How Organizations Learn: The Capability Perspective

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How Organizations Learn The
Capability Perspective
MPA 8002 The Structure and Theory of Human
Organization Richard M. Jacobs, OSA, Ph.D.
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Organizational life is not conducive to learning

• barriers to learning exist within the
  organization due to the fundamental, conflicting
  ways in which individuals have been trained and
  their subsequent interactions

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The concept...

• the capability perspective

the process by which managers/leaders foster the
development of behaviors which build an
organizational culture characterized by learning
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• learning is innate to all organizations it
  represents a pluralistic view toward
  organizational learning

because there is no one best way for
organizations to learn
and the learning processes need to be embedded
in the organizations structure and culture
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• management/leadership needs to understand what
  those learning process are?how, where, and what
  gets learned?and to expand the potential for the
  organization to learn

by considering how the learning styles within
the organization conflict with or complement one
another
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Developing an integrated learning strategy...

• First step to identify the organizations
  predominant learning style

• Second step to develop a learning portfolio

• Third step to chart a corporate learning
  strategy that brings strategy and learning into
  alignment through a learning charter

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Developing an integrated learning strategy...

• First step to identify the organizations
  predominant learning style

a learning style is an acquired capability which
is a function of how an organization currently
engages in learning
organizations have different learning styles
that evolve and vary over time
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organizations can be successful in using one or
a set of learning styles
the correct learning style depends upon
appropriate management/leadership, organizational
strategy, market conditions, and performance
demand
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Identifying an organizations predominant
learning style...
Organizational Typology 3
Organizational Typology 4
Quadrant _4_
Quadrant _3_
LOR ___
Quadrant _1_
Quadrant _2_
Organizational Typology 1
Organizational Typology 2
LOR ___
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A thought experiment
Using LORs to identify predominant learning
styles of organizations
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Example 1 Typical organizational learning styles
LOR 1
LOR 5
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external
knowledge source
internal
knowledge focus
transformative
incremental
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The organization learns because in some way
experience does not match desire, so needed
adjustments are made
The organization learns by using its competence
and capabilities to generate deliverables that
transform the market
The organization makes incremental changes or
improvements to deliverables based upon
knowledge acquired externally
The organization acquires what has been learned
by others and incorporates those learnings into
its operations
external
acquisition
adaptation
knowledge source
correction
innovation
internal
knowledge focus
transformative
incremental
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Example 2 Learning styles and leadership roles
LOR 4
LOR 3
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informal
dissemination mode
formal
knowledge reserve
personal
public
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Learning is not imposed but acquired or shared
through informal oftentimes subconscious means
Knowledge developed over time that applies to
everyone is documented and subsequently applied
in order to pass on instructions or to avoid
mistakes
Learning occurs in a social context wherein the
informal dissemination of knowledge fosters new,
collaborative learning
Individual possessing valuable knowledge and
skills prescribe what is to be done
informal
community of practice
rolemodel
dissemination mode
authorized expert
hierarchical bureaucracy
formal
knowledge reserve
public
personal
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Example 3 Learning in for-profit organizations
LOR 2
LOR 6
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Learning transpires as improvements to existing
processes are envisioned, tested, and implemented
Learning occurs as currently available knowledge
is applied that improve organizational systems
and delivery to the market
Environmental scanning generates new knowledge
that is then applied to current processes
Learning generates knowledge that applies
existing technologies and processes in ways
previously not considered
Amazon.com
Honda
process
discovery
innovation
content-process focus
incrementalism
transformation
Walmart
Ford
content
value chain focus
market/deliver
design/make
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Example 4 Learning styles in a university
LOR 7
LOR 9
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group
learning focus
individual
learning time frame
immediate
long-term
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Learning occurs as the formal leader implements
organizational strategy and responds to
organizational realities
Learning occurs as formal authority imposes its
will upon organization
Learning occurs through group interaction when
individuals share a common interest
Learning generates through group interaction
where a variety of organizational interests are
expressed and debated
Board
Faculty
group
democracy
collaboration
learningfocus
autocracy
administration
President
Dean
individual
learning time frame
long-term
immediate
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Example 5 Learning styles in health care
LOR 8
LOR 9
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cognitive
learning mode
experiential
learning time frame
immediate
long-term
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Learning occurs as an individual possessing
expertise responds to circumstances
Learning occurs as experts possessing diverse
interests formulate strategy to deal with
challenges
Learning occurs through group interaction as
individuals advocate diverse interests
Learning generates through the interaction of
experts where the focus is upon formulating
strategy
research hospital
Surgeon General
cognitive
research
authoritative
learningmode
reactive
proactive
National Instituteson Health
emergency room
experiential
learning time frame
long-term
immediate
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Example 6 Learning styles in schools
LOR 7
LOR 8
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group
learning focus
individual
learning mode
experiential
cognitive
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Learning occurs as individuals investigate bodies
of extant thought
Learning occurs as an individual possessing an
interest tests ones experiences of some content
Learning occurs through group interaction as
individuals engage in a collective experience
Learning occurs through the student interaction
where the focus is upon discovery of pre-defined
content
Classroom
Outward Bound
group
projects
class trip
learningfocus
experiments
research
Independent Study
Trial/Error
individual
learning mode
cognitive
experiential
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Management/Leadership Challenge...

