Difference between Organizational Learning and Learning Organization

This report discusses the definitions of organizational learning and learning organization, and compares and contrasts the two concepts. It also outlines the benefits of both and explains the importance of creating a learning culture in an organization. The report includes explanations of individual learning, group learning, organizational learning, and internal-organizational learning, as well as the theories of organizational learning. The subject is Learning & Development, and the course code is BMP6004 for BSc (Hons) Business Management Top up.

BSc (Hons) Business Management Top up
BMP6004
Learning & Development
Critical evaluation of the difference
between organisational learning and a
learning organization
Submitted by:
Name:
ID:
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Contents
Introduction 2
An Explanation of organiational learning 3
An Explanation of learning organisation p
Difference between organisational learning and a learning
organization p
Conclusion p
References p
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Introduction
The term learning and development is defined as the process which allows
the companies to retain the best employees that will support in earning more profit.
Also, employees are considered to be the main assets for any company and that is
why it is essential to invest in this resource (Leithwood and Louis, 2021). The report
looks at and discusses the definitions of organizational learning and learning
organization with its examples.
This report also compares both organizational learning and learning organization in
order to clarify the differences between both the concept. Moreover, the report
outlines the detailed knowledge of organizational learning and learning organization.
According to Valamis (2019), organizational learning is defined as the whole process
in which the company get many chances to improve itself with the help of
experiences in order to create the level of knowledge (Organizational Learning). On
the other hand, according to Vector solutions(2019), Learning organization is defined
as organisation in which employees enhance their skills and capacity to bring more
results where people get chyances to learn new things while being together (What is
Learning Organization ?).
An Explanation of organiational learning
The term organisational learning can be defined as the process of learning
which is based on detection and corrections and it comprises of four concepts. It
comprises the procedure of creating, transferring and retaining of knowledge in an
organization.This is divided into communities of leaning such as individual learning,
group, organisational and internal- organisational (Kasemsap, 2019).
Individual learning
It is said to be the smallest learning community in which the employees
improve their new ideas and skills in order to enhance their level of productivity and
performance at the work (Vargas-Hernández, 2022).
Group learning
Under this the employees, teams and various groups get the chances to learn
various skills together. They also get to learn the ways to coordinate as a group
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because the action of one member affects the whole group. For example, the team
of doctors as they work as a team on a patient as all contribute their efforts and
ideas. It comprises of ways to build a connection with each and every member of the
group or team because this particular action affects the organization as a whole (Ran
and Jinglu, 2020).
Organisational learning
In reference to the learning process of community, the organizational learning
comprises of gathering information in order to gain knowledge to modify and change
the strategies that will directly elevate the level of efficiency.
Internal- organisational learning
This is the most common type of learning which is founded in the large
businesses that are situated in various locations. The best example of internal-
organizational learning is the franchise (Books for E-learning. In 2020).
Organizational learning is the process of increasing efficiency by gathering
information, providing suitable training and development to personnel, resulting in
increased profitability and market share. Individual learning, continuous learning,
learning from the leadership, team learning, learning via empowerment, embedded
learning system, inquiry learning, and so on are all examples of many types of
learning. Its goal is to boost production and efficiency while also promoting efficiency
gains. It increases and enhances a team's and individual's ability to successfully
accept change. Because of their increased duties, teams may learn through
gathering information. According to organizational learning, acquiring lessons that a
defaulter can teach takes time (Sung and et.al., 2019).
Importance of organisational learning
Importance of organisational learning are explained below-
 Due to organisational learning, employees stay motivated enough for
increasing the level of productivity. Such environment tends to increase the
engagement of employees by adapting various changes.
 Under organisational learning, learning becomes the part of the company's
culture in which the company can expect the employees to develop various
skills and responsibilities. That also encourages to share knowledge and
level of adaptive capacity.
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 Along with it, it helps in creating mindset that allows to promote the level of
improvement at the workplace.
 Under this, it is seen that employees and the teams embrace the changes
effectively.
 As it is a broad concept that creates major impact on the segments of the
business which allows to change process with the help of developing new
behaviors.
 It is considered to be the continuous process that consists of complete
information which is held by the workforce with new knowledge with the aim
of improving performances (Xie, 2018).
Organizational learning allows the business entities to implement change
which are taking place. It also helps to learn about various factors such as
retaining ,creating, evolving and transferring knowledge for the purpose of surviving
and grow. It can be seen that an organization that encourages organizational
learning can adapt easily to a changing environment. The company can promote the
organisational learning by creating knowledge and make use of such knowledge for
the business. This can be done by conducting surveys, evaluating on the basis of
market and studying about the competitors (Nugroho, 2018).
An Explanation of learning organisation
The term learning organisation is defined as improving the skills of employees on
various aspects for example capacity building and knowledge sharing. It is said to be
the ability to improve the overall capabilities of all the members in the company. It is
defined as corporate framework under which the organisation has various values,
practices, that encourages both the employees and the company both to perform
better (Fortis and et.al., 2018).
