Where is learning in Organizational Learning

• Organizational Learning by Rolf Marvin Bøe Lindgren, 10/19/97
  • Organization Learning Resources by Charlie Seashore, 10/20/97
    
    

thanks for the pointer to resources, but I already have enough sources on Organizational Learning to last a lifetime. what I'd like now is a discussion of where the learning is in Organizational Learning.

It's not learning in the psychological sense, where learning is defined as a relatively stable and long-lasting change in behavior. Single-loop learning, as described by Senge, Argyris, Kim and others I do not recognize as learning, but at the very best as problem-solving. What is it, in single-loop learning that learns? certainly not the individual, it is quite possible to utilize what one already knows in solving a problem and not learning anything new.

and it's actually the same for double-loop learning. if a bunch of engineers suddenly decides to question the basic assumptions of a project and redesign it according to a re-evaluation of the goals and the initial assumptions of the team, nobody needs to have learnt anything: all can be accomplished by using old knowledge.

if single-loop and double-loop learning is the organization, not the individual changing behavior, then I see that those may be valid metaphors of learning as organization, and if that's all there is to it, then thay may lessen my current state of confusion. maybe.

to pose a question: are single-loop and double-loop learning metaphors of

• individual learning, or learning
• in organizations, or
• an organization learning?

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