0-201-62753-1

Becoming a Learning Organization

J. Swieringa and AFM Wierdsma, both of Free University of Amsterdam

1993 0-201-62753-1 184 pp. Softcover

Published by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company

For the coming decades the capacity to learn from experience will become one of the most critical sustainable competitive advantages. A process of continual organizational development resulting in changed behavior is therefore necessary.

Using experience gathered over ten years as educators and consultants, the authors develop new concepts and articulate an approach to organizational development which is central to the learning organization. This book is about helping organizations to learn from experience and to learn to learn.

The book received the 1991 award from the Dutch Association of Applied Psychology for its contribution to the field. It has successfully made use of scientific concepts to develop practical approaches and tools that will help any company gain the competitive advantage of responding to change.

Features

• Holistic view of organizations and organizational change
• Integration of theory and practical "how to" advice
• Authoritative and experienced author team
• Strongly supported by case study material

Contents

PART 1: BASIC CONCEPTS

• On the Development of Organizational Behavior
• On Organizations
• On Learning
• On Education
• On Organizational Learning

PART 2: ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

• Adaptive Organizations
• Didactic Organizations
• Unlearning Organizations
• Learning Organizations
• Becoming a Learning Organization
• Guiding Collective Learning Processes

PART 3: ORGANIZATIONAL EDUCATION

• Features of an Organizational Education
• The Contract Phase
• The Planning Phase
• The Implementation Phase
• Collective Learning: A Paradoxical Process
• The Role of the Staff: Educating or Advising?