Collaboration and collective learning: networks as learning organisations (original) (raw)

Inter organizational learning within and by innovation networks

2009

Lappeenranta 2009 83 p. Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis 345 Diss. Lappeenranta University of Technology , ISSN 1456-4491 The thesis deals with the phenomenon of learning between organizations in innovation networks that develop new products, services or processes. Inter-organizational learning is studied especially at the level of the network. The role of the network can be seen as twofold: either the network is a context for inter-organizational learning, if the learner is something else than the network (organization, group, individual), or the network itself is the learner.

INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING DYNAMICS: ROLES OF NETWORKS ON KNOWLEDGE CREATION

The focus of most of the current literature on inter-organizational learning has been on how a firm acquires knowledge from its alliance partners. While knowledge acquisition is an important process, a firm may not effectively learn through such process, especially when the knowledge is complex, tacit, and embedded. Further, despite the increasing importance of networks, current research on inter-organizational learning has been limited to dyadic relations. To address these issues, this paper adopts a network perspective and develops a conceptual framework by arguing that inter-organizational learning occurs through both knowledge acquisition and knowledge development processes and that different network characteristic facilitate knowledge creation through these processes. Further, it suggests that absorptive capacity moderates the relationships between the properties of the network and effectiveness of the two learning processes in creating knowledge.

Organisations, Networks, and Learning: A Sociological View

… and organisational change: Aston perspectives on …, 2001

In this paper I try to relate the concept of organizational learning to the recent literature on industrial districts and innovation networks. The network literature so far has not applied findings from organizational learning to network learning in a straightforward way. Usually, learning is equated with innovation and ‘absorptive capacity’. However, the same virtues that distinguish networks from ordinary market exchange may turn into vices which stifle the innovative process. Especially core firms in industrial sectors seem to be prone to this. Conversely, collaborations in knowledge intensive industries typically are both an entry ticket to an information network and a vehicle for the rapid communication about new opportunities and obstacles. Therefore, an outline for further research is formulated.

Learning Processes and the Role of Technological Networks as an Innovative Challenge

Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Pattern Recognition in Information Systems, 2004

This paper intends to contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the role and the value of technological networks in learning processes, whose integration can enhance enterprise performance. Considering that the adequate combination of some variables, as IT, Internet, Intranet, computers, Information Systems and teamwork's' activities may modify drastically organisations' behaviour, a conceptual model for the optimisation of enterprises' performance as a function of technological networks is suggested.

Learning in networks: an exploration from innovation perspective

International Journal of Technology Management, 2009

Innovation and product development are by far the most knowledge intensive and complex processes in organisations, meaning that they are among the most challenging and critical processes from the standpoint of new knowledge creation and effective learning. The firms' learning capabilities play a crucial role in generating innovations. By networking, companies are able to create and share new knowledge efficiently and the importance of networks in successful innovation management has increased significantly during the last few years. The aim here is to study the literature on learning, innovation and networks, particularly learning in inter-organisational networks. We evaluate and discuss important approaches to learning found in the literature from the standpoint of innovation management and networks. Since innovation is a particularly challenging and important task or process from the standpoint of knowledge creation and learning, several viewpoints to learning should be recognised and used simultaneously when aiming at effective learning.

Creating and managing a high performance knowledge-sharing network: the Toyota case

2002

This study offers a detailed case study of how Toyota facilitates interorganizational knowledge transfers among within its production network. In particular, we identi~and examine six key institutionalized knowledge sharing routines developed by Toyota and its suppliers. By examining how Toyota facilitates knowledge-sharing with, and among, suppliers we are able to identib the key variables which influence interorganizational and network learning. Moreover, since Toyota is early in the process of creating a learning network with U.S. suppliers, we explore the creation and evolution of Toyota's new learning "network" in the United States. We attempt to extrapolate from Toyota's experience by developing a series of propositions regarding creating and designing a high performance knowledge-sharing network.

Connecting organizations: Developing the idea of network learning in inter-organizational settings

Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 2008

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a form of analysis that is important in the development of inter-agency working and partnerships. Social network analysis is being seen as increasingly important in understanding inter-organizational life. The paper will introduce the idea of network learning, which is in principle a way of making social networks explicit and using an understanding of them as a part of a learning process for partnership development. The paper will also argue for a practice of network learning which integrates social network analysis with Soft Operational Research. This combination, it will be shown, provides further insights into understanding collaboration (a systems-level phenomena) in inter-agency networks or partnerships. These ideas will be described and reviewed in detail via a case study.

Collaborative Network Learning in Manufacturing

International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning (iJAC), 2014

This study aims to investigate the antecedents of collaborative networked learning (CNL), to develop an integrative CNL framework and to bridge the gap between theory and praxis in manufacturing. It provides a holistic perspective of CNL within the complexity of the manufacturing environment, including empirical investigation using survey questionnaires. The findings and discussions draw upon socio-technical systems (STS) theory, and present the theoretical context and interpretations through the lens of manufacturing employees. Results of the study show the existence of significant positive influences of organizational support, promotive interactions, positive interdependence, internal-external learning, perceived effectiveness and perceived usefulness of CNL among manufacturing employees. The study offers a basis for empirical validity for measuring CNL in organizational learning, knowledge and information sharing in manufacturing.

Knowledge networks and inter-organisational learning in the context of information industry

Quality Education @ a Distance, 2003

Organisations in the information industry are facing constant changes which demand organisational learning. Industry structures are being reformatted, which implies new processes and knowledge bases. Hence, interorganisational competitive advantage also needs cross-organisational learning, learning support systems and management approaches considering quality in this change context. Critical qualities for inter-organisational advantage will be reviewed, likewise the nature of knowledge work for improved quality management.

The role of co-production networks in organisations' efforts to enhance the learning curve outcomes

ROUTLEDGE, 2017

This study attempts to answer the following questions: What are the potential factors that internally affect the effectiveness of an organisation's experiential learning, and how do the network characteristics of an organisation influence the impact of those internal factors on that effectiveness? This study examines the automotive engine plants in North America between 1995 and 2006 to suggest two factors that influence the effectiveness of experiential learning: (1) the change in part-time worker ratio and (2) the in-house manufacturing ratio. We also pay attention to the interaction effects of the network properties of engine plants and each internal factor of the effectiveness of learning by doing to examine the influence of the networks in which engine plants are embedded. The network properties of engine plants used in this study are degree centrality and closeness centrality, which are obtained from the engine plants' production-based networks. The findings show that both the increase in part-time worker ratio and the high in-house manufacturing ratio negatively affect learning outcomes and that those negative effects are mitigated when plants have high centralities in networks.