Chris, I like your question. I need some time to think about it. I
believe it points to some issues whose exploration could yield new
knowledge.
Nevertheless, I couldn't resist a tip-of-the-tongue smartass answer which
came up very fast as I read your words:
We often differentiate the attributes of organizations/corporations by
using metaphorical language, and animals are often used. Perhaps this is
one reason that orgs like to use animals to represent themselves (the
Exxon tiger and the flying red horse leap into my mind).
In a recent business book, Jim Belasco described some mental models by
contrasting the behavior of buffalo with the behavior of geese. He thinks
the big buffalo can be taught to fly.
But that doesn't fit the mental models of AT&T brass, so they broke the
buffalo up into a flock of geese.
>In your assessment of corporations as learning organizations, has anyone
>established separate mental models for corporations depending upon
>different criteria?
>
>Size(large or small); purpose (business, education, profit, non-profit);
>presence (multinational or in-country, national or local/regional), etc.
-- Jack Hirschfeld With the clear undertanding that jack@his.com this kind of thing can happen, shall we dance?