Linear Model of Organizational Learning

Appling Linear Model

When I need to do group project, I will do some purposeful activities, like researching, interviewing, etc. (Created Information) Then the information will be filtered by the scope and assumptions of the project and the group members can control the influx of information depend on their values. (Filter) The team spirit can be useful for the project; however the wrong decisions made by the members can be harmful. Members will distribute the information through e-mail or printed documents to others. (Information Transfer) After that, members will analyze the information and combine some ideas to form a new knowledge. (Action and Reflection) Then the useful information are collected and categorized into different types to become the finalized report. (Knowledge Creation Field) Lastly, the report is handed in to the teachers and presented to the classmates. (Distribution of Knowledge)

Actually, only simple processes can follow the linear flow of learning. For an organization, it is more complicated and it always applies several systems at the same time.

Organizational Learning Seminar

Guest Talk by Ms Waltraut Ritter

Ms Waltraut Ritter is an experienced practitioner and facilitator of information and knowledge management. After the Seminar, there are a few questions that deeply impress me.
Q1: How do we know that we learnt? Or how do the organizations know that they learnt?
Q2: What is the different between individual learning and organizational learning? How to align individual goal with organization?


How do we know that we learnt? Or how do the organizations know that they learnt?
Learning is a process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995). (Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theory_(education) ) Learning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, perferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. Human learning may occur as part of education or personal development. It may be goal-oriented and may be aided by motivation.Moreover, learning may occur consciously or without conscious awareness. (Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning)

Own daily example of learning:
When I was young, I mostly learnt by observing the surrounding (Visual learner) and listening to teachers (Auditory learner). When I grew up, I need to follow teachers’ prescriptive instruction to do the laboratory myself (Kinesthetic learner) during the Chemistry or Physics lessons.

Actually, I think that learning is happening everywhere at anytime. Not only attaining classes, but also watching TV or talking with friends. Therefore, remind yourself to gain more knowledge all the time.


What is the different between individual learning and organizational learning?
Comparing between individual learning and organizational learning:
For Individual Learning, people have different learning styles, although they have similar educational background or experience. They learn from understanding and solving problem alone. Even the same thing, different people may have different interpretations.
For Organizational Learning, learning is the ongoing renewal capacity of an organization. It depends on organizations’ strategies and management. It can increase competitive advantage of organization through collective learning and continuous change in this dynamic world.

How to align individual goal with organization?
Organization should motivate their employees to achieve organizational mission and goal by Single-Loop and Double-Loop Learning. Through discussion and sharing of different departments to govern individual and organization value, so that the intersection of them can be found. The employees can easily fulfill common goal with self-complacence.

Third Generation Mobilizing System

Fire station has purchased the Third Generation Mobilizing System to maintain its performance pledge that is arriving to the fire place within 5 minutes. How can the firepersons do that in a shorten time? It is imputed to the powerful Third Generation Mobilizing System and the telephone operators. So that the location, type of service, resources, ambulances and fire fighting trucks can be ready in 1 minute. Why the fire stations need to keep their target at 92.5%, such a high rate? Because arriving to the fire place faster can have more time to evaluate the level of fire and save more lives. The world is always changing, and technology is developing with each passing day. If the fire stations don’t grow with the similar speed, the citizens will complain that the firepersons are too slow and it causes several people died. Therefore, the fire stations adapt the world by importing the Third Generation Mobilizing System to improve their service. I hope the fire stations can continually keep their pledge and try their best to protect the lives of Hong Kong people.

~Group Project~ Please visit~

Magic Brain

Hello, everyone! The following link is my group blog – Magic Brain
http://brainstormmemory.blogspot.com/

In our Magic Brain blog, we will suggest you some methods to protect our brain, foods that may help to boost our memory, and several brainstorm methods to enhance remembrance.

Although the blog is just at the beginning stage, I will promise you that more content will be coming soon. Please feel free to leave the comment. Your comments can improve our blog. Your support is deeply appreciated. Thank you!

