Abstract
From the perspective of Organisational Learning, organisations have the capacity to learn. Processes of organisational learning and knowledge development have been described mostly in idiosyncratic studies. In this paper, the question raised is how these learning processes can be mapped in a more general way? Can phenomena such as learning abilities of organisations or characteristic learning cycles as several authors broadly describe them, be detected? Unlike other theoretical currents of organisation research, the absence of shared research instruments makes it difficult to compare organisations and be able to pronounce upon their learning capabilities in a more general way.
In this paper, the learning abilities of organisations are distinguished and described according to the model of the social learning cycle. A questionnaire was designed and validated to characterise the dimensions of a knowledge space and the stages of a learning cycle. The results, given by the four departments of three knowledge-intensive organisations, are analysed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson J (1983) The Architecture of Cognition. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Argote L, McEvily B and Reagans R (2003) Managing knowledge in organizations: an integrative framework and review of emerging themes. Management Science 49 (4), 571–582.
Argote L and Ophir R (2002) Intra-organisational learning. In Blackwell Companion to Organisations (BAUM JAC, Ed), pp 181–207, Blackwell Business, Oxford, UK.
Argyris C and Schon D (1996) Organisational Learning II: Theory, Method and Practice. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA.
Bijlsma KM, Rosendaal BW and Bunt Gvd (2005) Does trust breed heed? In Trust under Pressure (BIJLSMA and JM, KLEIN WOLTHUIS, Eds), Edward Elgar, Chettenham.
Boisot MH (1995) Information Space: A Framework for Learning in Organisations, Institutions and Cultures. Routledge, London.
Boisot MH (1998) Knowledge Assets. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Brown JS and Duguid P (1998) Organizing knowledge. California Management Review 40 (3), 90–111.
Bryman A (1996) Leadership in organisations. In Handbook of Organisation Studies (CLEGG SR, HARDY C and NORD WR, Eds), pp 276–292, Sage, London.
Carrol JS (1998) Organisational learning activities in high-hazard industries: the logistics underlying self-analysis. Journal of Management Studies 53 (6), 699–717.
Cook SDN and Yanow D (1993) Culture and organisational learning. Journal of Management Inquiry 2 (4), 373–390.
Crossan MM, Lane HW and White R (1999) An organisational learning framework: from intuition to institution. The Academy of Management Review 24 (3), 522–538.
Darke J (1984) The primary generator and the design process. In Developments in Design Methodology (CROSS N, Ed), Wiley, Chichester.
Guadagnoli E and Velicer WF (1988) Relation of sample-size to the stability of component patterns. Psychological Bulletin 103 (2), 265–275.
Hofstede G (1980) Culture's Consequences. Sage, London.
Hutcheson GS and Sofroniou N (1999) The Multivariate Social Scientist. Sage, London.
Kogut B and Zander U (1992) Knowledge of the firm, combinative capabilities, and the replication of technology. Organisation Science 3 (3), 383–397.
Kolb DA (1984) Experiential Learning. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
Lant T and Mezias S (1992) An organisational learning model of convergence and reorientation. Organisation Science 3 (1), 47–71.
MacCallum RC, Widaman KF, Zhang SB and Hong SH (1999) Sample size in factor analysis. Psychological Methods 4 (1), 84–99.
March JG (1992) Exploration and exploitation in organisational learning. Organisation Science 3 (3), 383–397.
Maturana HR and Varela F (1980) Autopoiesis and Cognition: The Realization of the Living. Reidel, Dordrecht.
Morgan G (1986) Images of Organisation. Sage, Beverly Hills CA.
Nonaka I and Konno N (1998) The concept of ‘ba’: building a foundation for knowledge creation. Californian Management Review 40 (3), 40–54.
Nonaka I and Takeuchi H (1995) The Knowledge Creating Company. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Nooteboom B (2000) Learning by interaction: absorptive capacity, cognitive distance and governance. Journal of Management and Governance 4 (1), 69–92.
Ouchi WG (1980) Markets, bureaucracies, and clans. Administrative Science Quarterly 25 (1), 129–141.
Pugh DS and Hickson DJ (1976) Organisational Structure in its Context. The Ashton Programma I. Westmead, Lexington.
Schein EH (1992) Organisational Culture and Leadership. Jossey Bass Publ., San Fransisco, CA.
Starbuck WH (1992) Learning in knowledge-intensive firms. Journal of Management Studies 29 (6), 713–740.
Sun R, Merrill E and Peterson T (2001) From implicit skills to explicit knowledge: a bottom-up model of skill learning. Cognitive Science 25, 203–244.
Teece DJ, Pisano G and Shuen A (1997) Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal 18 (7), 509–533.
Von Krogh G (1998) Care in knowledge creation. Californian Management Review 40 (3), 133–153.
Vygotsky LS (1978) Interaction between learning and development. In Mind in Society (COLE M, JOHN-STEINER V, SCRIBNER S, SOUBERMAN E, Eds), pp 79–91, Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA.
Weick K and Roberts K (1993) Collective minds in organisations: heedful interrelating on flight decks. Administrative Science Quarterly 38 (3), 357–381.
Weick K and Westley F (1996) Organisational learning: affirming an oxymoron. In Handbook of Organisation Studies (CLEGG SR, HARDY C and NORD WR, Eds), pp 440–458, Sage, London.
Wilkins AL and Ouchi WG (1983) Efficient cultures: exploring the relationship between culture and organisational performance. Administrative Science Quarterly 28 (3), 468–481.
Winter SG (2000) The satisficing principle in capability learning. Strategic Management Journal 21 (10–11), 981–996.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rosendaal, B. Learning cycles in knowledge-intensive organisations: an exploratory study of the nature and dimensions of knowledge development in four departments. Knowl Manage Res Pract 4, 261–274 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500110
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.kmrp.8500110