You are on page 1of 24

Journal of Organizational Change Management

Emerald Article: A healthcare case study of team learner style and change management Velma Lee, Frank Ridzi, Amber W. Lo, Erman Coskun

Article information:
To cite this document: Velma Lee, Frank Ridzi, Amber W. Lo, Erman Coskun, (2011),"A healthcare case study of team learner style and change management", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 24 Iss: 6 pp. 830 - 852 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09534811111175788 Downloaded on: 14-11-2012 References: This document contains references to 48 other documents To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB For Authors: If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service. Information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.com With over forty years' experience, Emerald Group Publishing is a leading independent publisher of global research with impact in business, society, public policy and education. In total, Emerald publishes over 275 journals and more than 130 book series, as well as an extensive range of online products and services. Emerald is both COUNTER 3 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation.
*Related content and download information correct at time of download.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0953-4814.htm

JOCM 24,6

A healthcare case study of team learner style and change management


Velma Lee and Frank Ridzi
Lemoyne College, Syracuse, New York, USA

830

Amber W. Lo
National University, Sacramento, California, USA, and

Erman Coskun
Sakarya University, Esentepe, Turkey
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the learner styles of a healthcare institution transition team and its respective members within a change management context. In particular we focus on the role of learner style in the success of change efforts within a team setting. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study that employs a questionnaire survey, non-participant observation, and semi-structured interviews as part of a larger study of healthcare change management. Findings Findings suggest that a mix of learning styles is ideal for successful healthcare change management. Specically, this limited study suggests a learner ratio that favors convergers and assimilators over divergers and accommodators may be the most effective stafng strategy for change leadership teams in a healthcare environment. Originality/value Managing change in healthcare has been researched from a process perspective but few studies examine the individual team members learner styles and the impact of these learning styles over time. Implications for human resources and change implementation are discussed. Keywords Change management, Team working, Learning styles, Change team, Health care, Implementation science Paper type Case study

Journal of Organizational Change Management Vol. 24 No. 6, 2011 pp. 830-852 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0953-4814 DOI 10.1108/09534811111175788

Introduction The Obama-Biden healthcare plan (2008) proposes to invest $10 billion a year for ve years to adopt a standards-based electronic health information system (HIS) that includes electronic health records (Walker, 2009). Hospitals and healthcare facilities nationwide are in the process of adopting or aligning their HIS with the standards set by the administration. These adoption or alignment projects can be dened as change management in the healthcare industry. Multilevel players (e.g. individuals, groups, subunits, organizations, inter-organizational networks, etc.) interact to impact the performance of an organization (Hitt et al., 2007). It is important albeit complex to understand organizational development in an era of team-based organizations (West et al., 2003), communities of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991), networks (Snow et al., 2000), strategic alliances (Hamel, 1991; Simonin, 1999), and virtual organizations. Using Kolbs (1984) learning style inventory, the purpose of this study is to explore the relationship of learner style and change management success. Dening the team as the unit of analysis, data from non-participant observation, a survey,

and semi-structured interviews were collected. We then examined the ratio and distribution of the learning proles within and across teams and compared and contrasted patterns of successful and less successful change teams. Literature review Healthcare organization complexity and change Healthcare organizations are inherently complex (Begun et al., 2003) because they deal with the lives and deaths of patients through the interplay of physicians, researchers, technicians, nurses, specialized doctors, pharmacies, and other pertinent players. The complexity arises from: . the number of constituents involved inside and outside of the healthcare organization; . the continuous discovery of new illnesses/diseases that could be encountered without adequate existing knowledge for proper diagnosis or treatment; and . the uniqueness of each patients case and special needs. Workers in healthcare organizations are constantly confronted with change and presented with new challenges requiring adaptation and innovation. These complexities are then magnied in the case of drastic change such as the implementation of new programs or practices such as those brought on by legislation, strategic partnerships, mergers and re-locations. The eld of implementation science has arisen as a response to such complexity (Petersilia, 1990; Taylor et al., 1999). It begins with the premise that studying and learning lessons from the experiences of implementation is as crucial as designing and planning for change itself (Fixsen et al., 2005, pp. 16-24). Since learning from experience is such a key aspect of this approach to implementation, we therefore assume that attention to learning styles will be informative if not consequential. In this paper we explore the relationships between learning style and implementation success by examining a team of medical and administrative personnel responsible for the transition planning and implementation of a new hospital. Change success was measured using an objective survey, self-reported ratings from a variety of constituents, and non-participant observation. We conclude with a discussion of implications for human resources planning at the individual, team, and organizational levels. A critique of team learning models Most extant learning theories are stage theories that emphasize linear and iterative processes. Cangelosi and Dill (1965), for example, suggest four phases of teamwork related learning: initial, searching, comprehending, and collaborating. In general, learning theories focus on the individual as the unit of analysis. Recent developments in learning theories increasingly consider environmental inuences on learning. One example is Situated Learning Theory offered by Lave and Wenger (1991) who posit that learning is unintentional and situated within authentic activity, context, and culture. Situated Learning considers the legitimate peripheral participation of members at the boundary who play a major role in the knowledge creation process. Another learning theory, problem-based learning (PBL), is an instructional method of hands-on, active learning centered on the investigation and resolution of messy, real-world

