Table Of ContentGANIZATIONAL
LEARNING:
ATHEORYOF
Ac-I---'ION PERSPECTIVE
ChriAsr gyris
DonalAd. S chon
ORGANIZATIONAL
LEARNING:
A OF
THEORY
ACTIONP ERSPECTIVE
ChriAsr gyriHsa rvardU niversity
DonalAd. S chon MassachusIentsttsi toufTt eec hnology
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Preface
Thibso okh asg rowfnr omo ure arileirn quiirnytt oh teh eoroifea cs
tion wihnidcihv idburailntsgot heiintre arctiownitsoh n ea noth.Ie nr
Theoyri nP ractwei dcees,cr itbheetd h eories-wihni-cuhs eg uide our
interperbseohnaiavolrc ,r eateb ethhaev iowroarllid nsw hicwhe l ive,
andi nfluebnocteoh u rl ong-teefrfme ctivaenndoe usrcs apacity for
lenarin.gO riignal,wl ey hadp lannienda chaptoefrt habto okt o
appltyh et heorofya ctipoenr specttoit vheep robleomfo rgnaiza
tioncaalp acfiotrly e arn.iB nugtw e coulndo tw ritteh acth atperi;t
callfeodar conceptburaildw ghei cwhe.h ad nyoettb ulita- bridge
betweetnh ew orlodf i nterperbseohnaavlia onrdt hew orlodf t he
organtiizo.aTn hee ffowret h adp roejctefdo ra few monhtahsbs e
comea four-yeenatre rprwihsaetb; e gaans a chapthearsb ecomae
boo.k
Int hep resewnotr kw,e arguteh aotr gantiizoaanrse n otc ollec
tionosfi ndividwuhailcsch a nb eu ndesrtoosdo leilnyt ermosf t he
socipaslcy holoogfgy r oubpe haovriN.e tihearr et heuyn derstandable
onlays s truurcetosf a uthoraintdyi nformtaiofnl-owo,r a si nstru
mentsf ort he achieovfes moecniptau lr posoersa ,ss ystefmoscr o m
municatainodcn o nt,ro orla sc utlur,eo sr tahse atfeorrts h ep laoyf
conlfcitosf i nterSeosctli.p a sychologsiosctiso,il sotmgsa,n agement
theorissytsst,e amnsa lysatnst,h ropiosltoasgn,d p oltiicsacli teinsts
havee xaminoerdg naizatipohneanlo nmae,e acihn quirer using the
perspecctuirvreei nnht i dsi scip.El aicnphee rspecotfifveaer u sn iuqe
iii
iv Preface
andi nterevsiteiownf go rganaiitzonaaclt iaonndo ft hwea ysi nw hich
organtiizoanmsa y be saitdo l ea.r Innt heA ppenxd,iw e have
descritbheedsp ee rspectainvdte hse a pproacthoeo sr gnaizational
learning mwahybi ecd he rivferdo mt hemB.u tn os ingpleer spective
giveaws o rkabblaes eiis thfeordr i agnogs tihniem pedimetnoot rsg a
nizatiolneaalr nionrg fdoers igniinntge rvteinonwsh ichw ould
increoarsgea ntiizoancaalp acfiotlrye narin.g
An intervteoinn-oriepnetresdp ecotnio vrgea nizatiloenaarln ing
depenudpso na syntheosfoi sth erp erescptiv.eI sti sn ecessawrey ,
belietvoe , shhooww o rganizationsa,c to nwlhyti hcrho·u tghhe
agencoyfi ndiuvaildcsa,n notr ebdeu cteocd o llteincoso fi ndiuvaild.s
Iti sn ecesstaoer xylp aihno wo rgnaizatitohnesm selavreets h eoroife s
acti-otnheoroifea sc tiwohni cahr em aitnainaendd t ransfobrym ed
individwuhaool csc upryo lweist hoirng anizasttirouncatlau nrdle isv e
int hbee haviowroarll ddsr apeodv etrh osset ruurcet.sI ti sn ecessary
