LEARNING ORGANIZATION

Analysis of Learning Organization

Analysis of Learning Organization

Introduction

Learning organization refers to "an organization skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights" (Garvin, 1993, p. 80). A learning organization involves an environment in which organizational learning in an organization is structured so that teamwork, collaboration, creativity, and knowledge processes have a collective meaning and value.

The learning organization is a relatively recent development, becoming popularized with Peter Senge's book, The Fifth Discipline, published in 1990. The interest in organizational learning has deep roots going back decades, with more contemporary developments beginning in the 1970s with Don Michael's 1973 book On Learning to Plan - And Planning to Learn and Argyris and Schon's 1978 book Organizational Learning: A Theory of Action Perspective (Senge, 1990). Since the publication of these books, and as knowledge has been increasingly recognized as a strategically significant resource of organizations and a means of maintaining competitive advantage, numerous articles and books related to organizational learning and the learning organization have been published. Given the large number of articles, and books relating to the topic, interest in the learning organization are continuing to grow and the theory, concepts, and practices of the learning organization are developing in significance and credibility (Watkins, 2003).

Much of the discourse related to the learning organization has been located within the fields of industry, business and management in response to the needs, to adapt and respond to change resulting from rapid technological advances, fierce competition, the explosion of information and knowledge and the need for continual improvement, to compete (Senge, 1990).

The learning organization is concerned with effectively and efficiently applying new knowledge and technologies and adapting to change through individual, team and organizational learning. It will regularly question its statements and assessment its objectives in the light of some its own experience and changes in the external environment.

Organizational Factors Impacting Evidence Based Practice Implementation

Rosenheck (2001) sees 'organizational process as a largely unaddressed barrier and a potential bridge between research and practice' (p. 1608). Organizational factors have been emerging in the literature of EBP implementation as having a significant impact on, and being impacted by, implementation of evidence-based programs and interventions. They have been found to be present within all stages of implementation and interacting with core implementation components and influence factors throughout the stages.

Exploration and Adoption Stage

The first stage of implementation, exploration and adoption, begins when the potential adopter (individual, group, organization or community) seeks out, acquires, or is otherwise exposed to an evidence-based practice and assesses the potential match between community needs, evidence-based practice, and community resources. Adoption occurs when the potential adopter has made a choice to proceed with implementation. It is often assumed that the decision-makers will act rationally based on the evidence presented to them; however, decisions whether or not to adopt an evidence-based practice is influenced by emotions, perceptions and cognitions. 'Many new technologies are adopted for extraneous reasons independent of empirical validation or in the absence of such ...