World Class Theory of Organizational Learning

Cycles of Actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKzmFKdAJfI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi81exmioqQ


From the above movies, someone like Mr. Lee and Mr. Yuen (李大同, 袁偉時) want to increase the freedom of speech. (Personal cognitions) Then Mr. Yuen have written an article “Modernization and Textbook of History” (“現代化與歷史教科書”) to publicize in Mr. Lee’s Newspaper “Ice Point” (“冰點”). (Individual acts) Then the Newspaper “Ice Point” is forced to cease publication by government due to the article. (Organizational actions) Then the China government blocked almost all the bad news that may effect the impression of China, especially during the special festivals such as Olympic Games. (Environmental actions) After that, if everyone was afraid of being imprisoned and didn’t improve the freedom of speech again, then the Cycles of Actions would be stopped. However, increasing the freedom of speech is a collective desire. Then other people like Mr. Lau and Mr. Cheng (劉曉波, 程翔) continue the looping. Moreover, due to the developing of information technology, the Internet and websites helped to spread compositions much more fast and convenient.

Changing World
Actually the society of China is becoming diversification; government should adapt it and modernize its structure. Learning from past behavior and outside world is very important. Appropriated alignment and innovation should be done on China’s policies.

Nature of Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy – Own experience of making Chocolate Mousse

1. Knowledge
-- Recall the ingredients and steps at the operational level.
(http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Mousse-107437)

2. Comprehension
-- Understand and interpret the instruments that need to use, the amount of the ingredients and the cooking steps.

3. Application
-- Follow the recipe to make a chocolate mousse cake
-- The cream that is for beating to stiff must be very cold (experience from my friends) or a drop of vinegar can be added (heuristics), so that the cream can be whisk easier.

4. Analysis
-- Examine the reasons of the sequence of the steps, the relationships between the steps and the reason of using the cold cream at conceptual level.

5. Synthesis
-- Vary the flavour.
-- Design the garnish.
-- Add some biscuit powder to form several layers (just like the chocolate mousse that made by me). (poor photo taking ><)

6. Evaluation
-- Justify why some biscuit powder are added.
-- Compare the chocolate mousse cakes that are made by chocolate mousse powder.
(http://www.chefsrecipe.net/WDesert1.htm)

Other foods that made by me ^^

Paradigm Shift in Today's World

After the course introduction, I knew the difference between organizational learning and learning organization. Organizational learning is the way firms build, supplement, and organize knowledge and routines around their activities and within their cultures and adapt and develop organizational efficiency by improving the use of the broad skills of their workforces. (Dodgson, 1993) A learning organisation is a company that facilitates the learning of all its members and continually transforms itself. (M. Pedler, J. Burgoyne and Tom Boydell, 1991) Moreover, learning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. Learning occurs everytime in this changing world.


"Cultural mix gives course the edge"

According to the article “Cultural mix gives course the edge”, students can meet people from all parts of the world and learn from them about how they might deal with problems, decisions and challenges. Nowadays people share many global values and practices; also they are more and more working for global organizations, so it is good to understand others’ culture to handle problems. Moreover, this program provides a systematic transfer of knowledge that can help reframe students’ vision, upgrade their existing business skills and knowledge of the latest business trends. Knowledge and brainpower is becoming a company’s most valuable asset. Therefore organizations need to maintain and learn more to increase their competitive advantage. Also, the classes are attended two weekends out of every four in Hong Kong and the programmes are adjusted to meet the evolving needs, because most students are overseas workers, then the courses become more suitable for them. During the paradigm shifts in today’s world, organizations are forced to continually learn and adapt the changes in the economic environment caused by globalization and technology. Therefore, organizational learning is important to companies survive.

Reference:
1. ‘What is Organizational Learning? Definition’, available in: http://www.12manage.com/methods_organizational_learning.html
Accessed: 2009/ Feb/ 1
2. Wikipedia, ‘Learning Organisation’, available in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_organization
Accessed: 2009/ Feb/ 1
3. Wikipedia, ‘Learning’, available in: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning
Accessed: 2009/ Feb/ 1
4. ‘Cultural mix gives course the edge’. South China Morning Post. 19 Jan, 2009: B8