Terri Deems
> A recent incident at a masters level tutorial on issues involved
> in developing "learning organisations" in Australia suggests that
> current management learning skills and attitudes to learning may
> prove a significant barrier to this countries capacity to develop
> a sustainable 'learning organisation' culture. The participants in the
> tutorial were full time workers studying
> for their Masters of Adult Vocational Education part time. The
> group included some who are said to have experience in the area
> of team development within so called 'learning organisations.'
>
> The incident centres around a question posed by one student and
> the groups response to the question:
>
> "Could any of the characteristics of our
> western world view and current attitudes to
> learning impede our ability to develop
> learning organisations."
>
> To my surprise the almost unanimous response of the group was
> that the question was irrelevant. Further that it was based on
> gross generalisations that could neither be applied to
> individuals nor organisations in the western context. That an
> appropriate mix of incentives and management leadership would
> resolve any underlying floors in the present approach to
> developing a learning organisation. Unconvinced the student
> attempted to briefly state the reasoning behind the question.
>
> The student defined the western world view as, still essentially
> mechanistic and further characterised it, with terms including:
> liberal, rational and individualistic. For the purpose of
> providing a contrast the student also described a possible
> alternate world view characterised by: obligation, traditionalism
> and communitarianism, hypothesising that the infusion of some of
> the values and attitudes in these perspectives might enhance our
> ability to develop better learning organisations.
>
> On current attitudes to learning, the student suggested that a
> learning organisation was restricted in its learning capacity by
> the learning skills and attitudes to learning of both its workers
> and its management. For example, in some workplaces people equate
> activity with productivity. In such workplaces the thoughtful
> worker who closes their eyes to reflect, as a skilled learner
> might, is more likely to be thought of as lazy rather than
> reflective. The student concluded by saying, that with current
> workplace productivity practices that exclude time for discussion
> (negotiation of meaning) and reflection, it may be difficult
> develop truly powerful 'learning organisations.'
>
> . . . What might have developed into an
> interesting scholarly debate instead rapidly degenerated into
> giggling, sniggering and other explicit acts of group
> disapproval.
>
> In my view the groups unscholarly behaviour validated the
> students question both in terms of relevance and timeliness. It
> is of concern that this behaviour was exhibited by people
> studying at a Masters level in Adult Vocational Education.
> Because they are the people who if not already, will soon be
> charged with the responsibility of developing 'learning
> organisations' in Australia. If such closed mindedness to
> addressing alternative points of view is characteristic of one
> sample of aspiring leaders, the same negative learning behaviour
> may also be characteristic of others in Australia. For me this
> incident raises questions on Australia's capacity to develop
> effective learning organisations. >snip<
>
> I am interested in investigating this matter further and seek
> both your reaction to this incident and if possible your
> assistance with any of the following items:
>
> Firstly, I wish to collect stories of incidents where
> lack of learning skills or a negative attitude toward
> learning on the part of management is impeding the
> development of a learning organisation, learning team
> and or knowledge workers.
>
> Secondly, do you see evidence that the race for
> qualifications among managers and aspiring managers
> (especially in Australia) is leading to a lower
> standard of scholarship at universities at a time when
> scholarly leadership is needed to give companies that
> competitive edge?
>
> Thirdly, in recent times there has been a shift on the
> part of university lecturers from an emphasis on being
> teachers to an emphasis on being researchers. Do you see
> this leading to a lower standard of scholarship among
> graduates?
>
> Finally, do you think that the student's question, as
> outlined above, is valid and relevant to the 'learning
> organisation' debate; might their be weaknesses in how
> we think and go about learning in the West; or is it
> as suggested by the group, just a question of finding
> the right incentives and training programs for workers
> and managers?
>
> Ross Reid
--tdeems@unlgrad1.unl.edu (Terri Deems)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>