Definition of Organisational Learning. Organisational learning has to be clearly distinguished from individual learning, although individual learning is highly important to organisations. In fact, organisational learning cannot occur without individual learning (Argyris and Schön 1978). But the sum of the different members' learning efforts is not organisational learning. Organisations do not have brains but cognitive systems and memories. These mechanisms are developed and shared by their members and generate views and ideologies comparable to the development of an individual's personality, habits, and beliefs. Although individuals are regularly replaced by others and leadership may change, the organisation's memory maintains certain behaviours, mind maps, rules, norms, or values over time (Fiol and Xxxxx 1985). Organisational learning enables firms to understand and interpret their environments in order to evaluate realistic strategies (Xxxx and Weick 1984). Many researchers have developed definitions for organisational learning. Argyris (1977) describes learning in organisations as a process enabling individuals to react to changes in the external and internal environment. Thereby, the organisational members detect errors that they correct to maintain the key features of the firm. Xxxxx Xxxxx, another well- known scholar in this field, defines organisational learning as a “fundamental shift or movement of mind, enabling the environment to be perceived differently, and to realise that the organization's actions create problems and solutions” (Kloot 1997, p. 49).
Definition of Organisational Learning. Organisational learning has to be clearly distinguished from individual learning, although individual learning is highly important to organisations. In fact, organisational learning cannot occur without individual learning (Argyris and Schön 1978). But the sum of the different members' learning efforts is not organisational learning. Organisations do not have brains but cognitive systems and memories. These mechanisms are developed and shared by their members and generate views and ideologies comparable to the development of an individual's personality, habits, and beliefs. Although individuals are regularly replaced by others and leadership may change, the organisation's memory maintains certain behaviours, mind maps, rules, norms, or values over time (Fiol and Xxxxx 1985). Organisational learning enables firms to understand and interpret their environments in order to evaluate realistic strategies (Xxxx and Weick 1984). Many researchers have developed definitions for organisational learning. Argyris (1977) describes learning in organisations as a process enabling individuals to react to changes in the external and internal environment. Thereby, the organisational members detect errors that they correct to maintain the key features of the firm. Xxxxx Xxxxx, another well- known scholar in this field, defines organisational learning as a “fundamental shift or movement of mind, enabling the environment to be perceived differently, and to realise that the organization's actions create problems and solutions” (Kloot 1997, p. 49). Scholars from many different disciplines have addressed organisational learning. Psychologists define learning as a shift in performance when the stimulus does not change (Weick 1991). From a psychological perspective, the basic assumption for organisational learning is that firms understand and interpret their internal and external environment with respect to their individual frames of reference. In this respect, Xxxxx developed his enactment principle, which proposes that organisational members develop collective perceptions of the firm's environment (Romme and Dillen 1997). This summary of beliefs is mostly unique for a particular firm. It leads to a firm-specific culture and language that facilitates agreement on insights and experiences (Argyris 1991). Contingency theory also serves as a basis for research into organisational learning (e.g., Xxxxx 1982; Hutchins 1991). The theory was developed as a response to management appro...