Team learner style and change management 831

JOCM 24,6

832

problems that emphasizes open-ended problems, self-directed learners, teachers as facilitators, and students as problem solvers (Finucane et al., 1988). Social Learning theorist Bandura (1977) explains human behavior in terms of a continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental inuences. His Social Learning theory is descriptive and provides insights on training and mobilizing learning. However, a lack of quantiable factors creates challenges for both theorists and practitioners to measure and monitor learning particularly team learning in a systematic manner. Kolbs Experiential Learning theory (1984) offers a holistic perspective that combines individual experience, perception, cognition, and behavior to explain learning allowing for team level analysis of member proles and distribution (see Appendix 1.2 for a sample distribution). Kolbs Learning Styles have been widely adopted for predicting academic achievement (Cano-Garcia and Hughes, 2000) and counseling career development (Kolb, 1984) and yet no study has investigated the prole and ratio of team learning style distribution for improved organizational performance in a change context (see Appendix 1.3 for learner style sample question). According to Plsek and Greenhalgh (2001), complexity science considers Kolbs Experiential Learning model a theory that allows examination of gradual attention development toward the issue of time. Thus, Kolbs learning styles theory was adopted in this study to examine learning preferences because the framework is appropriate for explaining change over time, incorporates participant feedback for understanding their unique individual learning styles, and provides useful information on the prole of members within teams. These aspects of the theory are important because understanding team member learning styles guides effective information exchange among interacting parties. For example, a surgeon who wants to teach a nurse about the procedures required for a new organizational change in program or practice will be more effective if the surgeon presents the material in a way that was tuned to the nurses learning style. Effective learning by the nurse ensures a smoother operating procedure. Furthermore, it is important for the nurse to effectively communicate and update the surgeon on changes that occur in her areas of work and so she too must be cognizant of the physicians learning style. By understanding her own and her teammates learning styles, potential conict is reduced leading to better cooperation among parties during implementation. But do all learning styles work well together in a change experience? And are some more adept at change processes? This study aims to begin to explore the relationship between learning styles and change outcomes through a case study of a change management team and its staff in a healthcare context. Research context and participants To qualify for inclusion in this study, the subject team had to meet the criteria of both planning for and going through a change or transition. In September 2006, a qualied team was identied through the recommendation of the Provost of Research in a southeast medical university. The organization is a medical center whose hospital houses approximately 850 beds with a daily capacity of about 200,000 patients. The hospital was constructed in 1955 with federally supported funds. For six consecutive years, the National Research Corporation awarded this medical center the Consumer Choice Award for overall quality and image among hospitals in the primary service area. In the 2000s, the childrens hospital, digestive disease, heart, and vascular centers

were all ranked in the top 25 by US News and World Reports (2010) surveys of the best hospitals in America. The medical center also received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges in its recent history. Since the 1990s, leadership in the organization placed increased emphasis on strategic planning for the new hospital. In response to changing market forces, the organizational strategic plan set up three major initiatives: to reduce costs through change management efforts, to increase primary care capacity, and to explore possible afliations with other hospitals in the region. The subject team for this study, an Action Coordinating Committee (ACC), was charged with the responsibility of planning the move of selected units in the existing hospital to the new, replacement hospital. Members of the ACC included directors and team leaders of various clinical units (e.g. heart and vascular, digestive disease, nursing) and supporting business departments (e.g. hospital information technology, facility, human resources). ACC members met regularly for updates on project progress. Meeting frequency ranged from monthly to weekly as the targeted hospital opening date approached. General agenda items included personnel changes such as new hires and new coordinators assigned to leading key positions, reports celebrating good practice, milestone developments to inform peer team coordinators of progress, logistical arrangements concerning appropriate movements of facilities and people, nancial reports, and construction updates on the progress of nancing and operational planning. Members of the ACC team were invited to participate in our research with the knowledge that the team learner style survey would provide members with information about both personal and colleagues styles and that this information might result in better communication and cooperation. All ACC team members and their respective departmental staff (e.g. heart and vascular leaders and staff in the whole unit) were invited to complete the learner style survey. In the debrieng process (feedback on the styles), the team leader was informed of his/her personal learner style and the overall team prole distribution (without specic individual information revealed to the team leader). Then, team leaders permissions were obtained to share their styles with respective staff members. Individual learner style information was shared with respondents on a private and personal basis. After the debrieng, individuals were encouraged but not required to share their learner styles with colleagues with whom they worked closely. All team leaders agreed to share their learner styles with members and most respondents who participated in the exercise were eager to exchange learner style information with one other. An example team learner style distribution is shown in Appendix 1. Proles and data demography In this study, we surveyed the learning styles of an action coordinating team of 23 senior managers (hospital administrators and directors) from 12 departments within a major medical university. Several departmental leaders volunteered to have their members complete a survey yielding 77 responses. Information collected from semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and meeting minutes was analyzed to examine the patterns of communication and interaction among team members in the planning and execution of the hospital relocation. Of the surveyed ACC team members and staff across a variety of departments, 75 per cent were directly or indirectly involved in the transition project for less than one to two years while 25 per cent of the respondents had three to six years of involvement

Team learner style and change management 833

JOCM 24,6

834

in this project. The ACC team members and their sub-team members had worked for the healthcare industry for an average of 16 years and this particular hospital for eight years at the time of survey. Less than 1 per cent of staff members held their current positions for less than one year, 19 per cent had one to ve years, 13 per cent had six to ten years, 10 per cent had 11-20 years, 12 per cent had 21-30 years, 7 per cent had 31-35 years, and 2 per cent had 36-45 years. In short, the largest groups (19 per cent 13 per cent 31 per cent) of respondents worked for one to ve and six to ten years, respectively. Organizational culture This section discusses the background of the subjects under study, and their history, development and organizational culture. Change management history The following is an excerpt from a 2007 hospital document obtained from an internal archive regarding changes prior to the one focused on in this study:
The change management process revolved around an analysis of all functions and processes throughout the organization while keeping a focus on the primary goal of providing quality healthcare at the lowest cost possible. Overall, change management resulted in the following cost reduction and management changes: created a CEO position for the hospital; streamlined the management structure through the elimination of approximately 100 administrative positions; created more direct lines of administrative reporting; eliminated approximately 800 positions through termination and attrition; reassigned 315 positions through work re-design; cut operating costs by approximately $30 million; and adopted some performance improvement measures. Between FY 1994-2001, admissions to the Medical Center have increased by 38.1 per cent; the average length of stay (in days) has fallen by 25.0 per cent; outpatient hospital registrations have increased by 75.4 per cent and average full-time equivalent staff persons have been reduced by 13.2 per cent (Hospital intranet site).

Since this restructuring there had been continuing emphasis on monitoring the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff at the hospital. Management frequently calculated the number of FTEs per adjusted occupied bed as well as personnel costs as a percentage of total operating expenses. At the time this research began in 2007, the medical center was in the top quartile for this metric as compared with its peer academic medical centers. Most recent organizational culture In an attempt to understand the work culture of the organization prior to the launch of the change in 2006, colleagues indirectly involved with the new hospital project in adjacent departments (i.e. research, information technology, etc.) who would remain in the existing hospital and not be relocated into the new hospital were interviewed for background information. According to a researcher of the hospital, resistance to change is fairly strong because:
[. . .] change is not embedded in the system. There are kings in different castles who direct and implement clinical pathways and guidelines.

