I think Chris Argyris has covered this very well. See, for instance,=20
his *Integrating the Individual and the Organization*, a really=20
wonderful book originally published in 1964, reissued with a new=20
introduction by the author in 1990. For me Argyris is the backbone of=20
Senge and most of organizational learning theory. (I know this needs=20
elaboration and hopefully over time I may do so.)
What Argyris has proposed is in many ways for me still very radical.
He starts by hypothesizing about how we learn in organizations as=20
social environments, thus Model I. He then constructs an alternative=20
model, not as an antithesis or opposite to the first, but more focused=20
on self-consciously achieving meaningful learning, Model II. This=20
basic scheme is still, in my estimate, unsurpassed as an archetype.
One of the keys to understanding his models I & II is the organizing=20
concept of governing variables, which set the stage, if you will, for=20
the action.
The governing varibles are described in terms like these:
Model I =20
Win, don't loss =20
Remain in unilateral control =20
Cover up errors (help without causing others to lose face) =
=20
Model II
Generate valid information
Nurture internal commitment (Combine high advocacy w/ high inquiry)
Promote free and informed choice
The movement from one model to the other is not at all linear or easy=20
to implement. In fact, Argyris postulates, from his experience in the=20
field, that it takes about 2 to 5 years to internalize and effectively=20
use Model II.
(I feel like I'm getting in over my head. I am not by any means an=20
expert on Argyris' writings. But I like forcing myself to articulate=20
what I find useful and challenging about his ideas. Maybe others can=20
supplement/challenge my presentation. I strongly feel he deserves at=20
least as much attention as Senge, who seems to lean heavily on his=20
insights.)
--=20
Augustine A. Paz
lacst20@pop.pitt.edu
http://www.pitt.edu/~lacst20/index.html
"Philosophy is orthopedics for fractured beliefs."
Jos=E9 Ortega y Gasset
--"A. Paz" <lacst20@pop.pitt.edu>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>