tos howh owt hbee haviowroarllm da yc osntraoirfn a iclittahtjeeo int
inquitrhyr ouwghhi cehr roirno rgantiizoantahle oorfya ction bmea y
detecatnedcd o rcrtee.d
We belietvheaa tp reocpcautiwoint ahn ormattihveeo orfyi nter
ventiporno vitdhebese sstt artpionignf to art heoorfyo rgaznaiotnial
learn.iS nugcah t heorwye,h opew,i lbleo fu seb ottho p rcatitioners
andt os chol-aorfsg reatuessetp, e rhaptso,t hes malbla ndo f
scholparrat-ciotnierosn w homt hef utuorfer eseairnctho or ganiza
tionlaela rnmionsgdt e pen.d s
Int hee arlsyt agoefso urw or,kw e havpe rofiftreodms eminars
helda tM .I.sT D.i'visifoonrS tudayn dR esearicnhE ducati,o n
especifarlolmdy i scusswiiotnShsi rG eoffreVyi ckeTrosm, Bums,
andM artiRne i.nC laAyl derfLeere·, B olmaBne,r naCrudl l,eS nteve
Ehrma,nR nichaHradck man,E lliJoatq ueWsi,l liRaomn oc,R oger
Simmondasn,dJ ohVna nMaanehna vael rle aodu rm anuscript and
wea rger atetfotu hle fmo r tchretiiircm iss,a s waer te oS cott Cfooork
helipnp repartihnAegp penidx.
CambridMgaes,.s C.A.
Octo1b9e77r D.A..S
Contents
IntroducTthieOo rng anizaotfit ohne Bo1o k
PART I
A FramewfoorOrkr ganizaLteiaornnai7ln g
Chapt1e rW hatI sa nO rganizatthiaoItntM ay Learn?8
TheQ uestion 8
TheoroyfA ctio1n0
PerspecotniO vregsa niza1t2i on
Imagaensd Ma1p6s
OrganizatLieoanranli1 n7g
Summar2y8
Chapt2e rWh atF acilitoraI tnehsi bOirtgsa nizatLieoanranli n3g0?
TheM ercuSrtyo r3y0
PerspecotniO vregsa nizatLieoanranli3 n6g
Summar4y3
PARTI I
LimiLteeadr nSiynsgmt se 45
Chapert3 PrimaLroyo pasn dL imitLeeda rni4n6g
Case1 :Ca rlo4s8
Cas2e: R obert63o
Case3 :The Pri7n1c ipal
v
vi Conetnts
Case4 :L inaen dF inanEcxieaclu ti7v8e s
Summar8y4
Chapt4e Prr imarLyo optsh aItn hibDietu tero-Lea8rn6i ng
Introduc8t6i on
Case1 : TNhaer roFwu nne8l8
Case2 D:i lemmoafsR edesi9g6n
Summar1y0 7
Chapt5e Ar Modeolf L imited-LeSayrsntienmg1s 0 9
Introduc1t0i9o n
Colum4n: P rimaIrnyh ibiLtooorpys1 12
Colum5n: U nawareness; DysDfyunnacmtiic1os1n 2a l
Colum7n:C orrectaanbdl eU ncotrarbEelrcer or1s1 5
Colum8nC: amoufla1g1e6
Colum9n: P rimaLroyo ptsh aItn hiDbeiutt eLreoa-rni1n1g7
Colum1n0 D:e creaPsreo babifloDiro tuyb lLeo-oapn d
DeuteLreoa-rniInngc;r eDaosueb lBei ndfsoI rn divid1u1a8l s
Sourcoef0s - 1M odeOlr ganizat1i1o9n s
PARTI II
InterveTnotwiaor0nd- 1 O1r ganizaLteiaornnai1ln2 9g
Chapt6e rO- IlL earniSnygs tem1s3 0
Carlaonsd t hPeM :A NewS cenar1i3o1
ModeIlIT heory-in-Use 136
Unawarenoefts hsIe n abitlDoio tuyb lLeo-oLp ear1n3 9
Mode0l- 1L1e arnSiynsgt e1m4 1
TesftosEr v aluating Good1 4D4i alectic
ThDei aleCcotnitcr aswtietOdht hePre rspecotfi ves
OrganizatRiatoinoanla alniCdth ya nge14 6
A ScenaorfiO or ganizaDtoiuobnlael- LLoeoapr ni1n4g7
Chapt7e Irn troducttoIi novne rvent1i5o8n
MapsM,a ppinagn,dL earni1n5g9
