truth
  • Use of the subconscious
  • Commitment to the bigger picture
  • Openness to the possibilities
  • Integration of intuition and reason
  • Recognize connectedness with the world

It is important in the discipline of the Personal Mastery that everyone internalizes and implements the elements independently and of their own volition. The implementation of the Personal Mastery in the organization is determined by the cultural background that is anchored in it.

Mental Models - mental models

Mental models refer to critical reflections that unconsciously, unquestioningly and often implicitly contain basic assumptions. Individual action is actively controlled by the intended mental models. The function of the mental models is to bring the inner conception of the nature of things to the surface. At the same time, mental models form an unconscious or hidden philosophy of life . With regard to the learning organization, mental models are mainly used to bring about constant reflection for learning processes . In practice, when working with mental models, attempts should be made to overcome the basic diseases of a hierarchy .

A central competence of specialists and managers is the ability to continuously reflect on one's own thinking while taking action. In doing so, principles must be determined, such as openness and performance, which must be accepted by the employees. These should serve to change decision-making processes so that employees can discuss their perspectives and discuss them productively.

An essential basis of learning is based on understanding one's own mental models. This leads to the realization that the world is perceived through one's own mental models, is always incomplete and unsystematic. They are institutionalized in organizations through infrastructures that are intended to facilitate planning and thus the learning process of management work. The core of the discipline of mental models: recognizing the differences and leaps in abstraction, revealing the left column and the balance between exploring and representing your own point of view. The most important mental models are shared by the decision makers to enable the development of an organization.

Shared visioning - shared vision

The common vision is bundled in a picture that is capable of intrinsically motivating many people and clearly showing a common goal. The various personal visions can create synergy effects that ultimately lead to an overall picture that is fully supported by all members of an organization. The vision envelops an organization, it "[...] is at the same time the helm that keeps the learning process on the right course when stress occurs" (p. 229).

According to Senge , a common vision promotes: creativity, experimentation, courage. It forces new ways of acting and thinking , is meaningful and cannot be inoculated, but must be exemplified.

A common vision arises from several personal visions. The exact origin within the organization is irrelevant and does not have to be top-down . "The art of visionary leadership consists in turning personal visions into common ones." (P. 232).

The Personal Mastery is expanded in the area of ​​shared vision through collective ambition and commitment. A shared vision can generate creative tension (see Personal Mastery), which in turn can lead to more creative and innovative handling of problems.

People have different attitudes towards a common vision. Apathy and non-consent on the one hand and the consent, participation and commitment of a person on the other hand must not be confused with one another. While consent only means following work instructions (“[The employee] does what is expected” (p. 239)), a participation supports the vision and is part of it, commitment is the pursuit of the vision with the creation of all necessary structures for its realization ("Those who are committed do more than just obey the 'rules of the game'. They are responsible for the game." (P. 241)).

Team learning - learning in a team

When Team Learning the phenomenon of so-called. "Alignment" can be observed. This means the union of individuals to form a group or organization. The function as a unit is essentially determined by the alignment of the different forces within the group. If the forces act synergistically, the willingness of the group to perform can be greater than the sum of the individual parts. In this way, the team pursues a common purpose and a common vision.

Suitable methods are, for example, dialogue according to David Bohm or interactive mind mapping according to Tony Buzan . The dialogue should include respect, acceptance and openness in order to strive for a common vision. A moderator facilitates and promotes this process.

Systems Thinking - thinking in systems

Repairs that accidentally fail

Through a holistic view of the system, i.e. thinking in terms of systems , the mechanisms of action and the expected behavior are described in a symbolic , formal language . As a result, typical behavior patterns ( system archetypes ) can be recognized, discussed and processed. With the methods of System Dynamics , the systems can then be simulated and possible behavior predicted. Simple examples are fixes that fail (failed objectives), shifting the burden (problem shifts) or accidental adversaries (unwanted opposition). Systems theory , in particular sociological systems theory and cybernetics, flow into this discipline .

In his basic work, Senge names the 11 “laws of the fifth discipline” using 11 rather metaphorical formulas, such as: B. "The more you try, the worse it gets", "The most convenient way out is usually a revolving door", "Faster is slower" or "You can eat the cake and keep it - just not at the same time". Furthermore, he draws on circles of causality and feedback mechanisms to explain the systemic mechanisms, and names two archetypes as the basic structures of nature that describe mechanisms in (learning) organizations: Archetype 1: The limits of growth and Archetype 2: The problem displacement.

All 5 disciplines are required to develop a learning organization. The disciplines support each other and the capabilities of the organization are gradually increased in a development process.

Organizational memory

The term "learning organization" is misleading in that it is not the organization that learns , but the working people within the organization. Based on this finding, Walsh and Ungson explain that there are six sources of information in organizations that can provide the information necessary for learning. They summarize these six sources as the organizational memory :

  1. the culture of the organization
  2. Production process:
    The production process contains information that can be used for learning. The Deming cycle typical of the quality movement is an example of this.
  3. Structures:
    The units of an organization are full of specialist knowledge; for example, by interviewing a group of the technical relief organization, this knowledge can be made available to other groups.
  4. Physical structure:
    The physical structure, i.e. where which unit of the organization is physically located relative to others, provides information about the relationships between the units and their mutual dependencies.
  5. external archives:
    sources of information outside the organization, internet, libraries, official archives, etc.
  6. Individuals:
    People in the organization have their own mental models. These can be communicated or determined by observation.

See also

literature

  • Chris Argyris, Donald A. Schön: The learning organization: Basics, methods, practice, Klett-Cotta, 1999, ISBN 978-3-608-91890-8 (English original edition was published in 1996 under the title Organizational Learning II. Theory, Method, and Practice at Addison-Wesley).
  • Gerald Lembke (2004): The learning organization as the basis of a company capable of development. Tectum; Marburg; ISBN 3-8288-8712-0 .
  • Peter Kline, Bernard Saunders: Ten Steps to a Learning Organization. The practice book. Junfermann, Paderborn 1996, ISBN 3-87387-164-5 .
  • Dietrich von der Oelsnitz, Martin Hahmann: knowledge management. Strategy and learning in the organization. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2003.

Web links

Individual references and sources

  1. ^ R. Reinhardt & U. Schweiker: Organizations capable of learning: Systems without limits? Theoretical framework and practical consequences. In: H. Geißler (Hrsg.): Organizational learning and further training: The strategic answer to the challenge of the future. Luchterhand, Neuwied 1995.
  2. ↑ RH Wagner and GW Saar: In which, hand luggage of the innovator - a selection of tool theories for the everyday manager. In: RH Wagner (Ed.): Hogrefe, Göttingen 1995.
  3. ^ Ekkehart Frieling & U. Reuther (ed.): The learning company. Documentation of a symposium on May 6, 1993 in Munich (series: studies of corporate further training research ). Neres Verlag, Bochum 1993.
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Peter M. Senge: The fifth discipline. Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. Klett-Cotta, 11th edition 2011
  5. ↑ Peter M. Senge, A. Kleiner and C. Roberts (eds.): The Fieldbook for the 'Fifth Discipline'. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1996.
  6. ↑ JP Walsh and GR Ungson (1991): Organizational Memory, Academy of Management Review, Volume 16, pp. 57-91; Quoted in: Kevin Daniels (2002): Putting Process into Strategy, The Open University, Milton Keynes, ISBN 0-7492-9273-3 .