The Learning Organization

    The purpose of this brief guide is to direct you quickly to information related to the concept of  the "learning organization". Apart from providing the full text of selected articles, a list of  some of the books available in the Western Libraries and a few good web sites, we will also offer some tips about how to continue the search for information on your own.  We begin by selecting a definition of the concept from the many that are available. This one comes from A Dictionary of Human Resource Management: 

Learning Organization (LO) An organization that has developed the ability to adapt continuously. Instead of remaining fixed to standard ways of operating, the learning organization is constantly looking for new ideas and approaches. Underpinning the concept is the notion of a shared organizational vision (see unitarism) with collaboration and co-operation amongst all organizational members. This means that a learning organization also emphasizes 'openness' and stresses the importance of communication across all levels and boundaries. However, this also means tolerating criticism and nurturing a culture that allows employees of all levels to speak their minds without fear of criticism or punishment (see no blame culture). Critics of the learning organization argue that the concept can never work in practice because it fails to recognize the important role of organizational politics and power imbalances.

Other definitions are conveniently provided at brint.com and the direct link is provided here. For a solid, scholarly treatment of "organizational learning" see The International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, all 26 volumes of which are available to you electronically. For your convenience, a copy of the related article is found here. (The article begins at the very bottom of the first page).

Selected Articles 
The following articles were found by searching ProQuest ABI/Inform Global Research. Users can find more articles on this subject by searching:  SU(organizational learning).

Forest, James J.F. "Learning Organizations: Higher Education Institutions can Work Smarter too," Connection, New England's Journal of Higher Education, V.17, No.2, Fall 2002, pp.31-32.

Thomsen, Hanne Kargaard and Hoest, Viggo. "Employees' Perception of the Learning Organization," Management Learning, V.32, No.4, Dec. 2001, pp.469-491.

Elkjaer, Bente. "The Learning Organization: An Undelivered Promise," Management Learning, V.32, No.4, Dec 2001, pp.437-452. 

Rowden, Robert W. "The Learning Organization and Strategic Change," S.A.M. Advanced Management Journal, V.66, No.3, Summer 2001, pp. 11-16.

Albert, Michael. "Shaping a Learning Organization through the linkage of Action Research Interventions," Organization Development Journal, V.16, No.3, Fall 1998, pp.29.

Barker, Randolph T. and Camarata, Martin R. "The Role of Communication in Creating and Maintaining a Learning Organization: Preconditions, Indicators, and Disciplines," The Journal of Business Communication, V.35, No.4, Oct 1998, pp. 443-467.

Belasco, James A. "Learning Organization," Executive Excellence, V.15, No.7, Jul 1998, p.17.

Anonymous. "What's HR's Benchmark for the Learning Organization?" HRMagazine, V.43, No.7, Jun 1998, pp.148-149.

Goh, Swee C. "Toward a Learning Organization: The Strategic Building Blocks," S.A.M. Advanced Management Journal, V.63, No.2, Spring 1998, pp.15-22.

Teare, Richard and Dealtry, Richard. "Building and Sustaining a Learning Organization," The Learning Organization,V.5, No.1, 1998, pp. 47-60. 

Bender, Laura J. "Team Organization--Learning organization: The University of Arizona four years into it," Information Outlook, V.1, No.9, Sep 1997, pp.19-22.

Galbraith, Joe and McGrath, Jack. "The "Learning" in the Learning Organization," Public Manager, V.26, No.1, Spring 1997, pp.34-38.

Selected Books 
A "core" list  is presented here along with the full text of reviews for some of the books. To find additional books in the  Western Libraries, search the Western Libraries'  catalogue by SUBJECT for "ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING."  As well, two electronic books are found at the end of the list.

Senge, Peter M. The Dance of Change: The Challenges of Sustaining momentum in Learning Organizations. 
BUS stack HD58.82.D36 1999
Book review by Bente Elkjaer in Management Learning, V.32, no.1, Mar. 2001, pp.153-156.
Book review by Susan C. Awe in Library Journal, V.125, No.5, Mar. 15, 2000, p.45.
See also Senge's chapter "The Academy as Learning Community: Contradiction in Terms or Realizable Future?" in Leading Academic Change: Essential Roles for Department Chairs

Senge, Peter M. The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization.
BUS stack HD58.9.F54 1994 

Senge, Peter M. The Fifth Discipline: the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization.
BUS stack HD58.9.S46 1990
Book review in Intelligent Enterprise, V.4, No.13, Aug. 31, 2001, p.60.

Gilley, Jerry W. Beyond the Learning Organization: Creating a Culture of Continuous Growth and Development Through State-of-the-Art Human Resource Practices.
BUS stack HF5549.G486 2000
Book review by Graham Symon in Management Learning, V.32, No.2, June 2001, pp.286-288.

Easterby-Smith, Mark, Luis Araujo and John Burgoyne, editors.Organizational Learning and the Learning Organization: Developments in Theory and Practice. 
HD58.82.O7433 1999
Book review by Dvora Yanow in Management Learning, V.32, No.1, pp.153-156.

Marsick, Victoria J. and Karen E. Watkins. Facilitating Learning Organizations: Making Learning Count.
HF5549.5.T7M288 1999 
Book review by Carl Rhodes in Journal of Occupations and Organizational Psychology, V.75, Jun 2002, pp.252-254.
Book review by Alan Mumford in Industrial and Commercial Training, V.33, No.6/7, 2001, pp.270-271.

Argyris, Chris. On Organizational Learning.
BUS stack HD30.3.A74 1999 
Book review  in International Journal of Organizational Analysis, V.8, No.4, 2000, pp.425-427.
For a bibliography of Argyris' work, see our guide.

Electronic Books.

Stoyko, Peter. The Learning Journey: A Guide to Achieving Excellence. 
DBW govt CA1 PV200 2001L24 and electronically. 

Tobin, Daniel R. The Knowledge-Enabled Organization: Moving from "Training" to "Learning" to Meet Business Goals.
BUS HF5549.5.T7T596 1998. To acess the electronic version, click here. 

Selected Web Sites 

brint.com/papers/orglrng.htm
http://www.solonline.org  (SOL - Society for Organizational Learning) 
http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/org_learning.html