Organizational Learning: Observations Toward a Theory

The objective of this research was an exploratory one. Close observations of a team faced with a complex and prolonged task in a management simulation exercise resulted in comprehensive discussions of how organizations learn. Each of these discussions lacked coverage for some of the things that had been observed in the game; however, a synthesis was proposed which makes learning in organization a product of different kinds of stress. It presumes that organizational learning is sporadic and step-wise rather than continuous and gradual and that learning what preferences and goals are goes hand-in-hand with learning how to achieve them. It postulates separate mechanisms to control adaptation of the organization as a total system. Links are also proposed to show how the interactions between subsystem and total-system adaptation determine the overall course of organizational learning and development. (Author)