This study was carried out to examine the nature of the relationship that exists between organizational learning and organizational performance of Zimbabwe’s road haulage businesses. Literature on organizational learning and organizational performance was reviewed and a conceptual framework for the purpose of the study formulated. Information acquisition, information interpretation, information sharing, information quality and behaviour and cognitive changes were used to measure organizational learning. To measure organizational performance the researcher used financial, employee and market dimensions of company performance.
Quantitative research methodology was used where data was gathered using a questionnaire. The questionnaire was carefully designed to collect the right data about organizational learning and organizational performance in the haulage business sector for analysis. A total of 120 questionnaires was administered where 105 were completed and returned. Out of the 105 questionnaires that were returned 2 had missing responses and these were discarded from data analysis. Thus, the study response rate was 85.8%.
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was used to analyse data. Descriptive statistics i.e. arithmetic means and standard deviations were used to describe how organizational learning is practised in the haulage business sector in Zimbabwe. Inferential statistics in the form of correlation and regression analysis were used to test answer research questions and to test research hypothesis.
The main conclusion reached was that organizational learning is a partial predictor of company performance in Zimbabwe’s haulage sector. Thus, the study partially confirms the study hypothesis. Based on the study conclusions, the study recommends that managers in the haulage business in Zimbabwe focus organizational learning practises to enhance business performance. Haulage companies’ limited resources can be channelled towards enhancing information acquisition, information quality and individual behaviour and cognitive changes by individuals as these were found to positively contribute to company performance.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Background to the Study
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Background to the Study
1.2.1 Overview of Organizational Learning
1.2.2 Overview of Zimbabwe’s Haulage Business
1.2.3 Challenges Faced by Haulage Operators in Zimbabwe
1.3 Research Problem
1.4 Research Objectives
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Research Hypothesis
1.7 Justification of Research
1.7.1 To the Haulage Businesses
1.7.2 To the Academics
1.7.3 To the Researcher
1.8 Scope of Research
1.9 Dissertation Structure
1.10 Chapter Summary
2. Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Concept of Learning
2.3 Does an Organization Learn?
2.4 Levels of Learning
2.4.1 Individual Learning
2.4.2 Group Learning
2.4.3 Organizational Learning
2.4.4 Inter-Organizational Learning
2.5 Organizational Learning
2.5.1 Definition of Organizational Learning
2.5.2 The Development of Organizational Learning
2.5.3 Types of Organizational Learning
2.5.4 Measures of Organizational Learning
2.5.5 Organizational Learning Process by Daft and Weick
2.5.6 Organizational Learning Process by Nevis, Dibella and Gould
2.6 Organizational Performance
2.6.1 Balanced Scorecard
2.6.2 Stakeholder Approach
2.6.3 Organizational Learning in Small and Large Organizations
2.7 Organizational Learning and Performance
2.8 Conceptual Framework
2.9 Chapter Summary
3. Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.2.1 Research Philosophy
3.2.2 Research Strategy
3.3 Population and Sampling Techniques
3.3.1 Population
3.3.2 Sampling
3.4 Sources of Data
3.5 Data Collection Procedure
3.5.1 Questionnaire
3.5.2 Data Measurement Scales
3.5.3 Pretesting Of Questionnaire
3.6 Data Analysis
3.7 Research Limitations
3.8 Research Ethics and Data Credibility
3.8.1 Research Ethics
3.8.2 Data Credibility
3.9 Chapter Summary
4. Data Analysis, Findings and Discussion
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Response Rate
4.3 Characteristics of Respondents
4.3.1 Sex Distribution
4.3.2 Age Distribution
4.3.3 Level of Education
4.3.4 Length of Employment
4.3.5 Managerial Level
4.4 Company Characteristics
4.4.1 Size of Company
4.4.2 Nature of Freight
4.5 Reliability Tests
4.6 Validity Tests
4.7 Normality Tests
4.8 Descriptive Statistics
4.9 Correlation Analysis
4.9.1 Information Acquisition Vs Organizational Performance
4.9.2 Information Interpretation Vs Organizational Performance
4.9.3 Information Sharing Vs Organizational Performance
4.9.4 Behaviour and Cognitive Changes Vs Organizational Performance
4.9.5 Information Quality Vs Organizational Performance
4.10 Regression Analysis
4.10.1 Model’s Goodness of Fit Test
4.10.2 Model’s Beta Coefficients
4.11 Differences in Organizational Learning Practises
4.12 Discussion of Results
4.12.1 Descriptive Statistics Results
4.12.2 Correlation Analysis Results
4.12.3 Regression Analysis Results
4.12.4 Differences in Organizational Learning Results
4.13 Hypothesis Testing
4.14 Chapter Summary
5. Conclusions, Recommendations and Further Research
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Conclusions
5.2.1 Main Research Question: Organizational Learning Vs Performance
5.2.1 Sub-research Question (i): Organizational Learning Practises
5.2.2 Sub-research Question (ii): Impact of Organizational Learning
5.2.3 Sub-research Question (iii): Differences in Organizational Learning
5.3 Theoretical Contribution
5.4 Recommendations
5.4.1 Focusing on Organizational Learning
5.4.2 Creating an Environment of Organizational Learning
5.4.3 High Quality Information in Decision Making
5.4.4 Prioritizing Resources
5.4.5 Organizational Learning Irrespective of Company Size
5.5 Limitation of the Study
5.6 Areas for Further Study
5.7 Chapter Summary
Research Objectives and Focus
This research aims to investigate the influence of organizational learning on company performance within the Zimbabwean road haulage sector, evaluating whether learning practices serve as a strategy to enhance business outcomes in a dynamic economic environment.