There is a need for systematic indexing of guidelines for structuring processes of care to reduce the cost of care and length of patient stay with the hospital.

Ackerman-Anderson and Anderson (2001) suggest that any change that necessitates a shift of an individuals mindset to invent, implement, and sustain requires an enterprise-wide integrated change strategy that attends to all of the people involved and the daily process dynamics between and amongst them. Since outcomes of change are usually uncertain and often have an indeterminable timeframe, change managers need to consider concerns about outcome responsibilities and accountabilities (McWilliam and Ward-Grifn, 2006). Hospital management decided to use an ongoing team meeting process to engage in critical reection-on-action. This seemed especially appropriate for those who had to create the change (Schon, 1983) because literature suggests ongoing meetings may uncover the values, processes, and factors at least implicitly considered relevant to the intended direction (Page and Meerbeau, 2000; Patzer et al., 2000; Williams and Walker, 2003). Such an approach helps to overcome resistance to change (McWilliam and Ward-Grifn, 2006). Timeline and team development To demonstrate change over time, we divided the overall project tenure into eight phases: strategic planning, obtaining approval, vendor selection, hospital design, hospital construction, transition planning, transition execution, and moving into the new hospital: (1) Strategic planning: 1998, the concept for a hospital replacement project was introduced. (2) Obtaining approval: 2000, permissions and approvals were obtained from the county, historical preservation organizations, and other ofcials to construct the replacement hospital. (3) Vendor selection: 2001, architects and healthcare strategists were recruited to complete a comprehensive clinical facilities plan. (4) Hospital design: 2003, the board of trustees approved the hospital design after reviewing ndings and recommendations. (5) Hospital construction: 2005, ground breaking took place. The hospital construction specications by phase, capacity, and location were identied. (6) Transition planning: 2006 (the year this research investigation began), the ACC team was formed to encourage communication and coordination with all departments involved for an organization-wide change effort (i.e. hospital relocation upon construction). (7) Transition execution: 2007, frequent meetings were held for updates on equipment and furniture purchase, facility arrangement, stafng, nancing, etc. (8) Moving into the new hospital: October 2007, an army style, one-day big bang approach (as opposed to a phased approach) was adopted to move all patients, equipment, and staff into the new replacement hospital. Research approach The eld of implementation science has historically used case study to understand how complex interpersonal dynamics take shape in concrete situations (Petersilia, 1990; Taylor et al., 1999). We are especially interested in the role of learner style in the success of change efforts within a team setting. Thus, a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was employed in this study to examine team behavior. As change in

Team learner style and change management 835

JOCM 24,6

healthcare is an organic process that evolves over time with different unstructured and serendipitous situations, Strauss and Corbin (1990) suggest that exploration of an unrened phenomenon is best researched through the use of qualitative methods such as interviews and case studies. Weiss (1994) particularly endorses the qualitative interview approach where the researcher can integrate multiple perspectives, describe the process, identify variables, and frame hypotheses for subsequent quantitative research. Survey questionnaire To understand whether there was a t between individual learning styles within teams and change management over time at different periods of the transition, data on: . individual learning style; and . perception of the transition team leadership were collected. In March 2007, both electronic and paper versions of a survey were made available to team leaders. In May 2007, missing data and incomplete surveys were identied and the researchers went into the eld and explained the proper procedure to the respondents who needed to nish incomplete parts of the survey. A second round of invitations was sent in June 2007 to potential participants who had not completed the survey. By July 2007, 77 surveys were completed and returned. Table I captures the sources, question categories and intended measurement for the survey. The healthcare leadership assessment The healthcare leadership assessment (Bodinson, 2005) provides a snapshot overview of employee leadership perceptions (the transition team leaders) and effectiveness during the period of measurement. Example statements evaluated by respondents included the organization has a shared commitment to excellence and being a great healthcare organization and the culture and work environment support physicians, clinical staff, support personnel, and management in their quest for excellence. Respondents rank the statements on a Likert scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Non-participant observation Data on two levels of team meetings were collected including the transition leadership team (ACC) and respective unit departments. Transition leadership team communication The lengths of biweekly transition leadership team meetings ranged from 60 to 90 minutes and the purpose of the meetings were often multiple; they served to update different departments on the planning and development of the new hospital and also allowed managers to identify issues that warranted signicant attention and support.
Source Kolb (1984) Questions/category Measurement Individual learning style Understand employee perception of leadership effectiveness

836

Table I. Measurement of variables

Learning style questionnaire (12 questions) Bodinson (2005) Healthcare leadership assessment (21 questions)

They were a forum for clarication on uncertainty and planning for contingencies. Questions posed by different managers were noted and discussions on the pertinent issues were recorded and analyzed. Key issues were also brought up and discussed in the transition team meetings. Then, issues were placed into the hospital intranet system to trace the development of the issues, monitor the issues, and identify resources for further problem solving. An example of the documentation format used for communication and interaction is shown in Table II. Agenda items varied depending on the developmental phases of the project. In general, updates on growth, people, nance, and service were always a part of the meetings agenda. About six months prior to the targeted hospital opening day, management added celebrate as a compulsory agenda item. In other words, a platform was created to allow different sub-teams to report what had been nished and what had been done right (best-practice sharing) as the checklist of to-do items was completed. Unit departmental meeting Research consent was obtained for the authors to participate as observers in departmental meetings. The authors took notes on such areas as communication patterns, questions, updates, overarching issues, and the number of times someone cracked a joke or the group broke out in laughter. The authors observed 22 unit departmental meetings each of which lasted between 45 and 60 minutes. Archived data Minutes of the transition team meetings were collected from the intranet that tracks the project progress. Using Weft QDA, data were analyzed to identify patterns of work deliverables and team development. Distinguishing effective vs ineffective change management unit teams Data from three sources were analyzed to differentiate effective from ineffective teams. The rst source was the survey data, the second was archived data, the third was eld notes from observations and conversations with employees. The social learning cycle (SLC) model (Lee, 2005) was used to count the number of SLC deltas (Lee, 2010) present in each team. The SLC delta is a team learning measurement concept that reects the intensity of problem solving, abstraction, and diffusion of knowledge generated in team interactions. According to Lee (2010), a team that experiences more SLC deltas is considered more effective in managing change/innovation than one that experiences fewer SLC deltas. Appendix 2 shows the SLC model and an example of a delta count. Members of the team were asked to rank the hospitals move project on a scale
Conclusion/recommendations (when/what) Follow up (who)

Team learner style and change management 837

Agenda/topic Patient safety net Growth construction update Service valet parking Service medical record pick-up locations People implementation team reports Finance operational planning update

Discussion

Table II. Communication format during transition

JOCM 24,6

of 1 (inefcient and not successful) to 5 (effective and well executed). They were also asked for the rationale behind rankings. Semi-structured interviews Interviews were conducted both during and after the transition to deepen understanding of the change process. During the transition, some interviews were conducted in person while others were conducted over the phone. Phone interviews To closely monitor team development, regular phone interviews were conducted with the coordinators. This offered a more comprehensive understanding of the transition progress and team member development. Example interview questions include According to your opinion/department, what are some of the latest issues identied regarding the new hospital? and Has there been any change in personnel in your department lately? Post-transition interviews After completion of the relocation, semi-structured interviews were conducted with department representatives and members of the transition team. Examples of the interviews semi-structured questions include according to your opinion, what could have been done differently? and how would you describe the current morale of the staff in the new medical tower? Between March and October 2007, 18 interviews were conducted averaging 25 minutes each. Results and discussion Leadership assessment The mean leadership score was 4.2 out of 5 on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). This can be interpreted as management being well perceived by employees. For instance, the following statements scored a mean of 4.5 or above: . The organization has a shared commitment to excellence and being a great healthcare organization. . Accountability for achieving our goals and getting results is clear at each level within the organization. . Accomplishments are celebrated, recognized and/or rewarded. . Our staff has easy access to the information and equipment they need to do their jobs safely and efciently. Table III illustrates one departmental teams interactions. It shows a leader (converging learning style) who always meets with her sub-team members immediately after the transition teams biweekly or weekly meeting. Usually, she chooses the next 10 a.m. slot immediately following the general transition team meeting to discuss updates with her sub-team members to identify questions and concerns. It provided an avenue for her staff to ask questions, collect further queries and feedback from their frontline staff, and anticipate management updates and progress. This sub-team always started and ended its meeting punctually. Many team members took notes and documented action items. The team leader was open in sharing her handouts from top management.

838

SLC team learning coding examples Scanning Information access (IA)

Healthcare transition team examples

Communicate with trafc department for advice on parking lot size and facility needed for helicopter emergency landing to deliver patients Selecting information (SI) Select information from the feasibility study report to share with the community residents Problem Increased enquiry (IE) What if the permit is not issued in time, what are our Solving back-up plans? How about a rain plan? What would we do if it rains on the day of relocating patients? Productive learning (PL) Learning about the park construction increases as more information is collected for answering community queries Change of performance (CP) We have to hire and orient the nurses for the Heart and Vascular unit next month Bring closure (BC) Now that inspection on XX is completed, we can install the elevators Abstraction Generate conceptual I thought the equipment would be installed before the change (GCC) patient would be moved in. It looked like we are going to move everything in on one day. Guide for thinking (GT) The accounting department indicated to us that each day of delay in opening the new hospital is going to cost us $X,000 interest. So, we need to stay on target as much as we can Diffusion Codication of knowledge (CK) Based on government ofcer input and consultant feedback, a new timeline for the relocation is projected Protocol available for The new hospital information is translated into posters transfer (PT) and PowerPoint presentations for sharing with the community residents Knowledge diffused (KD) The revised relocation plan options are shared with the management team for comment and feedback Feedback on diffused External consultants and ofcials from relevant knowledge (FDK) adjacent departments provided feedback on the feasibility of the relocation plan options Community residents feedback on the cost and benet of the plan in the long run Diffusion beyond team (DBT) The revised plan and opening day of the new hospital was announced nationwide

Team learner style and change management 839

Table III. Example of healthcare transition team coded in the SLC model

Often, handouts with her own personal notes and remarks were also shared with her immediate team members. The leader treated members as equally signicant coworkers in managing the various healthcare units. Learning styles and success of implementation We found a notable correlation between the learning style makeup of change teams and the overall success of the implementation. As seen in Figure 1, team members rated the implementation as more successful when convergers and assimilators dominated the groups numbers. In these cases, not only were group members on average more positive about the implementations success, but the number of SLC deltas observed

Team Assessment of Effectiveness (1 = effective and well executed, 5 = inefficient and not successful)

JOCM 24,6

5.00 4.50 4.00 3.50 3.00 165 2.50 2.00 1.50 1.00 0.50 0.00 Transition Team6:2:1:2 Facility Team 4:3:1:0 126 92 2.40 4.47 4.25 247 4.00

300

250

150

100

50

Figure 1. Self-assessed change effectiveness and total SLC delta

0 Nursing Nursing Team 2 Team 1 1:2:4:3 4:2:1:2 Team Name and Learning Style Ratio (converger:assimilator:diverger:accomodator) Effectiveness (1-5) Total SLC Delta

were higher, suggesting, according to Lees (2010) framework, that they were more effective in managing change and innovation. As seen in Figure 2, assessment of success was fairly consistent across learning styles. If learning styles seemed to predict feelings of team success, we might have doubted this measure. However, such consistency within teams and across learning styles suggests that our measure of implementation success is indeed robust and a reliable indicator of success regardless of learning style.
5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 Facility Team Nursing Team 2 Nursing Team 1 Transition Team

