Definition of Learning Definition of Learning Organization Building Blocks of the Learning Organization Benefits of a learning organization Units of learning Review of Chapter

1. Learning in Organization
(OL)
Prepared By: Ms.Faizal Antanat Shamila
Institution: Eastern University, Sri Lanka

2. Contents
• Definition of Learning
• Definition of Learning Organization
• Building Blocks of the Learning Organization
• Benefits of a learning organization
• Units of learning
• Review of Chapter

3. LEARNING:
Any relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a
result of experience.

4. Definition of Learning Organization:
It is an organization which facilitates the learning of all its members and
continuously transforms itself.
It creates the environment in which people spend most of their lives and
subsequently, has major impact on their behavior.
OL does not simply engage in a lot of training.
Learning is a life long process in which new behaviors are acquired.
We cannot see learning but we can see changed behavior as a
consequences of learning
Learning encourages creativity which is essential for organizational
development

5. Organizational learning is the process of creating, retaining,
and transferring knowledge within an organization. An
organization improves over time as it gains experience.
From this experience, it is able to create knowledge. This
knowledge is broad, covering any topic that could better an
organization. Examples may include ways to increase
production efficiency or to develop beneficial investor
relations.
Organizational learning happens as a function
of experience within an organization and allows the
organization to stay competitive in an ever-changing
environment. Organizational learning is a process
improvement that can increase efficiency, accuracy, and
profits.

6. It is "an organization that builds collaborative relationships in order to
draw strength from the diverse knowledge, experience, capabilities, and
ways of doing things that people and communities have and use.“
According to Peter Senge "learning organizations are: organizations
where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they
truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured,
where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually
learning to see the whole
learning organization is an organization skilled at &
creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, ant at modifying its
behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.

7. Building Blocks of the Learning Organization
Building Block 1: A supportive learning environment
Building Block 2: Concrete learning processes and practices.
Building Block 3: Leadership that reinforces learning.

8. Benefits of a Learning Organization
• Maintaining levels of innovation and remaining competitive
• Being better placed to respond to external pressures
• Having the knowledge to better link resources to customer needs
• Improving quality of outputs at all the levels
• Improving the corporate image of the organization by becoming more
people oriented
• Increasing the pace of change within the organization

9. Units of learning
Organizations gain knowledge in one of the four organizational units of learning.
Individual learning is the smallest unit at which learning can occur. An individual learns new skills or
ideas, and their productivity at work may increase as they gain expertise.
Group learning is the next largest unit at which learning can occur. Group learning happens when
individuals within a group "acquire, share, and combine knowledge through experience with one
another”. There are conflicting definitions of group learning among researchers studying it. One belief
is that group learning is a process in which a group takes action, gets feedback, and uses this feedback to
modify their future action. Another belief is that group learning happens when a member shares their
individual knowledge with other group members. Once this happens, individual learning turns into
group learning.
Organizational learning is the way in which an organization creates and organizes knowledge relating to
their functions and culture. Organizational learning happens in all of the organization's activities, and it
happens in different speeds. The goal of organizational learning is to successfully adapt to changing
environments, to adjust under uncertain conditions, and to increase efficiency.
Inter organizational learning is the way in which different organizations in an alliance collaborate, share
knowledge, and learn from one another. An organization is able to improve its "processes and products
by integrating new insights and knowledge" from another organization. By learning from another
organization, an organization is able to cut time costs, decrease the risks associated with problem
solving, and learn faster. Learning from another organization can mean either applying the same ideas
used by that organization or modifying these ideas, thereby creating innovation. Inter-organizational
learning occurs frequently in fixed business models, such as franchising.

10. Review
• Importance of organizational learning in today business world.
• Relationship between learning in organization and organizational
psychology

11. “Without learning the wise become foolish; by learning, the
foolish become wise.”

12. Thank You