Purpose: Through a conversation with a practitioner, aims to understand the definitions given to the learning organization and how they relate to a model of organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach: Provides a brief overview of a conversation concerning organizational learning vs the learning organization. Findings: Organizational…

This paper examines the applicability of the learning organization concept and its measurement in a Chinese context. Based on the theoretical framework proposed by Watkins and Marsick (1993, 1996, 1997), this paper identifies the differences in seven of the Dimensions of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) between traditional state-owned…

Social Responsibility is becoming a key issue for organizations today. They talk about it and they make social contributions, but how do we know if anything is being achieved? A framework is required and has existed at least since 1992. Roger Kaufman's Mega Planning has slowly gathered momentum in organizations worldwide. For a faster take-up we…

While much of the literature on action learning focuses on managers developing their capacity to learn and transform their own organizations, this article explores how action learning has been used in inter-organisational settings. Two settings are presented: the first an EU-funded management development programme called the National Action…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show that the role of organizational learning is increasingly becoming crucial for organizational performance. Based on the study of three Indian global firms operating in National Capital Region of Delhi, India, this study explores the correlation of organizational learning with organizational performance…

The Educational Facilities Laboratories (EFL), an independent research organization established by the Ford Foundation, opened its doors in 1958 under the direction of Harold B. Gores, a distinguished educator. Its purpose was to help schools and colleges maximize the quality and utility of their facilities, stimulate research, and disseminate…

This study investigated the use of organizational learning community principles to effectively manage organizational change. Target is a pseudonym for a small public school in Southern New Jersey that has provided educational services to students with special needs since 1969. In 2004 Target began providing services to a new population of students…

In a previous ethnographic study (Sebrant, 2000) a social constructionist view of how social identity is produced among professional groups in Swedish healthcare was developed. Looking at the workplace as an important environment for identity construction suggested that these processes were conditions for learning. The purpose of this paper is to…

The impact of crises on organizations has been stronger than ever. This article explores the role of organizational learning in crisis management, an area that has received little attention from HRD community. Recognizing the dynamics and interconnectedness of crisis management, organizational learning, and organizational change, the article…

This article recounts successful strategies for increasing student staff commitment to the organization's vision and deadlines, inviting "buy in" for projects, and enhancing staff work relationships. The discussion will outline activities that have resulted in increased employee satisfaction with work, smoother interactions between coworkers,…

In this article, the author explores the promising practices of Audrey Union (all names in this article are pseudonyms), a white principal of Integration Middle School (IMS), which served nearly 400 students in sixth through ninth grades. Approximately 40% of the students were of color and a similar percentage qualified for free and reduced lunch.…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyse how participants in leadership training programs in higher education value and perceive their training process. Design/methodology/approach: A stylized theoretical model is developed indicating that leadership training may be designed along a collegial-managerial continuum. To study how…

Distributed leadership (DL) is an emerging form of power distribution in schools which extends authority and influence to groups or individuals in a way which is at least partly contrary to hierarchical arrangements. In this article, the author presents the findings of his study that aimed to answer two questions: (1) What do headteachers do to…

Looking at literacy teaching across classrooms at the urban Mill City Charter School provides an opportunity to explore the importance of coherence within a school. This work was informed by teachers' voices and classroom observations over several months. Findings suggest that when teachers and school leaders share a common theory and vision for…

Current high school reform often focuses on small schools, small learning communities, and alternative paths to post-secondary education. While these reforms are necessary, recent evaluations of improving high-poverty high schools in urban districts (American Institutes for Research & SRI International, 2004 & 2005) suggest these changes are not…