A Multi-level Perspective of the Learning Organization

Organizational learning is widely accepted as a means of sustaining competitive advantage, especially for organizations facing discontinuity in the external environment. However, in attempting to develop a learning organization, many researchers and practitioners approach it from a premise of idealness, paying little attention to learning barriers existing at different levels in the organization. Taking a multi-level perspective, this book examines these barriers at the individual, group, and organizational levels, and considers how learning escalates through these levels. This multi-level perspective gives fresh insights into the learning organization and a means of assessing and developing it. This is a scholarly researched book written in an accessible style. While theoretically informed, it adopts a style that is accessible to informed practitioners as well as a wide range of academics at all levels. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in organizational learning, learning organization, change management, innovation, and knowledge management. Business school libraries would also need it as important background to general business degrees.