- Organizational learning constructs (acquisition, interpretation, sharing, quality, and cognitive changes).
- Methods for measuring company performance (financial, employee, and market perspectives).
- Impact of organizational learning on survival, competitiveness, and business decision-making.
- Comparison of learning practices across different organizational sizes within the haulage industry.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The contemporary business environment that is unstable and dynamic has made organizational learning a necessity than a choice. Organizational learning is the ability of a business organization to make use of information in order to adapt to the changes taking place in the environment. Today’s business environments are ever-changing hence the need for businesses to be highly adaptive and this can be achieved through practising effective organizational learning. The instability of the business environments forces businesses to adopt organizational learning as a strategy to enhance business survival, boost business performance and competitiveness.
When faced with change and unstable business environments, organizations are supposed to be quick to adapt in order to survive. According to Robbins, Judge, Millett and Boyle (2013), organizational learning enhances business ability to make relevant business changes in time and decisions that are in line with the changes taking place. The authors put forward the view that organizational learning is a means through which a business gathers relevant and current information that is critically important in business decision making. Thus, organizational learning is a worth concept to study in today’s changing business environments.
Organizational learning is also viewed in terms of a business’ ability to learn from experience. The experience that a business learns from can be positive or negative. What is important is the ability of an organization to learn from the events that once happened and once this takes place, an organization is said to have learnt. Organizational learning is therefore important in that it leads to highly performing, competitive and innovative companies (Easterby-Smith and Lyles, 2011). Through the use of past information, an organization is also able to make sound business decisions that enhance the sustainable growth and success of the business. Thus, business decision makers cannot afford to ignore the role that organizational learning plays in organizations given the changing business environments of the 21st century.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter One: Introduces the study, providing the background, problem statement, research objectives, questions, hypotheses, and the overall scope of the dissertation.
Chapter Two: Reviews literature on the concept of learning and organizational learning, including frameworks and their relationship to organizational performance.
Chapter Three: Details the research methodology, covering the research design, population, sampling techniques, data collection procedures, and reliability/validity tests.
Chapter Four: Presents and discusses the research findings, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression models based on the survey data.
Chapter Five: Draws conclusions based on the findings, offers practical recommendations for managers, and suggests areas for future research.
Keywords
Organizational Learning, Company Performance, Road Haulage, Zimbabwe, Information Acquisition, Information Interpretation, Information Sharing, Information Quality, Behavioural Change, Cognitive Change, Balanced Scorecard, Stakeholder Theory, Business Survival, Competitiveness, Quantitative Research
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The research examines the relationship between organizational learning and company performance specifically within the road haulage business sector in Zimbabwe.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers organizational learning constructs, including information acquisition, sharing, and interpretation, as well as performance metrics like financial health, market share, and employee factors.
What is the primary research goal?
The main objective is to establish if organizational learning practices can function as a strategic tool to improve business performance and competitiveness in an unstable economic environment.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The researcher used a quantitative research methodology, utilizing a survey strategy with a structured questionnaire administered to senior managers in the haulage sector.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body reviews existing literature, defines the theoretical conceptual framework, details the research methodology, and analyzes survey data using descriptive and inferential statistics (correlation and regression).
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include organizational learning, road haulage, company performance, information quality, and cognitive changes within a developing economy context.
How does the study classify organization size?
The study classifies companies based on the number of employees: small (less than 49), medium (50-200), and large (more than 200).
What conclusion was reached regarding organizational size?
The study concluded that organizational learning practices do not significantly differ across small, medium, and large haulage companies in Zimbabwe.
Which factors were found to most significantly contribute to performance?
Regression analysis identified information acquisition, information quality, and behaviour/cognitive changes as statistically significant predictors of improved company performance.
- Quote paper
- Kudzanai Sibiya (Author), 2015, Establishing the Effects of Organizational Learning on Company Performance in the Road Haulage Business in Zimbabwe, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/342572