There are various benefits of learning organisation which are explained below-
 When the employees share their ideas and opinion regarding the operations
of the business, company will be able to perform with new and innovative
creativity at the workplace.
 Such framework allows the company to have improved level of innovations
and under this culture, the employees are given time and ways to learn and
explore the ideas.
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 By creating learning organization at a workplace, it allows the employee to be
more engaged in the company by sharing more values and principles.
 Nowadays, it is becoming essential in the business environment as it brings
new opportunities to be in competitive market (Mitchell and Larry, 2021).
 In order to be successful the companies are required to learn new ways and
adapt such changes quickly When the employees have vast knowledge then,
they will be able to face challenges easily.
 New knowledge allows the company to use that knowledge in making
decisions as the world is changing rapidly that is why, it is essential to
implement and adopt new concepts for the aim of competing with competitors.
 Under this, people constantly learn from everything they do and also they
make use of their experiences in order to improve their level of performance.
For example, in order to grow its business and profitability in the market, company
draws on its own experience and attempts to overcome problems through proper
training and development programs, as well as the adoption of cutting-edge
technology and information that keeps the company current in comparison to its
competitors (Soltani and et. al., 2019). Customers are now distributed over the
globe, and the world has become global, providing a tremendous opportunity for the
organization to enhance its talents. It may be enhanced by creating a healthy
workplace and identifying skills development requirements and desires through
training. Apart from training and development, company also provides financial
incentives to its employees in the form of paid time off, benefit packages, and flexible
working hours, all of which help to maintain employee morale high. It is crucial for the
firm since it aids in forecasting production and facilitates effective learning.
Cultivating a learning culture, it has a direct influence on the company's growth and
success. It may enhance its long-term decisions by strengthening communication
skills among its personnel, an activity carried out through the company's human
resource management (Nugroho, 2018).
Organisation learning theories
The process of creating, maintaining, and transferring knowledge inside an
organization is referred to as organizational learning theories. Organizational
learning takes place as a result of the experiences that workers get as a result of
various conditions. This is the most crucial notion, in which employees learn from
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their mistakes by identifying the errors and correcting them in a predetermined
manner. Workers also learn when they engage with one another and exchange their
thoughts and expertise that aid them in their work. These interactions characterize a
company's behavior in terms of how its employees engage with one another. This
involves a commitment to improve job performance and happiness, as well as foster
innovation and support leadership (Olejarski, Potter and Morrison, 2019). An
organization's learning is divided into three levels, as shown below:
Single loop learning: This is a learning process in which adjustments are made to
fix errors and the focus is on doing things correctly. However, this ignores the true
source of the problem since the organization adjusts its actions based on the
difference between the expected and actual outcomes. They notice the current
situation and the problem that has arisen, and they attempt to resolve it without
understanding the true source.
Double-loop learning: This type of learning allows you to change your objectives or
make decisions based on your experiences. Mistakes are remedied by modifying
frames based on numerous assumptions, which aid in improved decision-making in
day-to-day operations (Zhang ans et.al., 2020).
Triple loop learning: This learning aids in the comprehension of the organization,
with an emphasis on single and double loop learning. This aids in the
comprehension of a tangle of images, problems, and solutions that are all linked
together. This will show you how to learn by examining prior activities that will help
you tackle present problems. As a result, with the support of these learning stages,
an organization may achieve its objectives.
There are many theories of organization learning which explains that how learning
occurs that are explained below:
Classical organizational theory: In this approach, the organization is viewed
as a machine, with employees acting as cogs in the machine. As a result, it is critical
to improve staff proficiency in order to raise the organization's efficiency. The
following are the six major pillars of the theory:
Division of labor: Work must be split among the workers so that the employees'
performance may be enhanced through job specialization.
Departmentalization: The administration must organize operations and jobs into
departments, which helps to save costs and improve administration control.
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Organizations are viewed as machines under this paradigm, and employees
are viewed as cogs in the machine. As a result, in order to raise the organization's
efficiency, it's critical to improve staff proficiency. The hypothesis is built on six basic
pillars, as follows:
Work must be split among the workers in order for the employees' performance to be
increased through job specialization.
Departmentalization: The administration must divide operations and jobs into
departments to save money and improve administrative management.
Neo classical organizational theory: The psychological and mechanical
aspects of organization function are emphasized in this approach. The human being
and their conduct in an organization receive a lot of attention. This theory makes
various claims, such as that a corporation is a social system with multiple
interconnected pieces. Human beings are autonomous, and their social and
psychological conduct may be anticipated. People are driven by examining
psychological aspects in a highly sophisticated process called motivation. Conflicts
between the organization and the individuals are common.
Difference between organizational learning and a learning
organization
Although organizational learning and learning organizations appear to be similar in that
they both include learning, there is a distinction. Because of the changing environment,
learning has grown increasingly popular. Administrations are becoming increasingly
aggressive, employing a variety of techniques in order to learn from one another.
Learning structure is the process of change, whereas organizational learning is the
process of developing and implementing strategies throughout a company so that it can
operate its operations in a changing environment and stay competitive. So, here's how to
tell the difference between learning organization and learning organization:
Both the terms are related to each other as they are similar to each other and as they
involve the process of learning (Farzaneh and et.al., 2020). Difference between
organizational learning and a learning organization is explained below-
Organizational learning
The term organizational learning refers to
a process under which employees make
Learning organization
The term learning organization refers to
structure in which the employees get
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use of their knowledge and
experience in order to deal with various
situations of the business.
chance to develop their capabilities
and skills in order to deal with various
situations.
Organizational learning mainly targets on
outcomes and achievement.
Learning organization process mainly
targets on various processes and
purposes.
It involves the course of gaining the
learning in the company.
It involves the actual learning in the
company.
Under this, employees learn by the
situation of business.
Under this, employees learn by the
training method which is provided by the
company.
It is considered as a process which
focuses on various processes and
practices of learning in the company.
It is considered as a structure which
focuses on development of strategies,
culture in the company.
It is segmented into individual various
teams at different levels which are
considered as attributes of organizational
learning.
It is segmented into total organizational
that comprises of cultural development,
leadership, reward system and many
others.
From the above differences, it can be said that Organizational learning mainly
focuses on learning by making use of their knowledge and experience for daily
operations of the company. On the other hand, Learning organization mainly focuses
on overall improving the capabilities of the employees.
Conclusion
From the above analysis, it can be concluded that due to organizational
learning one can develop the culture of learning in the organization. The report also
comprises the role of the term learning organization which is used for the employees
in reference to develop their capabilities and skills in order to deal with challenges in
the future. One subject that is organizational learning, helps in developing the level
of job satisfaction of employees with better productivity and profits. On the other
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hand, Learning organization brings the facility of new learning for the members by
keep changing themselves. The report revolved around the above mentioned terms
and its detailed explanation with main differences.
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References
Books and Journal
Leithwood, K. and Louis, K.S. eds., 2021. Organizational learning in schools. Taylor
& Francis.
Kasemsap, K., 2019. Promoting strategic human resource management,
organizational learning, and knowledge management in modern organizations.
In Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Business Operations and
Management (pp. 879-891). IGI Global.
Vargas-Hernández, J.G., 2022. Strategic Analysis of the Organizational Learning
Approach to Dynamic Resilient Capability. In Handbook of Research on Changing
Dynamics in Responsible and Sustainable Business in the Post-COVID-19 Era (pp.
223-243). IGI Global.
Ran, W. and Jinglu, L., 2020, October. The Design and Development of Digital
Books for E-learning. In 2020 4th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence
and Virtual Reality (pp. 51-55).
Sung, H.Y., Hwang, G.J., Chen, C.Y. and Liu, W.X., 2019. A contextual learning
model for developing interactive e-books to improve students’ performances of
learning the Analects of Confucius. Interactive Learning Environments, pp.1-14.
Xie, L., 2018. Leadership and organizational learning culture: a systematic literature
review. European journal of training and development.
Nugroho, M.A., 2018. The effects of collaborative cultures and knowledge sharing on
organizational learning. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
Fortis, Z., Maon, F., Frooman, J. and Reiner, G., 2018. Unknown knowns and known
unknowns: Framing the role of organizational learning in corporate social
responsibility development. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(2),
pp.277-300.
Mitchell, C. and Larry, S., 2021. Learning about organizational learning.
In Organizational learning in schools (pp. 177-199). Taylor & Francis.
Soltani, Z., Zareie, B., Rajabiun, L. and Fashami, A.A.M., 2019. The effect of
knowledge management, e-learning systems and organizational learning on
organizational intelligence. Kybernetes.
Nugroho, M.A., 2018. The effects of collaborative cultures and knowledge sharing on
organizational learning. Journal of Organizational Change Management.
Olejarski, A.M., Potter, M. and Morrison, R.L., 2019. Organizational learning in the
public sector: culture, politics, and performance. Public Integrity, 21(1), pp.69-85.
Zhang, H., Gupta, S., Sun, W. and Zou, Y., 2020. How social-media-enabled co-
creation between customers and the firm drives business value? The perspective of
organizational learning and social Capital. Information & Management, 57(3),
p.103200.
Farzaneh, M., Ghasemzadeh, P., Nazari, J.A. and Mehralian, G., 2020. Contributory
role of dynamic capabilities in the relationship between organizational learning and
innovation performance. European Journal of Innovation Management.
Online-
Organizational Learning 2019, Retrieved from
<https://www.valamis.com/hub/organizational-learning>
What is Learning Organization 2019 ? Retrieved from
<https://www.vectorsolutions.com/resources/blogs/what-is-a-learning-organization/>
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5 Learning Organization Examples to Inspire Your Company 2021 , Retrieved from
<https://360learning.com/blog/learning-organization-examples/>
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