PATTERNS OF LEARNING ORGANISATION IN ESTONIAN COMPANIES

Abstract

Organisational learning is related to individuals' behaviour in an organisation, and the organisation's ability to respond more effectively to changes in its environment. Organisations possessing learning capabilities and not just reactive behaviour are considered to be learning organisations. The main aim of the paper is to identify the features of learning organisation (LO) and to evaluate the state of organisational learning in Estonian production companies. The basic models of empirical research came from Senge's five disciplines and Mets's three-dimensional learning framework. Altogether the questionnaires of 326 respondents were analysed, 187 of whom identified themselves as workers and 137 as managers. The main idea of the LO in the sample of Estonian production companies was better represented in the group of "managers" (business owners, board members, managers, middle managers and specialists), whose perception of organisational learning (OL) was described by three statistically reliable factors relevant roughly to organisational learning framework (OLF) model: internal environment and learning, shared values and the main business process. The workers perception of OL processes was less differentiated and was limited to two factors related to the internal and external environment of the company. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR Copyright of TRAMES: A Journal of the Humanities & Social Sciences is the property of Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts)