The Differences between Learning Organization (LO) & Organizational Learning (OL)

There are some important reasons such as organizational growth from small to medium, medium to large scales, quality management, pressures from modern organization, complexity in business environment, chaos, change management, or competition in business that learning organization and organizational learning have been conducted and implemented by almost all the organizations. Although these two approaches have been put into practice by the organization, they have different functions:

(A) It is Learning Organization that everyone in the organization is involved (LO). Many scholars and theorists defined the meaning of learning organization differently. However, Peter Senge (1990) in his book “The Fifth Discipline” defined that learning organization is related to enhancing capabilities, remaining competitive, understanding the complexities, basing on knowledge, and focusing on past and present experience ect. What is more important than this is his fifth discipline:

1. System thinking: Thinking as a whole, developing from a body of work, stating all the characteristics, studying bounded objects, or acquiring than developing

2. Personal mastery: Having a special level of proficiency, being committed by an individual, seeing reality objectively, employing productive rather receptive, acquiring staff training & developing, having personal vision, developing patience, or focusing on energy

3. Mental model: Being espoused theories by an individual, or being preserved behaviors, norms, & values by organization

4. Shared vision: Building on individual visions at all levels, having flat & decentralized structure, holding a shared picture of future, or fostering enrollment rather than compliance

5. Team learning: Conducting dialogues, having group discussion, having group relations, learning through synergy, or accelerating organization

(B) It is organizational learning that everyone studies the theories and models about the way the organization learns and adapts (OL). Many scholars and theorists have differently defined the meaning of organizational learning. Fiol and Lyles (1985) defined that organizational learning is related to improving action through better knowledge and understanding. However, Christ Argyrist and Donal Schon (1978) defined that there three types of learning in relation to organizational learning, and these are included

1. It is single-loop learning. That is lower-level learning, and it is related to adaptive learning, coping learning or non-strategic learning. Moreover, it focuses on changing actions and strategies without changing theories.

2. It is double-loop learning. That is a higher level learning, and it concerns with generative or strategic learning. Furthermore, it depends on changing action, strategies and theories.

3. It is triple or deuteron-loop learning. That is the combination between single-loop and double-loop learning. In addition, it is relevant to learning how to learn including learning how to learn, re-learn, and unlearn, or learn how and what.   

Sam Aun (Andy)