• Ask What do intergroup conflicts tell me about
  the lack of organizational learning?

to expose the barriers to organizational learning
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Management/Leadership agenda...

• 1. identify the organizations major learning
  styles

2. identify current and preferred organizational
typologies
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Developing an integrated learning strategy...

• Second step to develop a learning portfolio

a set of learning styles possessing synergistic
possibilities that build upon current strengths
by utilizing two or three facilitating factors
while concurrently enhancing current competencies
by moving to some other point along the continuum
of one or several of them
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not a series of correct styles but
complementary learning styles that function in
concert to promote organizational learning
distinguishes what needs to be unlearned,
that is, what organizational members know and do
from how they know and do it, from generic best
practices and established competence
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identifies the starting point for an
organizational development intervention
provides the direction for introducing new
learning orientations and facilitating factors
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Management/Leadership Challenge...

• Ask What is the starting point for
  organizational learning?

to identify and to expose barriers to
organizational learning
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Management/Leadership agenda...

• 1. identify the critical leverage points

2. select the phase of the learning cycle
(acquisition, dissemination, utilization) that is
most in question
3. utilize both individual skill development and
group learning
4. engage teams in joint analyses of their
underlying assumptions (antecedents) and to
build new mental models (frames or images)
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Developing an integrated learning strategy...

• Third step to chart a corporate learning
  strategy that brings strategy and learning into
  alignment through a learning charter

represents a shared vision of a preferred future
and how the organizational members will be
stewards of that vision
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the idea is to enroll numerous people in the
learning effort before attempting to roll out a
strategy to a large group or the entire
organization
this creates an energized coalition that is more
likely to educate itself and then to teach others
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Management/Leadership Challenge...

• Ask What needs to be done moving forward?

to formulate, to sell, and to implement an
integrated learning strategy
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Management/Leadership Agenda...

• 1. develop multiple project champions

2. utilize benchmarking (external)
3. develop metrics using the experience as
learning
4. name the change to define and promote the
learning initiative
5. use education broadly to promote and support
the quality effort
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The goal...

• to enhance the factors that promote learning
  (i.e., the normative perspective and best
  practices)

• to provide a mechanism for organizational change
  and the development of learning styles and
  capabilities (i.e., the developmental
  perspective)

• to describe how learning will take place (i.e.,
  the capability perspective and continuous
  learning)

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facilitating factors

learning orientations

building learning capability
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The learning organization

• the capacity or processes within an organization
  to maintain or improve based on experience

by learning new skills, attitudes, values, and
behaviors over time
so that the organization learns the challenges
being presented by external adaptation and
internal integration
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Management/Leadership Challenge...

• Ask What does the organizational need to know
  and to learn?

to distinguish unlearning what organizational
members know and do from how they know and do it
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This module has focused on...
The capability perspective
...the process by which organizations foster the
development of those behaviors which result in
recurring patterns of learning
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The next module will focus on...
assessing and evaluating learning capability
...maintaining and improving team and
organizational performance as the team(s) and
organization learn from experience and the
experience of others