Are we a learning organisation? An assessment model for continuous improvement

Abstract

It is generally agreed that one way for organisations to be competitive in the new global economy is by embracing the principles of Peter Senge’s “The Fifth Discipline” and becoming “learning organisations”. The literature on the nature of learning organisations is extensive, but few of the discussions break through the philosophical barrier and actually address practical ways in which organisations can move away from traditional organisation thinking models and become learning organisations. This paper discusses a 9-S framework and an accompanying measurement model that can be used by organisations to determine whether they are learning organisations, and if not, where and how they need to improve. The framework is based on the Hitt 8-S framework, and the measurement model takes the form of a series of weighted questions and results that graphically represent how successful an organisation has been in its quest to become a learning organisation. A practical implementation of the measurement model that focuses on the planning aspect of organisational management is included in the paper.

Vir ’n organisasie om kompeterend in ’n wereldekonomie te wees, word daar algemeen aanvaar dat die organisasie sekere leergerigtheidseienskappe moet bemeester soos beskryf in Peter Senge se boek “The Fifth Discipline”. Omvattende literatuur oor die leergerigtheidseienskappe van organisasies bestaan, maar daar is egter min inligting oor praktiese maniere om ’n tradisionele organisasie na 'n leergerigtheidsorganisasie oor te skakel. Hierdie artikel bespreek ’n 9-S raamwerk asook ’n gepaardgaande evalueringsmodel wat gebruik kan word om ’n organisasie te meet aan sekere leergerigtheidseienskappe. Die raamwerk is gebaseer op die Hitt 8-S raamwerk en die evalueringsmodel maak gebruik van geweegde vrae waarvan die resultate grafies vertoon word om die sukses van leergerigtheid in die organisasie voor te stel. ’n Gevallestudie wat die beplanningsleergerigtheid van ’n spesifieke organisasie evalueer, is ook ingesluit.