0-1L earnSiynsgt eamnsdM appin1g6 1
A BriIelfl ustorfaM toidoenlIa s n d0 -11 61
TheT ensiaomno nDgi fferVeinetwo sft h eO bjectoifvI enst erven1t6i4o n
Chapt8e rCo mprehensIinvtee rvent1io6n7
ThCeo mponenotfasC omprehenIsnitveer vePnrtoicoen1s 6s7
IntervenTthieIo nni:tP ihaals 1e7 1
OrganizatGiaomneas1l 8 2
Conetnts vii
Chapt9e Lri mitIendt erven2t0i7on
Moreo ft hMee rcuSrtyo r2y0 8
A Summaroyft hPeh asoefst hIen terven2t2i0o n
PARTIV
PartMioadell osfI ntertvieo2nn2 3
Chapert1 0 Other ApprotaocI hnetse rven2t2i5o n
CaseA :T heS tructAuprparlo ac22h5
CaseB :A Structural-EdAupcpartoiaoc23nh9a l
CasCe: S tructural-InterAoprpgraonaiczha:t ional
A SocioloPgeircsaple c2t5i2v e
CaseDS:t ructural-InterAoprpgraonaiczha:t ional
A politSicciaelnP ceer spec2t6i0v e
CaseE :T heM anagement-InformatAipopnr-oSayc26sh8t em
·C asFe: B ehavioOrrailelnyIt netde rven2t7i6o n
ChapterS u1m1m arayn dI mplicatoifPo anrsIt V 292
CaseA 292
CaseB 293
CaseC2 95
CaseD2 96
CaseE 297
CaseF2 98
Implicat2i9o9n s
PARTV
Conclusi3o07n
Chapt1e2r D irectifoonrFs u turRee sear3c0h8
Testitnh0ge- IM odel3 08
TestiMnogd eOl- Ialn dt hIen terveTnhteiooryn3 11
Append3i1x9
A Revieowft hLei teraotnuO rreg anization Learning:
TheT heoryA-cotfi-Poenr specitnCi ovnet ex3t1 9
TheS iPxe rspecotniO vregsa nizational Learning,
andt hTeh eoryA-cotfi-Poenr spec3t2i9v e
Referen33c2e s
Bibliogr3a37p hy
Inde3x4 0
Introduction
Several yeatrhse t oapgm oan ageemnto fa multilbiioldno llar
corpotriaodne cidtehda Ptr oudctX wasa failaunrdes houbledd is
bande.Td hel ossiensv olevxecde edoendeh undrmeidl lidoonl l.aA rts
leatfs ivpee opklnee wt htaP roducXtw asa f ailsuiryxee arbse fotrhee
decsiiowna st aketnos otpp rodugc iitnT.h reoef t hospee opwleer e
planmta nagewrhso l ivedda ilwyi tthh ep roductiporno ble.Tm hse
othetrw ow ermea rketoifnfgi cialrse awlhitozh etadt hmea nufactur
inpgr oblewmesr neo tso lvawbilhteou te xpendittuhrawetos u ldr aise
thep ricoeft hep roudctt ot hep oinwth eriet w oulndo l ongebre
comptetiivient hmea rket.
Theraer see verraela sownhsy t hiisn fortmiaodni dno tg etto t he
tops oonerA.tf ir,ts htseu obrditneabse lietvhetadw itehx ceptionally
harwdo rkt hemyi ghttu rtnh eer roirnosts uccessBeutst .h meo ret hey
struggtlhemedo ,r et herye alitzhemeda ssiveonfet shsoe r iginal. error
Then etx tawsakst oc ommunictaet heb adn ewsu pwarsdo t htai t
woulbde h ear.Td heyk newt htai nt heciorm panbya dn ewsw ould
notb ew elrle ceiavtet dh uep pelre veilfis wt a sn ota cocmpaniweitdh
suggestfiooprno ssi vteia cti.To hneya lskon ewt htat het opm anage
mentw ase nthusiastdiecsaclrliyPb riondgcu tX as nae wl eadienri ts
filed.T heref,ot rheesyp enmtu cht imceo mposimnegm ost htaw ould
communitceta hreea ltiiewsi tohuts hockitnogpm anagement.