Figure 2. Change effectiveness by learner style and teams

0.5 0.0 Assimilator Accommodator Converger Diverger

Total Deltas

840

200

Below we further probe why some of these groups seemed to be more successful implementers of change and how their changes in stafng composition over time may have inuenced their progress. Learning styles over time The following is a discussion of all the sub-teams changes in aggregated learner styles over the various phases of the change. Since greater human resources were required for both continuous planning and implementation of the change, it is important to note that the teams expanded progressively as the new hospital opening grew closer, as seen in Figure 3. The healthcare industry is lled with science professionals even though a variety of roles are required for all the necessary positions in the typical hospital. According to Kolb (1984), individuals with converging learning styles are best suited to scientic professions because their strengths include active experimentation and abstract conceptualization. In the strategic planning stage, the facility team was made up primarily of convergers. This is in alignment with Lees (2008) proposition that converging style learners are procient at searching for information and scanning the environment. Upon obtaining approval to build the new hospital, assimilators were added to the team. Assimilators are planners (Kolb, 1984) so it was appropriate that the facility team recruited staff members that were adept at planning to join this stage in preparation for the hospital design and construction. When vendors were being selected for the new hospital, the team experienced signicant growth; divergers and assimilators were added to the team but no accommodators were present at that time. Divergers are excellent environmental interpreters (Kolb, 1984) and create a team culture conducive to launching initiatives (Lee, 2008). In this case, change in the form of expansion was underway and the addition of divergers to the team was a wise choice from a human resources point of view. The team population then remained stable until the transition execution stage when more staff was again necessary. According to Kolb (1984), accommodators are doers who are best for execution. In this case, however, the facility team played a strategic planning and control role, which explains why the added staff during the execution stage was an assimilator (planner). This facility team was evaluated and ranked as an effective team in both leading and undergoing the change (m 4.3). Its convergers, assimilators, divergers, and accommodators ratio was 4:3:1:0. For a team that was predominately working in a science environment charged with strategically planning a large change project,

Team learner style and change management 841

Diverging Converging Assimilating Accommodating Strategic Planning Obtaining Approvals Vendors Selection Hospital Construction Transition Planning Transition Execution Moved into new hospital Hospital Design

Figure 3. Facility team

JOCM 24,6

the ratio was effective for its function: mostly converging workers, some assimilating planners, and a few divergers who could set the culture for change. If the team grew further, it would have been benecial to track at what point accommodators, if any, were added to the team. Nursing team 1 Nursing team 1, as seen in Figure 4, was predominately lled with convergers and accommodators. The team grew almost 300 per cent when the move into the new hospital approached since many additional staff members were anticipated. Unlike the facility team who had a focus on planning, nurses are service deliverers synonymous with Kolbs (1984) characterization of doers. Thus, recruitment of additional nurses did not begin until the transition planning stage. Some nurses were requested to play a coordinating and communication role between the senior planning transition team and the nurse team during the transition planning stage; thus, additional staff was needed to ll the vacated positions. For the role of coordinating and execution through people, accommodators are best (Lee, 2008). Therefore, it was an effective move to choose nurses who have an accommodating learning style to play a coordinating role. It is interesting to point out a replacement in team membership at that time. When a nurse who bore the accommodating learner style was called on to assume new roles, her position needed a replacement. The new hire also had an accommodating learning style. By theory, convergers are best t for the science professions, thus there is a high chance for the replacement/newly recruited staff member to be a converger. Instead, the accommodator who was called on to take new roles was replaced by a new hire of similar learning styles. While this was not a deliberate human resources choice, one can explain the phenomenon with natures ability to compensate. Perhaps the teams effort to replace a member of similar strengths and skills turned out to have a similar learner style. After recruiting additional staff for the hospital design stage, the team experienced a second surge of staff increase at the transition execution stage. Staff increased threefold during this period. In alignment with the expected need for a nursing team, the majority of the staff recruited at this stage was convergers. Accommodators, divergers, and assimilators were among those newly hired but convergers and assimilators were the dominant groups. The distribution of the learning styles of this team was healthy and effective for its function in a hospital: 4 (convergers): 2 (assimilators): 1 (divergers): 2 (accommodators). Most of the nurses were converging doers who effectively delivered hospital services. For example, nurses often work with healthcare equipment and adhere

842

Diverging Converging Assimilating Accommodating Strategic Planning Obtaining Approvals Vendors Selection Hospital Design Hospital Construction Transition Planning Transition Execution Moved into new hospital

Figure 4. Nursing team 1

to strict schedules to maintain patient safety and monitor recovery progress. There was a similar distribution of assimilating planners/educators and people-oriented, accommodating nurses. A small representation of divergers was present for patients who might need the assistance of someone like a social worker. Nursing team 2 Nursing team 2, as seen in Figure 5, was not formed until approvals were obtained and vendors were selected. Nurses in this team were hired so the specialized unit would be available in the new hospital. When the construction phase of the new hospital began, even more people were needed. Initial hires were either accommodators or convergers. Many hired in the second round were divergers who eventually became the majority of the team. When the team was ready to move into the hospital, the teams learning style ratio was 1 (convergers): 2 (assimilators): 4 (divergers): 3 (accommodators). According to survey results, this team was not effective in its transition experience. Several reasons may have caused this ineffectiveness. First, the team was new and unfamiliar with the hospitals culture. Second, convergers were the smallest group even though, by theory, they are best suited for scientic careers and the most likely group to thrive in this working environment. If convergers are often top performers in a healthcare profession, then it is unfortunate that the percentage of convergers on this team was only approximately 10 per cent. Using Kolbs (1984) learner styles for evaluation, the number of convergers was inadequate. Third, divergers, who make good artists and social workers, formed the majority of this team. The planning and coordination between divergers (in this team) and convergers (the majority of the remaining organization) can cause conict because these two styles are opposites in how information is taken in and interpreted. Fourth, about half of the team was assimilators and accommodators and their distribution ratio was similar (2:3). According to Kolb, these two styles are also opposites in how information is taken in and interpreted. Such a combination of team members may result in communication and performance difculties regardless of the changes that were taking place in the organization. Transition team The transition team, as shown in Figure 6, was the central leadership planning group for the change project. It was composed of managers and representatives from various hospital departments including physicians, nurses, human resources, ambulance personnel, surgeons, and information technology professionals. The team gradually
Diverging Converging Assimilating Accommodating Vendors Selection Hospital Construction Strategic Planning Obtaining Approvals Hospital Design Transition Planning Transition Execution Moved into new hospital

