THE UNIVERSITY AS LEARNING ORGANIZATION: SOME PRACTICAL APPROACHES (original) (raw)

Transforming the University into a Learning Organization

Successful twenty-first century universities will have to be lean, flexible, and nimble. In fact, Peter Drucker claims that 30 years from now the "big universities will be relics" and will not survive. In the corporate world, businesses are becoming learning organizations in order to survive and prosper. This paper explains why it is necessary for universities to become learning organizations and provides ideas as how to make the transformation.

Universities as Learning Organizations

About Campus: Enriching the Student Learning Experience, 1997

One of the most important steps colleges and universities can take in becoming learning organizations is to reorganize their educational activities to encourage shared, connected learning experiences.

the University; A Learning

2016

There are voices in the research field suggesting that universities should become learning organisations in order to survive and become competitive in a complex environment. Two research aims have been raised. The first was concerned with in what way the organisational qualities of a university match the characteristics of a theoretical model of a learning organisation. The second was regarding in what way the organisational characteristics interact with one another in order to find out whether they support or hinder organisational learning. The selected case, Karlstad University, had an explicit vision to become a learning organisation. An integrated theoretical model of a learning organisation was created, based on different perspectives. The university was divided into six subsystems (vision, grouping, communication, norm, sanctions and evaluation system) and method triangulation has been applied, based on interviews, documents and a survey. Data analysis has been focused on the identification of organisational characteristics of the case, in relation to the theoretical model. Furthermore, explorative factor analysis as well as system theory analyses has been applied. The results show that out of six subsystems, four (communication, norm, sanctions and evaluation system) do not meet the characteristics in the theoretical model of a learning organisation. One subsystem (vision system) turned out to meet, as well as not to meet, the requirements in the theoretical model, while one-the grouping system-matches the requirements. The conclusion has been drawn that the university's inner life is not in harmony with the characteristics of the theoretical model of a learning organisation.

Universities as learning organizations: Implications and challenges

Educational Research Review, 2008

The learning organization is a concept that is becoming an increasingly widespread philosophy in modern organizations, from largest multinationals to the smallest ventures. As initially conceived by Senge (1990), the learning organization has a strongly humanist orientation, being a place where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together. In order to implement learning organization techniques, public universities should tackle the five disciplines essential to a learning organization-team learning, shared vision, mental models, personal mastery and systems thinking. This paper poses the following questions: how are public universities committed to the following: creating continuous learning opportunities; promoting inquiry and dialogue; encouraging collaboration and team learning; est0ablishing systems to capture and share learning; empowering people towards a collective vision, and connecting the organization to its environment? The paper proposes the need for radical rethinking and re-engineering of the core functions of public universities in developing countries.

Universities as Learning Organizations in the Knowledge Economy

Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy Journal, 2016

Through the present paper, we want to emphasize a set of managerial strategies to be applied in order to improve the operational functioning of a university up to the status of a learning organization. The objectives of this research paper are first to present several different perspectives about the concept of a ‘learning organization’; second to substantiate the (still) fuzzy paradigm of universities as learning organizations both from a scientific and pragmatic perspective; and third to argue a set of strategies to be applied for the transformation into a ‘learning organization’. The relevance of the research theme is evidenced by the interest manifested by the academic community towards the issues that universities (as Higher Education Institutions) are confronting with especially during the last decades. This fact is reflected by the great number of publications in specialized journals and participation to thematic conferences and debates. The first section presents var...

Organization Development Toward Learning Organization in a Private University

International Journal of Cyber Society and Education, 2015

The purpose of this research is to study the characteristics of a learning organization and then to determine the factors which would allow a private university to achieve such status. The study considers five aspects of the organization's subsystems based upon Michael J. Marquardt's theory: learning, organization, people, knowledge and technology. The research adopted a qualitative research procedure. A survey was administered to collect all faculty and staff's perspectives, and analyze them using the Learning Organization Profile. The results were used to formulate questions for interviews with four of the university's top executives. The university being studied was found to have a high degree of learning organization, in compliance with the five aspects framework. Thirteen influencing factors and six vulnerabilities were identified. The concept of organization development toward learning organization as defined in this study can be applied to other types of organizations. The methodology used in the study can be adapted to identify supporting factors and weaknesses, and then to initiate appropriate International Journal of Cyber Society and Education 20 projects which would lead to successful implementation.

Learning Organizations in the Information Age: The Case of Selcuk University, Turkey

Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 2003

In the information age, the concept of learning increasingly gains importance both for individuals and organizations. A learning organization is defined as an organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and teams and continually transforms itself. Being a learning organization is crucial for educational organizations, particularly colleges and universities since they should transform themselves into open system-learning units to meet the requirements of the age of rapid organizational change. Selcuk University is Turkey's one of the largest multidisciplinary university, education policy of which is to equip students with necessary knowledge and research capabilities to be successful in the global information age. The administration of Selcuk University is determined to facilitate and lean the learning processes in the academic units and formulates its policies in accordance with the demands and imperatives of this age. In this context, Selcuk University is found to be conscious of utilizing the modern instruction methods, especially those supported by the advanced information technologies. In this study, Selcuk University is examined in terms of the criteria of a learning organization.

Information Systems in University Learning

2010

The authors of this article are going to bring into light the significance, the place and the role of information systems in the university education process. At the same time they define the objectives and the target group of the subject named Economic Information Systems and state the competence gained by students by studying this subject. Special attention is given to the curriculum to be taught to students and to a suggestive enumeration of a series of economic applications that can be themes for laboratory practice and for students' dissertation (graduation thesis).

The University; A Learning Organization? : An Illuminative Review Based on System Theory

2006

There are voices in the research field suggesting that universities should become learning organisations in order to survive and become competitive in a complex environment. Two research aims have been raised. The first was concerned with in what way the organisational qualities of a university match the characteristics of a theoretical model of a learning organisation. The second was regarding in what way the organisational characteristics interact with one another in order to find out whether they support or hinder organisational learning. The selected case, Karlstad University, had an explicit vision to become a learning organisation. An integrated theoretical model of a learning organisation was created, based on different perspectives. The university was divided into six subsystems (vision, grouping, communication, norm, sanctions and evaluation system) and method triangulation has been applied, based on interviews, documents and a survey. Data analysis has been focused on the identification of organisational characteristics of the case, in relation to the theoretical model. Furthermore, explorative factor analysis as well as system theory analyses has been applied. The results show that out of six subsystems, four (communication, norm, sanctions and evaluation system) do not meet the characteristics in the theoretical model of a learning organisation. One subsystem (vision system) turned out to meet, as well as not to meet, the requirements in the theoretical model, while one-the grouping system-matches the requirements. The conclusion has been drawn that the university's inner life is not in harmony with the characteristics of the theoretical model of a learning organisation.