An organizational learning approach to the learning organization

Abstract

In this article the attempt is made to bridge the conceptual gap between the literature on the learning organization and that of organizational learning. Whereas the learning organization stream is mainly prescriptive, linking learning to improvement, the organizational learning stream analyses learning processes without paying much attention to its outcome. Until so far, the two streams operate highly independent from each other. We believe that more solid understandings of how organizations learn provide ideas on how this could be improved and thus could contribute to a more theoretical foundation of the learning organization. Our contribution lies predominantly in providing a conceptual framework to analyze and improve learning processes as ways to foster learning organizations.