Organisational Learning and Effectiveness

Citation

Denton, J. (1999), "Organisational Learning and Effectiveness", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 20 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/lodj.1999.02220daf.003

Organisational Learning and Effectiveness

John DentonRoutledgeLondon237p.ISBN 0-415-19215-3£18.99

Keywords: Organizational learning, Learning styles, Leadership

Learning, encompassing change, adaptability and the utilisation of new knowledge, is increasingly seen as crucial to the success of organisations; Dixon (1992) calls learning ‘‘the critical competency of the 1990’s’’ that will undoubtedly lead to competitive advantage. Yet, what to learn and how to learn, are issues that have not been fully resolved in management theory, and this is the very pragmatic focus of organisational learning and effectiveness.

Before dwelling on the what and how, however, Denton takes the reader on a journey into the antecedents of the learning organisation, as he presents the very convincing case to anyone still unsure of the need for organisations to learn. Using a six part model, he argues that a confluence of circumstances has transpired to create the environment in which becoming a learning organisation is ‘‘almost an imperative’’. These antecedents include the shift in the importance of labour relative to the capital in the production process, the acceptance of knowledge as a prime source of competitive advantage, the increasing pace of change, dissatisfaction with existing management paradigms, increasing competitive business environments and increasingly demanding customers. Discussion of these factors within the opening chapters of the book is followed by an explanation of the filters through which knowledge regarding organisational learning is communicated to senior managers.

The next stage in the journey is the introduction of the five case companies (including 3M and Coca-Cola Schweppes Beverages Limited) that form the basis of much of the rest of the exploration of organisational learning. Assessment is made of the way each organisation approaches organisational learning and each case study is considered in terms of three dimensions: strategy, structure and culture. Material derived from interviews with managers and employees leads to the conclusion that organisational learning can take widely differing formats.

The case studies thus described are then used as a foundation for an in-depth discussion on ‘‘Best Practice in Organisational Learning’’. Within this chapter, a model of best practice is developed and the five case studies assessed in their respective attempts to achieve best practice. This is followed by examining the role that leadership plays in developing organisational learning and again, this is studied in respect of the case companies. The latest trends in leadership, such as self-managing teams, transformational leadership, corporate clusters and delayering, are discussed and their implications for learning organisations are considered.

The main strength of this seven-part text, is its reliance not just on theory and lofty ideals, but on a pragmatic approach based on the practices of major successful companies. The book will be of interest to those managers or practitioners who are either beginning to recognise the importance of organisational learning or who want to understand best practice and how to apply it to their own organisation.