The importance of learning was first put forward by a Chinese philosopher, Confucius “Without learning, the wise become foolish; by learning, the foolish become wise.” “Learn as if you could never have enough of learning, as if you might miss something.”
The underlying cause for recent emphasis on organisational learning is because of the increased pace of change. Classically, work has been thought of as being conservative and difficult to change. Learning was something divorced from work and innovation was seen as the necessary but disruptive way to change. Change is now measured in terms of months not years as it was in the past. This means that organisations need to be aware of both the company as a whole as well as the individuals within the company. If the changeover to a Learning Organisation happens overnight, the environment around the workers will be complex and dynamic. There will be agitations and confusion, which means learning, may not take place because of the chaos caused. So it can only be introduced into a company that is prepared to reach a balance between change and stability, i.e. a balance between the old and the new. Organisations must interact with the environment around them, so the environment must be suitable for that interaction.
Def: An organisation that learns and encourages learning among its people. It promotes exchange of information between employees hence creating a more knowledgeable workforce. This produces a very flexible organisation where people will accept and adapt to new ideas and changes through a shared vision.
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