The Imperatives of a Learning Organisation: The Case of Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Bachelor Thesis , 2012 , 58 Pages , Grade: 1,0

Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance

Organisational learning was first mentioned in the management literature by Drucker (1958:47). He stated: “management is first and foremost about the continuing development of the organisation and its employees. The demands and needs of the environment are constantly evolving and management is about adjusting the company according to the needs and demands of the environment”. Since then the literature available extensively covers the term organisational learning. Several authors in the fields of management, economics, sociology, psychology and education wrote about the subject. As a result the field of organisational learning became rather fragmented. Studies have been carried out in separate disciplines independent of each other (Boreham and Morgan, 2004:307-325). Though the field has become fragmented because of the diversities in approaches to this study, it is possible to identify a core definition of what organisational learning is (Lundvall, 2001:273-291).
According to Robinson (2010:1-13) early studies focused mainly on the decision-taking processes as a form of organisational learning. For example Argyris (1977:115-125) stated that organisational learning is a process of detecting and correcting error. Another definition from Hedberg (1981:1-27) argues that organisational learning is the process through which managers seek to improve employees’ desires and abilities to understand and manage the organisation and its task environment so that employees can make decisions and function effectively.
Later the influences of organisational learning on the whole organisation became evident. The work of Armstrong and Foley (2003:74-82) indicates that organisational learning is a process that takes place in organisations which enables learning of its members in such a way that positively valued outcomes are created. The expected outcomes are innovation, efficiency and better alignment with the environment leading to competitive advantage of the organisation. The effects of organisational learning are manifested in the organisation’s systems, structures and culture. More recent literature defines organisational learning as a dynamic process of creation, acquisition and integration of knowledge with the aim to develop resources and capabilities that contribute to improved organisational performance (López, Péon and Ordás, 2005:227-245).

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Background of the Study
    • 1.2.1 Reasons for Organisational Learning
    • 1.2.2 History of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
  • 1.3 Problem Statement
  • 1.4 Purpose of the Study
  • 1.5 Research Objectives
  • 1.6 Research Questions
  • 1.7 Significance of the Study
  • 1.8 Research Methodology
  • 1.9 Literature Review
  • 1.10 Research design
  • 1.11 Target population
  • 1.12 Sampling frames, sampling and sample size
  • 1.13 Data collection method and the research instrument
  • 1.14 Data analysis
  • 1.15 Chapter Classification
• CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Development of Organisational Learning
  • 2.3 The Common Ground: The Four Key Elements of Organisational Learning
    • 2.3.1 Organisation
    • 2.3.2 People
    • 2.3.3 Knowledge
    • 2.3.4 Technology
• CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Research Design
  • 3.3 Population
  • 3.4 Sample
  • 3.5 Data Collection
  • 3.6 Measuring Instrument
  • 3.7 Data Analysis
• CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Amount of Data Collected and Response Rate
  • 4.3 Demographic Data Analysis
  • 4.4 Quantitative Data Analysis
    • 4.4.1 Research Question 1
    • 4.4.2 Research Question 2
    • 4.4.3 Research Question 3
  • 4.5 Cross Sectional Analysis
  • 4.6 Qualitative Data Analysis
• CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Conclusions
  • 5.3 Recommendations

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis investigates the imperatives of a learning organisation, using the Cape Peninsula University of Technology as a case study. The author aims to explore the factors that influence organizational learning, identify challenges faced by the university, and provide recommendations for improvement. The key themes explored in the thesis include:

• The development of organizational learning
• The four key elements of organizational learning: organization, people, knowledge, and technology
• The research methodology employed to gather and analyze data related to organizational learning within the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
• The presentation, analysis, and discussion of collected data
• Conclusions and recommendations based on the findings

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• **Chapter One: Introduction:** This chapter introduces the topic of organizational learning, setting the context for the thesis. It discusses the background of the study, focusing on the history of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the reasons for organizational learning. The chapter also defines the problem statement, purpose, research objectives, research questions, significance of the study, and outlines the research methodology employed.
• **Chapter Two: Literature Review:** Chapter two delves into the development of organizational learning, tracing its evolution and highlighting key theories and frameworks. It explores the four key elements of organizational learning: organization, people, knowledge, and technology, providing a comprehensive overview of their importance and interrelation.
• **Chapter Three: Research Methodology:** This chapter details the research methodology used to gather and analyze data for the thesis. It describes the research design, population, sample, data collection methods, measuring instrument, and data analysis techniques employed.
• **Chapter Four: Data Presentation, Analysis and Discussion:** Chapter four presents and analyzes the data collected from the study. This includes demographic data analysis, quantitative data analysis, cross-sectional analysis, and qualitative data analysis. The findings are discussed in relation to the research questions and objectives, providing insights into the organizational learning practices at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key terms and concepts explored in this thesis include organizational learning, learning organization, higher education, case study, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, research methodology, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and organizational development. This thesis provides a comprehensive examination of organizational learning practices within a higher education institution, with a focus on identifying challenges and proposing solutions for improvement.

• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Stephan Bach (Author)
• Publication Year: 2012
• Pages: 58
• Catalog Number: V263517
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656522249
• Language: English
• Tags: Organisational Learning, Organizational Learning, Institutional Learning, The Learning Organization, Learning Institutions, CPUT, Cape Peninsula University of Technology