WEEK 5 STUDENT RESPONSES ORG 817

STUDENT RESPONSES ORG 817

ORIGINAL QUESTION- Topic 5 DQ 1

Organizational learning may be described as occurring on three levels: individual, team, and organizational. Is it valid and meaningful to conceptualize team level learning as a connector between individual level learning and organizational learning? Why or why not?

STUDENT 1- LARI

Organizations are made up of individuals and teams (Agbejule et al., 2021). Within the organization team members share norms and values that are supported by a positive organizational culture (Agbejule et al., 2021). This culture cultivates a healthy team process including learning, communication, and coordination ((Agbejule et al., 2021). In addition, organizational structure influences team learning in both processes and outcomes (Bresman & Zellmer-Bruhn, 2013). According to Stelmaszczyk (2016), team learning is a connector between individual and organizational level learning if three conditions are fulfilled: communication of knowledge, transparency of acquired knowledge, and integration through communication with other teams in the organization.

Agbejule, A., Rapo, J., & Saarikoski, L. (2021). Vertical and horizontal trust and team learning: the role of organizational climate. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 14(7), 1425–1443.  https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1108/IJMPB-05-2020-0155

STUDENT 2- JOE

It is valid and meaningful to conceptualize team-level learning as a mediator between individual learning and organizational learning. This is because there is no organizational-level learning apart from individual learning (Antunes & Pinheiro, 2020). Individual learning becomes individual knowledge which is processed within the team environment and passed on to the entire organization (Stelmoszczyk, 2016). Team supervisors play a pivotal role in this transfer process because when supervisors express greater interest in the transfer of knowledge from the individual to the organization, individuals demonstrate greater new knowledge attainment (p. 121). Individuals also demonstrate greater creativity and innovation when working as a team to develop organizational improvement proposals for organizational learning (Witherspoon, 2022). The teams that are most effective practice brainstorming and the synthesis of potential solutions (p. 32). In light of these research findings, Witherspoon (2022) recommends that organizational leaders utilize process mapping to record organizational knowledge that pertains to team learning practices that could be used to build upon future team learning initiatives. 

References

Antunes, H. D. J. G., & Pinheiro, P. G. (2020). Linking knowledge management, organizational learning and memory. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 5(2), 140-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2019.04.002

STUDENT 3- KELLY

It is valid and meaningful to conceptualize team level learning as a connector between individual and organizational learning. Many internal and external stimuli are putting pressure on learning organizations to think and devise new ways of learning and capturing knowledge (Turi et al., 2020, p. 89). Information systems carry the capacity to capture, store, disseminate, and integrate the learning process (p. 98). The faster an organization learns how to develop attention and thinking, the more ready the entire organization will be prepared to handle external dynamics (Colombo & Mella, 2022, p. 19). Control systems help us to understand the inner part of organizations and to link attention to knowledge (p. 20). Since organizations face crises and contradictions, the only way to overcome obstacles is by manipulating knowledge to overcome problems and foster learning (p. 35). Ideally, organizations will hire people who are curious, open to feedback, willing to make changes, and unafraid of criticism (Andreadis, 2009, p. 11). Rethinking entrenched norms and establishing new norms, as well as replacing unhealthy practices with productive behaviors requires time and energy on the parts of the individual, team, and organization (Collinson, 2010, p. 215). Organizational learning is a complex process that involves data gathering, performance management, intuiting, sharing, planning, elaborating, and implementing changes (Deschamps & Mattijs, 2018, p. 469). In order to change, organizations must first overcome the collective internal challenges of innovation (p. 470). Organizations are required to break down the mental and physical barriers in order to learn and innovate (Chiva et al., 2014, p. 700). Team learning emphasizes both individual and organizational learning.

References

Andreadis, N. (2009). Learning and organizational effectiveness: A systems perspective. Performance Improvement, 48(1), 5-11.  https://doi.org/10.1002/pfi20043