Action Learning, Knowledge Creation and Organisation Learning

Jeff Gold

Professor of Organization Learning

Leeds Business School, UK

We start with……………….

….a good story. Identify an example of really good work practice

1.What happened that made it rgwp? – write a sentence

2.How did rgwp happen and why? – write a paragraph

3.What are the implications of this rgwp for others in the company? – bullet point

Logico-Scientific v. Narrative

Knowledge in Organizations

Truth

Analysis, reason,

logic and proof

Theory, models

Decontextualise

and abstraction

Objective

Verisimilitude

Good story,

inspiring, aesthetics

and sense

Meaning

Contextual and

concrete

Personal, value-

laden

The conundrum of knowledge (knowing)-based organisations

Knowing-base

Organising

We continue with……….

….a difficult work problem, you are willing to share

a. What has been happening, what have you done, how have you felt? – two paragraphs

b. Conclude by writing two sentences that begin with the words…….. I believe that………….. I believe that………….

c. For one ‘I believe that….’, state some ‘evidence’ for it

Knowledge Creating

Experience

accumulation

articulation codification

Individual

Adapted from

Prencipe and

Tell (2001)

Pure personalise

Organisation Learning Landscape

Experience

accumulation

articulation codification

Individual

Group/T

eam

Adapted from

Prencipe and

Tell (2001)

Pure personalise

Organisation

Traditional Action Learning

Based on the work of Reg Revans

The Ecology of LEARNING

L > C

Learning must be equal to or exceed the

rate of change (Reg Revans)

The Learning Equation

L = P + Q

Learning is a combination of P (Programmed

Knowledge) & Q (Questioning Insight)

“In the varied topography of professional practice, there is a high, hard ground overlooking a swamp. On the high ground, manageable problems lend themselves to solution through the use of research-based theory and technique. In the swampy lowlands, problems are messy and confusing and incapable of technical solution. The irony of this situation is that the problems of the high ground tend to be relatively unimportant to individuals or to society at large, however great their technical interest may be, while in the swamp lie the problems of greatest human concern.”

Schön (1983)

Uncertainty

Equivocality

Wicked Issues

Tame Issues

Unknown

problem

Known

problem

Known

solution

Unknown

solution

Task Problem

solving

Solution

seeking a

problem

Complexity,

wicked, mess

The Learning Organization

• Create continuous learning opportunities (CL) • Promote inquiry and dialogue (DI) • Encourage collaboration and team learning (TL) • Establish systems to capture and share learning (ES) • Empower people toward a collective vision (EP) • Connect the organization to its environment (SC) • Provide strategic leadership for learning (SL)

Based on Watkins and Marsick, 2003

New Idea

Try Out Reflect and Share

Real Experience

LEVEL 1: IMPLEMENTING Learning to do Things Well

Real Experience

Reflect and Share

Try Out

New Idea (from within)

LEVEL 2: IMPROVING Learning to do Things Better

Linking Action Learning to Organisation Learning

Through Action Learning Research

The PROBLEM

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: SYSTEM BY WHICH ENTERPRISE ACTIVITY IS DIRECTED & CONTROLLED

AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS MANAGED

TNIs (WORLD BANK) PROMOTE WESTERN SYSTEM IN NIGERIA

NIGERIAN FIRMS AWARE OF TNI PRINCIPLES BUT DO NOT PRACTICE

The QUESTION:

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN TNI THEORETICAL REQUIREMENTS BE RECONCILED WITH CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRACTICE IN NIGERIA

AIM: TO MAKE TNI MODEL MORE RELEVANT IN CONTEXT OF NIGERIA

IMPORTANT FOR: LOWER COSTS, FDI & MITIGATING CONTAGION

METHODLOLOGY

• PROBLEM OF ACCESS TO ‘BLACK BOX’ OF BOARD ROOM

• Action Learning Research • Group of Directors in an action learning set • Working on improving corporate governance • Willing to share finding • Methodology to develop model

FINDINGS OF AL SET and a MODEL EMERGES

Positive Action Learning (PAL)

Based on Appreciative Inquiry

AI Meaning

• Explores ideas about what people say is valuable in what they do

• Builds on the ideas

• Appreciates the positive rather than problems

• Uses stories of the positive to persuade others to change

Assumptions

• In every organisation, something works

• Focus on what is working, provides new possibilities

• Positive stories have influence

• Positive stories help create a positive future

• Telling positive stories, creates new realities

The AI Cycle

Discovery

Dreaming

Designing

Delivery

Set Up

Based on our definition of the problem:

a. Who in the business has a stake in this?

b. What are their objectives?

c. What are their criteria for the value of any inquiry and the outputs that emerge?

Building Dreams

1. Read the findings....note what is interesting 2. Generate codes: Code interesting features of the findings in a systematic fashion across the entire data set 3. Develop themes: Collate codes into potential themes

4. Review themes – are they linked? What is interesting? What is useful? 5. What is desired?

The AI Cycle

Discovery

Dreaming

Designing

Destiny (Delivery)

Positive Action Learning (PAL)

• Company B, a UK-based but US-owned design and production company

• 2008 - production fell by around 15% and there were redundancies of around 15%.

• Re-direction of the organisation would also require a shift in culture, even as staff were being made redundant.

From PAL…..

Champion Group – 5

AI +AL

From PAL…..to PALS

Champion Group – 5

AI +AL

Group 1 – 4

AI +AL

Group 2 – 4

AI +AL

Group 3 – 4

AI +AL

Group 4 – 4

AI +AL

Group 5 – 4

AI +AL

Group 4.1 – 4 AI +AL Group

4.2 – 4 AI +AL

Group 4.3 – 4 AI +AL

Group 4.4 – 4 AI +AL

Group 4.5 – 4 AI +AL

Movement against the baseline – 0 - 10 Scale

Strategy We have a 1 year strategy focused on AOP delivery: we don’t see a year 2 and 3 plan There is a lack of ongoing communication: update/ where are we winning Politics influences the strategy delivery and we aren’t waking the talk Visibility Lack of clear visibility of the leadership team (walking the talk, being aligned, listening and being seen together) Lack of a clear detailed vision/plan for year 1/2/3 with outcomes , actions and timings Lack of engagement of all to really believe in the future Communication We don’t have a common understanding of what the true issues are There is no honest and open regular update on business performance with sufficient detail for people to take action We aren’t energising people around what they can/ need to do

5.8

5.6

5.4

4.0

4.0

5.6

5.0

5.4

4.6

Action Modes of Research - completed in the context of practice which results in knowledge that is useful through its application = LEARNING

Action Research - knowledge generation that is based on a collaborative problem-solving relationship between researcher and client

Action Learning Research -a group setting that seeks to generate learning across multiple levels, from individuals to systems, arising from engagement in the solution of real-time (not simulated) work problems

Action science - work-based intervention for helping learners increase their effectiveness in social situations through heightened awareness of their action and interaction assumptions

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) - focus on the positive capabilities of people and organizations and building on such capabilities

Cultural-Historical Activity Theory: research on activity as a unit of analysis that is analyzable in its contextuality and is specific to human beings by being culturally mediated and dynamic

Cooperative Inquiry- participants engage in self-critical examination in the presence of a group, which iinvites spontaneous inquiry into its own patterns allowing the generating of ideas and designing and managing projects.

Soft Systems Methodology- a learning based inquiry to make improvements using systems models and thinking