Middlmea nageemntr eatdh em emosa nd fountdh emt ooo pen
andf ohrrtighStic.ne t hehya dd onet hep rodtuicoann dm arkteign
1
2 Introduction
sutditehstar esuilntt ehddee cistiopo rdnou cXe,t hmee mofsrm o the
lower-mlaenvaegle tmq eunetosinetdh vea lyi doiftt heainarl y.s is
Thewya netdt imteo" erayl lcheck"g lootmhype rsdeei cntsai nodif,
thewye raec cautret,od esiagtlne rtniavceo rrescrttatievge.i I efts he
pessimiisnftoirtcmi aowna st ob es enutp warmdi,d dmlaen amgeent
wantedi ta ccpoamniewdi tohp timiascttiiacotl ne rtniav.eH sence
fruhtedre l.a y
Oncmei ddmlaeang eemnwta sc onvintchetadt hgeol ompyr edic
tionwse rvea litdh,eb ye gatnor elesaosmeoe f t he nbeawdts o t he
topb-uti nc arefmuelalsyu droesd.e T sheym anagtehdre e leases
careftuolm layk ec erttahienwy e r"eoc vereidft" o pm anamgeent
becaumpees tT.h et actthiecuy s ewda st oc utth mee mosd ratsicya ll
ands ummartihzfeei nndg.is Thaeryg utehdtat hceu st wenreec essary
becautsoepm anagnemtwe asa lwacyosm plaianbiotnur ge ceiving
lonmge mosi;n de,se modet oepx ecuthiavdle est b eki nto wtnh ta
godo memwose rmee msoo fo npea goerl es.sT her elswtua st hatto p
management frreacgetmieeivdnfne omdra tiounnd erplgat yhiietnn en
siotfyt hper boelm( ontt hper oblisetemla fn)do verpilntaghy e degree
tow hicmhi ddmlaen aegmetna ndt h"eet cihewse"r ienc ontorfo lt he
prob.l em
Top managemtehnetr ecfoonnrtueie tdos peagkl owianbgoltuy
thper oudctpa,ir atltloay s sutrhtea wioutl gde t ftihnea nbcakicianlg
inte edferdow mi thtihcneo mpya.Ln ow-elremvaeanlg emebnetc ame
confuasndee dv enltyud aelprebsesceadtu hseecy o unlodut nd erstand
thicso nuteidnt opm anaegmenstu poprtn,o rw hy sutdiewse re
orderteoed v altueta hper odtuicoann dm artkeindgi flfiitectsuh ta
thehya da rleadiyd teinf.iT ehedirrae ctiwoans to trhefedr uece
quenocfyt hemierm soa ndt hiene tnsiotfty h eailra rwmh,i sliem ul
taneotuusrlgny i onverre ostnphbseii yl iftdoera lwiinttghh p ero blem
tot hmei dd-lmeaangemepneotp l.We henl coapll amnatn ag,ei rns
trunw,e re absykt ehdef iorr emaendne mpyleoewsh awta sh appen
ing,t hoen lrye spotnhsegeya vwea st htat hceo mpyaw nassu tdying
thseiu tatioannd c otningui istsn uprp.toT hiisfn ormabteiwolind ered
thfeo remaendnl etdh etmor edutcheec ionrc e.r n
Wes houllidtk eou se thtiose xpcalasa eiv nio efow r gantiizoanal
laerngi,bn utf isrtw em usdte fian fee wc ocnetp.sO ragnitziaonal
learniinnvgo ltvhedese tecatnidco oner ctrioonfe rr.oW rhent he
errdoert teecadn d ctoerpdre ercmtihtoesr gnaitziaotnoc arornyi st
prespeolnitc oirae csih evisetp renstoe bjetciv,e stthhetaen r ror-detec-