Team learner style and change management 843

Figure 5. Nursing team 2

JOCM 24,6

844

developed and increased stafng after obtaining approvals to construct the hospital. The proportional increase over the trajectory of the whole change period was consistent and balanced. The transition team was the largest team during the planning stage when senior management made a conscious effort to solicit opinions from as many department representatives as possible. Subsequently, team membership dropped slightly because: . there was no need for all members to remain on the team during the execution stage; and . some smaller departments were represented by managers in larger adjacent teams. These managers served to represent their staff and channel staff concerns. About 18 months before the hospital opening, the transition team met on a monthly basis to discuss personnel changes, information technologies, and the nances needs in addition to the construction progress. The team met bimonthly approximately one year before the opening. Weekly meetings were held and additional new task forces were formed to oversee and ensure a smooth relocation approximately two months prior to the new hospital opening. This transition team had a core group of members beginning at the strategic planning stage. The ratio of team member learning styles was 6 (convergers): 2 (assimilators):1 (divergers):2 (accommodators). The majority of the staff was scientists (convergers such as physicians, pharmacists, and nurses). At that time, a small portion of the planning staff was assimilators (e.g. the CEO and the senior VP in human resources) and coordinators (e.g. nurse managers and HR coordinators) who ensured development and operation of the hospital. Lastly, a handful of supporting staff such as those in psychiatry and social work played advisory roles. The transition team was considered effective because it experienced 50 per cent more SLC deltas (Lee, 2010) as compared to the other teams under study. In reviewing intranet archival records, data suggest that problems were quickly dealt with and resolved. In examining how long it takes to resolve the issues, some issues were resolved in days, others in weeks, and still others in months. Nonetheless, they were progressively resolved to prepare for the new hospital. Post-transition interview responses included:
[. . .] the transition was a success [Respondent: a specialize unit team leader]. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 9 (10 being perfect) [Respondent: a patient].

Diverging Converging Assimilating Accommodating Strategic Planning Obtaining Approvals Vendors Selection Hospital Design Hospital Construction Transition Planning Transition Execution Moved into new hospital

Figure 6. Transition team

If there were more facilities/supplies set up before moving in, it would have been better. Overall, it was a good move [Respondent: a nurse practitioner]. The move on that day was very good and smooth. The two weeks that followed was tough. We had nothing to work with [. . .] [Respondent: a nurse departmental head].

Team learner style and change management 845

The 6 (convergers): 2 (assimilators): 1 (divergers): 2 (accommodators) ratio was effective for this change management team. The majority of convergers (55 per cent) are doers and effective task executors according to Kolbs (1984) active experimentation and abstract conceptualization dimensions. People who have converging learning styles prefer communication in a step-by-step, systematic manner. In a change environment characterized by frequent interruption, uncertainty, and ambiguity, the presence of a majority group of convergers can be an advantage that maximizes clarity and progress. On the other hand, divergers are adept at viewing circumstances from multiple perspectives. They evaluate and absorb information using concrete experience and reective observation. In a change context, they are excellent at creating the culture necessary for the change to take place. However, too many divergers considered spontaneous, free spirits can result in a ready-for-change situation without actual implementation. Therefore, the minimal presence (9 per cent) of divergers in this team was adequate. Accommodators are good at working with people such that the presence of accommodators is similar to the presence of coordinators/managers. The presence of a few managers keeps tasks under control but too many managers may result in inadequate doers needed at the operational level. Accommodators (18 per cent) and convergers (18 per cent) could potentially work effectively together as small sub-teams because both employ active experimentation as opposed to reective observation. In a change context where many actions are required, this study suggests that the two co-chairs leading the transition planning team were an effective accommodator-converger pair. Assimilators characterized by reective observation and abstract conceptualization tend to see the big picture and excel as long-term planners; their envisioning skills are valuable to a change management team (Kolb, 1984). However, too many assimilators (planners) in a change management context can create an inadequate number of doers for execution. In this team, 18 per cent of assimilators worked out effectively for giving direction to the team. Closer examination of data showed that the CEO and senior human resources executive were assimilators and, consequently, played important strategic planning roles in the transition team. Limitations This is a single case study that included examination of several sub-teams and how the sizes of the teams varied. Also, no comparison was made with other medical institutions. A larger-scale study involving comparison of more than one hospitals transition would be meaningful for further generalization. The possibility of observing more departmental meetings could further enrich the data collection, especially for relevant events that could not be captured in a standardized questionnaire. Some might argue that individual learner styles change over time and that subjects may tune to a different learning style as the situation or environment required.

JOCM 24,6

While it is valid to say that people change over time, the focus of this exercise is on the predisposition of the team members learner styles (i.e. the most often used or predominate preference for the intake and processing of information) and their possible contribution in a change context. A longitudinal study of the team members change/non-change in learner style may establish further insights into how learning styles affect change effectiveness. Conclusion and contribution The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of team member learning styles (Kolb, 1984) on change management in a healthcare context. Extant literature has explored learner style and its impact on individual education (Weil, 1975) and career development (Kolb, 1984). However, there is limited understanding of how learner style distributions affect team members on task execution in a change management context, particularly in the healthcare industry. This study suggests strategic placement of personnel throughout the change process to initiate, support, and reinforce the change. It surveyed the learning styles of an action coordinating team of 23 senior managers (hospital administrators and directors) from 12 departments within a major medical university. Several departmental leaders volunteered to have their members complete a survey yielding 77 responses. Information collected from semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and meeting minutes was analyzed to examine the patterns of communication and interaction among team members in the planning and execution of the hospital relocation. Results suggest that a learner ratio that favors convergers and assimilators over divergers and accommodators may be the most effective stafng strategy for change leadership teams in a health environment. Specially, the leadership team studied had a ratio of 6:2:1:2 for convergers, assimilators, divergers, accommodators. Research results regarding the effectiveness of team diversity on team performance is mixed (Knight et al., 1999; Mohammed and Angell, 2003; Horwitz and Horwitz, 2007). Kramer and Standifer (2009) discuss the impact of temporal diversity of team process and effectiveness. However, discussion on the degree and composition of the team diversity from a learner style perspective is still limited, especially in a change context. This nding is signicant for exploring effective team management in a constantly changing and competitive healthcare environment. Implications for management At the organizational level, top management can emphasize diversity such that a variety of talents with different learning styles and work strengths is available in the human resources pool. At the team or departmental level, managers need to pay close attention to the development of the team. This way, the strength of each learner type can be best placed to facilitate the change or team development. At the individual level, awareness of personal and coworkers learner styles can enhance communication in terms of clear intake and interpretation of information. If a member sees communication as a type of teaching and uses a style that is conducive to his/her teammates information intake, there will be more understanding and fewer bottlenecks in communication ultimately leading to fewer errors and improved productivity. In this study, survey respondents were encouraged to share their personal learning style results with their respective team members. Such an exercise

846

can encourage open communication and understanding among team members. Ultimately, members who chose to participate in the survey and were willing to share their learner style results may have enhanced team member understanding and work productivity. Future research direction In examining the quality of healthcare, Ferlie and Shortell (2001) suggest the need to study change that includes the individual, team, and the larger system level. Team development is an area that warrants further attention. No previous research has used Kolbs Learner Style theory to evaluate team development or change management. This research, therefore, leads learning style in a novel direction for two reasons. First, future research should investigate the application of Kolbs learner style theory in different industries such as retail, banking, or entertainment. Second, the unit studied was a hospital as part of a larger medical university that had a typical healthcare organizational culture a relatively high aggressive-defensive culture dimension due to legal liability and good leadership. Private or community hospitals should be the subject of further study to offer insights into best practices and dysfunctional cases. The 6:2:1:2 ratio for convergers, assimilators, divergers, and accommodators was appropriate for the transition planning leadership team in this study. However, the 4:3:1:0 ratio (as illustrated by the facility team) was also effective within its function. While the facility team was only a functional team and the transition leadership team was composed of members from a variety of functions, subsequent research should compare transition leadership teams across different hospitals. Future research should verify the optimum learner ratio for effective change. For example, would a 5:2:1:2 or 6:2:1:3 be better than the 6:2:1:2 ratio learner style? If so, what are the conditions that are helpful for determining the difference? As Plsek and Wilson (2001) advocate, it is advantageous to study how variations in structure and process in the more successful hospitals contribute to variations in outcome. Perhaps, the concept of stafng a team with different proportion of learning styles is the beginning of a better process for managing change in the healthcare context.
References Ackerman-Anderson, L. and Anderson, D. (2001), Awake at the wheel: moving beyond change management to conscious change leadership, OD Practitioner, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 4-10. Bandura, A. (1977), Social Learning Theory, General Learning Press, New York, NY. Begun, J., Zimmerman, B. and Dooley, K. (2003), Health care organizations as complex adaptive systems, in Mick, S.M. and Wyttenbach, M. (Eds), Advances in Health Care Organization Theory, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, pp. 253-88. Bodinson, G.W. (2005), Change healthcare organizations from good to great Lincoln Award, American Society for Quality, November, pp. 22-5. Cangelosi, V.E. and Dill, W.R. (1965), Organizational learning: observations toward a theory, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 175-203. Cano-Garcia, F. and Hughes, E.F. (2000), Learning and thinking styles: an analysis of their interrelationship and inuence on academic achievement, Educational Psychology, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 413-30.

Team learner style and change management 847

JOCM 24,6

848

Ferlie, E.B. and Shortell, S.M. (2001), Improving the quality of health care in the United Kingdom and the United States: a framework for change, Milbank Quarterly, Vol. 79 No. 2, pp. 281-315. Finucane, P.M., Johnson, S.M. and Prideaux, D.J. (1988), Problem-based learning: its rationale and efcacy, Medical Journal of Australia, Vol. 168, pp. 445-8. Fixsen, D.L., Naoom, S.F., Blase, K.A., Friedman, R.M. and Wallace, F. (2005), Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature, University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network (FMHI Publication No. 231), Tampa, FL, available at: www.fpg.unc.edu/, nirn/resources/ detail.cfm?resourceID31 Hamel, G. (1991), Competition for competence and inter-partner learning within international strategic alliances, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12, pp. 83-103 (Special Issue: Global Strategy). Hitt, M., Beamish, P., Jackson, S. and Mathieu, J. (2007), Building theoretical and empirical bridges across levels: multilevel research in management, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 50 No. 6, pp. 1385-99. Horwitz, S. and Horwitz, I. (2007), The effects of team diversity on team outcomes: a meta-analytic review of team demography, Journal of Management, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 987-1015. Knight, D., Pearce, C., Smith, K., Olian, J., Sims, H., Smith, K. and Flood, P. (1999), Top management team diversity, group process, and strategic consensus, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 445-65. Kolb, D. (1984), Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Kramer, J. and Standifer, R. (2009), Impact of Temporal Diversity on Team Process and Team Effectiveness, Student Day Poster, University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Ofce of Research and Sponsored Programs, Eau Claire, WI. Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991), Situated Learning. Legitimate Peripheral Participation, University of Cambridge Press, Cambridge. Lee, V. (2005), Organizational learning in innovation oriented teams, competitive paper presented at Annual Meeting of Academy of Management, Honolulu, HI. Lee, V. (2008), Organizational learning: toward a model of knowledge creation through teams, competitive paper presented at Annual Meeting of Academy of Management, Anaheim. Lee, V. (2010), Culture of innovation-oriented teams, competitive paper presented at Annual Meeting of Academy of Management, Montreal, Canada, 6-10 August. McWilliam, C. and Ward-Grifn, C. (2006), Implementing organizational change in health and social services, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 119-35. Mohammed, S. and Angell, L. (2003), Personality heterogeneity in teams: which differences make a difference for team performance, Small Group Research, Vol. 34 No. 6, pp. 651-77. Page, S. and Meerbeau, L. (2000), Achieving change through reective practice: closing the loop, Nursing Education Today, Vol. 20, pp. 365-72. Patzer, H., Blake, D. and Ashford, D. (2000), An evaluation of the process and outcomes from learning through reective practice groups on a post-registration nursing course, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol. 33, pp. 689-95. Petersilia, J. (1990), Conditions that permit intensive supervision, Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 36 No. 1, pp. 126-45.

Plsek, P.E. and Greenhalgh, T. (2001), The challenge of complexity in health care, British Medical Journal, Vol. 325, pp. 625-8. Plsek, P.E. and Wilson, T. (2001), Complexity science: complexity, leadership and management in healthcare organizations, British Medical Journal, Vol. 323, pp. 726-49. Schon, D.A. (1983), The Reective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, Basic Books, New York, NY. Simonin, B.L. (1999), Ambiguity and the process of knowledge transfer in strategic alliance, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 20 No. 7, pp. 595-623. Snow, C., Miles, R. and Coleman, H.J. Jr (2000), Managing 21st century network organizations, in Preece, D., McLoughlin, I. and Dawson, P. (Eds), Technology, Organizations and Innovation: Towards Real Virtuality?, Routledge, London, pp. 1621-38. Strauss, A.C. and Corbin, J. (1990), Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Sage, Newbury Park, CA. Taylor, L., Nelson, P. and Adelman, H. (1999), Scaling-up reforms across a school district, Reading and Writing Quarterly, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 303-25. Walker, E.P. (2009), Senate passes stimulus bill with $19 billion for health IT, Washington Post, 11 February. Weil, M. (1975), A study of teacher trainee learning styles and the development of competence, paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC, April (Competitive Paper). Weiss, R. S. (1994), Learning from Strangers: The Art and Method of Qualitative Interview Studies, The Free Press, New York, NY. West, M., Tjosvold, D. and Smith, K. (2003), International Handbook of Organizational Teamwork and Cooperative Working, Wiley, Chichester. Williams, B. and Walker, L. (2003), Facilitating perception and imagination in generating change through reective practice groups, Nurse Educator Today, Vol. 23, pp. 131-7. Further reading Baker, C., Beglinger, J., King, S., Salyards, M. and Thompson, A. (2000), Transforming negative work cultures: a practical strategy, Journal of Nursing Administration, Vol. 30 Nos 7/8, pp. 357-63. Baldrige National Quality Program (2005), Healthcare criteria for performance excellence, National Institute of Standards and Technology, available at: www.baldrige.nist.gov/ HealthCare_Criteria.htm (accessed 17 May 2010). Heatheld, S. (2010), Communication in Change Management, About.com Human Resources, available at: http://humanresources.about.com/od/changemanagement/a/change_ lessons2.htm (accessed 5 July 2010). Institute for Healthcare Improvement (2010), Protecting 5 Million Lives from Harm, available at: www.ihi.org/ihi/programs/campaign (accessed 17 May 2010). Nembhardi, I.M. and Edmondson, A.C. (2006), Making it safe: the effects of leader inclusiveness and professional status on psychological safety and improvement efforts in health care teams, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Vol. 27, pp. 941-66. Obama, B. (2008), Affordable health care for all Americans, Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 300 No. 16, pp. 1927-8. Pediatrics: Heart and Heart Surgery Score Card (2010), US News and World Report, available at: http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings

Team learner style and change management 849

JOCM 24,6

850

Quinn, R.E. and Rohrbaugh, J. (1983), A spatial model of effectiveness criteria: towards a competing values approach to organizational analysis, Management Science, Vol. 29, pp. 363-77. Rousseau, D.M. (1985), Issues of level in organizational research: multi-level and cross-level perspectives, in Cummings, L.L. and Staw, B.M. (Eds), Research in Organizational Behavior, Vol. 7, JAI Greenwich, CT, pp. 1-37. Scott, T., Mannion, R., Davies, H. and Marshall, M. (2003), The quantitative measurement of organisational culture in health care: a review of available instruments, Health Services Research, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 923-45. Studer, Q. (2003), Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference, Fire Starter, Gulf Breeze, FL. Weiner, B. (1972), Attribution theory, achievement motivation, and the educational process, Review of Educational Research, Vol. 42, pp. 203-15.

Appendix 1 Sample learner style inventory grid


27 ASSIMILATING 24 21 15 12 9 6 AE-RO 3 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 3 0 3 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 DIVERGING 24 27 AC-CE
Does not include incorrect data points

CONVERGING

41 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27

ACCOMMODATING

SPSS ID #

Sample medical center sub-team team member learner style inventory ratio distribution
27 ASSIMILATING 24 21 18 15 12
46 16 45 5 4 2 20

CONVERGING

Team learner style and change management 851

9 6

AE-RO

11

27

24

21

18

15

12

0
10

3 0 3

12

15

18

21

24

27
Series1

42

12

6 9
19

38

8 18

12 15

18
13

21 DIVERGING 24 27 AC-CE
Does not include incorrect data points

ACCOMMODATING

SPSS ID #

Sample LSI questions Ranking of learning preference (4 being most descriptive of you, 1 being least descriptive). 1. I learn best when. . . ( ) thinking ( ) feeling ( ) doing ( ) reecting 2. When I learn. . . ( ) I like to deal with my feelings ( ) I like to think about ideas ( ) I like to be doing things ( ) I like to watch and listen

JOCM 24,6

Appendix 2 Operationalised social learning cycle (Lee, 2005)


Refined SLC Coding System
Hypothesized stages of work group problem processing based on Social Learning Curve (Boisot, 1995)

Category

Team Learning Application


Review data to decide what kind of classification can be made to provide a more stable and useful framework for which knowledge can be built upon/relatedi

Code
1A SI IE MO TO

Observable action
Research and assess information availability Select information to applly to problem select data pertain to question/problem defined.ii iv Increased enquiries Explore unkowns to find more order Thinking out of higher order rules combining previously learned rulesv A productive learning (knowledge that leads to action or direction) preceded by a variety of simplier forms of learningvi Cause a change in performance Bring closure, concluding that the problem is solvedvii Presence of guides for thinkingix Generate conceptual changex or learning Awareness of similaritiesxi Codification of newly created knowledge Protocol made available for transfer of knowledge Feedback on the diffused knowledge Diffusible beyond the team level to other units for adoption Learning by external agent Protocol spread as organizational/ industry standard* Attracted award, research grant, or industry collaboration Patents and new market emergencen Competitor or legal regulation emergence Training available for education

852
Inter-organizational

Scanning

Problem Solving

An act of learning which produces a change in performanceiii

PL CP BC

Abstraction

Generalizing a product or concept, extending the range of useful viii application

GT GCC AS CK

4 Inter-organizational 5

Diffusion

Newly created knowledge is disseminated spread and dispersedxii Newly created knowledge is internalized through repeated use and becomes largely implicit*

PT FDK

Absorption

DBT LEA PS

Impacting

Newly created knowledge becomes embedded in concrete practices and physical artifacts*

AGC PNM CLR TA

An SLC delta (SLC 2-3-4) count in the observed transition team: SLC2 (increased enquiry): Do we need an extra team of people to help with XXX if it rains on the moving day? SLC3 (abstract 3 conceptualization): In general, how much back-up resources do we have for emergency relief? SLC4 (knowledge diffusion): Transition team management asked each departmental team leader to do an analysis of manpower and equipment needed in case of emergency. The information is then consolidated and shared in the organizational intranet.

Corresponding author Velma Lee can be contacted at: teamvlresearch@gmail.com

To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight.com Or visit our web site for further details: www.emeraldinsight.com/reprints

You might also like