LEARNING THEORIES

Learning Theories

Learning Theories

Introduction

In Learning in Action, David Garvin defines the process of learning (corporatism) and its type, which is inextricably linked to the process of facing the challenges posed for organizations to establish or follow their paradigm of lifelong learning (the including the action itself). Learning, he says, is an innate condition and can be obtained through the action. Learning is the most natural of activities. It is an essential part of human experience, something that we as individuals make it through or over our lives. But more often than we think our progress as learners go unnoticed or unattended. It is as if suddenly, magically one day we are ignorant, and last time we suddenly realize we have a wealth of new knowledge.

Just as in the individuals that currently face the challenges of training not only to gain new abilities and skills to compete in the workplace, but in order to manage in everyday life and to overcome or live with uncertainty representing the rapid changes that technology has impressed in all areas, and corporations, businesses and organizations of all sizes face the same kind of need. They are also in the midst of massive transformations that require renewal and growth. For this reason many of them have taken the train of learning, where one of the most obvious and common expressions (in countries like the U.S.) has been education and training funded by large corporations (Garvin, 2000).

The author emphasizes how organizations can improve the management of knowledge and information as key to the success of management. One of the characteristics of successful organizations today, he says, is its ability to improve performance on the basis of learning. Learning in Action seeks to raise a discussion about not only the types of learning needed to succeed, but also techniques to manage the process. As such, presents options to the ...