RE: Questions LO224

Michael McMaster (Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk)
Fri, 24 Feb 1995 09:24:59 GMT

Replying to LO178 --

Here's the "argument" you might get to,
> but people learn, not "organizations"

My question is: If that is so, then what would be invalid in the
statement "The cells of the brain and nervous system learn, not the
"people"? (Besides the minor biological inaccuracy about how learning
in the individual actually works.) As far as I can tell we recognise
an individual as an entity and say that they are conscious, that they
learn, and so on. However, that only hides what is actually happening
when a human being learns. The same can be said about people and
organisations.

I think that we will gain great power, far beyond a metaphorical or
anthropomorphic use, when we can think about organisations as having
their own intelligence, their own learning and their own being. Yes,
they are made up of people but we are made up of stuff too.

Does the question lead anywhere?

Mike McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk>