BUILDING A LEARNING

ORGANIZATION

David A. Garvin
LEARNING ORGANIZATION
A learning organization is an organization skilled at
creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at
modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and
insights

New ideas are essential if learning is to take place

Without accompanying changes in the way that work gets

done, only the potential for improvements exist
 ORGANIZATION AND
QUALITIES
Meaning
Plausible, well grounded definition, actionable
and easy to apply.
Management
Clear guidelines for practice, filled with
operational advice rather than high aspirations.
Measurement
Tools for assessing organizations rate and level
of learning to ensure gains have been made.
 ORGANIZATION AND
QUALITIES
Three distinct stages.
Cognitive
Exposed to new ideas, expand their knowledge and
begin to think differently.
Behavioral
Employees internalize new insights and alter
behavior.
Performance Improvement
Changes in behavior leading to measurable
improvements in results.
 BUILDING BLOCKS
Systematic Problem Solving
Experimentation
Learning from Past Experience
Learning from others.
Transferring knowledge
Measuring learning

Each is accompanied by a distinctive mindset, tool

kit and pattern of behavior.
 SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM
SOLVING
Rely on scientific method for diagnosing
problems plan, do, check, act
Data
Statistical analysis
Generating ideas and collecting information
Reaching consensus
Analyzing and displaying data
Planning actions
 EXPERIMENTATION
On-going programs
Series of small experiments
Steady flow of new ideas
Incentive system
Need managers and employees trained in
evaluating and performing experiments
 EXPERIMENTATION
Demonstration Projects
First projects to embody principles and
approaches company hopes to adopt on a larger
scale
Establish policy guidelines and decision rules
for later projects
Encounter severe tests of commitment from
employees (testing rule change)
Limited impact on rest of organization (until
implemented)
 LEARNING FROM PAST
EXPERIENCE
Companies revive successes and failures.
Assessment done systematically and in an
open and accessible forum

Those who cannot remember the past are

condemned to repeat it
 LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Most powerful insights come from looking
outside ones immediate environment to gain
a new perspective
SIS-Steal ideas shamelessly
Benchmarking
Ongoing investigation and learning experience
that ensures the best industry practices are
uncovered, analyzed, adapted and implemented.
 TRANSFERRING
KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge must be spread quickly and
efficiently throughout the organization
Maximum impact when shared broadly
Written reports
Oral reports
Site visits and tours
Personnel rotation programs
Standardization programs
Education and training programs
 MEASURING LEARNING
If you cant measure it, you cant manage
it
Actual data comparision
Learning or experience curves.
Incomplete measures, ignore other competitive
variables, like quality, delivery or new product
introductions
 CONCLUSION
Learning organizations foster an
environment that is conducive to learning
Learning organizations open up boundaries
and stimulate the exchange of ideas