Hi, I'm new to this list. I haven't read the posts Kai refers to, but I
feel compelled to throw in my understanding of what Learning Organizations
are about. Kai writes:
"A proposed way of accumulating learning and knowledge is the use of a
"Corporate Knowledge Repository", where qualitative and quantitative
information can be stored. This storage, if kept consistent, can provide a
basis for developing the knowledge body of the organization. Even though
there are numerous problems related to this concept, it can still provide
a basis for the development of organizational competencies that can be
used for achieving the competitive advantage that companies are basically
striving for."
Clearly, failing to keep corporate knowledge would be a "forgetting
organization," (something that describes many of the small firms I have
worked for) but simply maintaining corporate knowledge, (which is very
desirable) is not enough. To be a learning organization requires second
order change, double loop feedback - whatever you call it - the ability to
learn and change the models, frames, the culture that exists based upon
experience and thoughtful analysis of that experience.
For me this second order change is the critical part. How to actually
make it happen is a topic I would very much like to hear more about.
Steve Taylor
SST@Workframe.com