essay on organizational learning

Organizational Learning

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist

ivan.andreev@valamis.com

May 24, 2022 · updated April 5, 2024

3 minute read

What is organizational learning?

What is organizational learning theory, why is organizational learning important.

Organizational learning is the process by which an organization improves itself over time through gaining experience and using that experience to create knowledge. The knowledge created is then transferred within the organization.

Organizational learning is important for all companies, as the creation, retention and transfer of knowledge within the organization will strengthen the organization as a whole.

When looking at the definition of organizational learning, there are three main actions to consider:

An idea or product is conceived, the company creates the idea or product, then the company must reflect. It is through this reflection of both process and outcome that learning will occur. In addition to those actions, there are three key processes that occur in organizational learning:

Knowledge creation
Knowledge retention
Knowledge transfer

It is important that the organization ensures that the knowledge gained from this process is retained within the organization and is transferable. Knowledge retained by individuals cannot be properly retained, as individuals can leave, taking their knowledge with them. Embedded knowledge can be kept within the organization and shared with all individuals.

To define organizational learning is to understand the importance of creating a learning culture within an organization. This type of learning benefits both individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. There are also positive intra-organizational benefits to this approach.

The theory of organizational learning focuses on the creation of knowledge and the use of that knowledge within an organization.

Key aspects of organizational learning theory are that learning happens when people interact while finding and solving problems.

Organizational learning theory stresses the importance of developing a learning culture within an organization.

According to this theory, organizations should:

Develop a culture that prizes knowledge sharing
Take time to learn the lessons that failure can teach
Encourage employees of all levels to engage in lifelong learning
Allow individuals and teams to challenge the status quo of the organization

Develop and maintain a strategy-driven learning culture

Upgrade your organization’s learning culture with clear, actionable strategies to address the challenges.

The importance of organizational learning is shown by the various benefits that occur in organizations that develop a learning culture:

Increased employee job satisfaction
Lower turnover rates
Increased productivity, profits and efficiency
Developing leaders at all levels
Enhanced adaptability throughout the organization

When organizations dedicate time and resources to developing a learning culture and implementing organizational learning, they are more competitive.

This increased ability to react quickly to fast-changing market conditions is just one of the reasons why organizational learning is important.

An organization that embraces the lessons that can be learned from failure and studies its own processes will be an organization that contains more knowledge about best practices, and will be much more able to adapt.

By creating the basis for continuous learning where all employees are teachers and students, there is an equal exchange of information that allows each person to contribute in a substantial manner.

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Organizational Learning Essays

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Knowledge Base
How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

Thesis statement
Discussion of event/period
Consequences
Importance of topic
Strong closing statement
Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
Implications of the new technology for book production
Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
Summarize the history described
Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

Synthesis of arguments
Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

Point 1 (compare)
Point 2 (compare)
Point 3 (compare)
Point 4 (compare)
Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

Introduce the problem
Provide background
Describe your approach to solving it
Define the problem precisely
Describe why it’s important
Indicate previous approaches to the problem
Present your new approach, and why it’s better
Apply the new method or theory to the problem
Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
Describe the implications
Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows. It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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Organizational Learning vs. Learning Organizations

For any organization or firm to survive in the knowledge intensive, fast-changing and volatile environment, it must carry out strategies that have the ability to simultaneously address the concerns of external competitiveness, internal efficiency and the leading industry. Organizations have to manage innovation, effective environmental response and efficiency simultaneously. For any organization to be able to address these issues (innovation, effectiveness and efficiency) they must build up capacities to sense any changes in the surrounding i.e. environmental changes precisely, pick up signals timely and accurately evaluate these inputs for shaping and defining the capabilities of the organization. This is what many scholars refer to as dynamic capabilities i.e. the capability to sense and then, to grab new openings and then to protect and reconfigure competencies, knowledge assets and complementary technologies and assets to realize sustainable competitive advantage. In simple terms, dynamic capabilities reveal the capability of the firm or organization to unlearn redundant or obsolete things, learn new things and generate value from their newly acquired knowledge. Wilson (1999) points out that organizations whose major focus is on the developing dynamic capacities, as opposed to just core capacities, have been endured with the sustain their competitive advantage for a long period of time. In this context this paper will compare and contrast two key concepts, organizational learning and learning organization, central to organization success in the competitive business. However, prior to understanding the current definitions of the two concepts are of paramount importance in understanding their central themes.

Different scholars have come up with their specific definitions of what is meant by learning organizations, but despite their differences in wording, all of them tend to have an agreement that central concept of learning organization is institutionalization of the learning in these organizations i.e. anybody working in these organizations cannot be able to avoid learning as learning has been embedded in the organization’s vision (Richard, 2009). A learning organization may also be seen as a theoretical model of a firm or organization, which is basically characterized by communicative process that are open, a flat structure, customer-focused culture that is very inquisitive and collaborative relationships that are established on a shared vision that utilizes the commitment, co-operation and curiosity of the employees. According to Lyles (2003) Peter Senge viewed learning organizations as the one that is ready to swing from perspectives intrinsic in habitual, hierarchical organizations and shift toward a viewpoint in which all members have the capacity to learn and contribute to the organization’s vision. Therefore, learning organizations may be taken to generally refer to a given type organization that is organized, both structurally and culturally to guarantee flexibility, innovation and improvement. According to (Senge 1990:3) as cited in Lyles (2003) learning organizations are those organizations whose employees and management persistently increase their capability to generate the results they desire, where individuals are constantly learning to realize the whole together, where expansive and new patterns of rationalizing are cultivated, and cooperative aspirations are set free. He further points out that a learning organization should be viewed as apparition of what might be probable. This cannot be realized through the training of individuals but through the learning at organizational level as a single entity.

It is worth noting that learning organizations borrow heavily from two forms of organizational learning: generative and adaptive learning. In adaptive learning, commonly referred to as single-loop learning only takes place within a set of unrecognized and recognized constriction referred to as learning boundaries. Within these so-called boundaries, firm or organizational competitive progress may be made, nevertheless in case these competitors are basing their learning and thinking outside these boundaries , any progress realized will not contribute sufficient input for market success. Unlike adaptive learning, generative learning, commonly referred to as double-loop learning, provides a stronger solution. In the latter case, an organization re-evaluates long-held hypotheses about its customers, strategies, competencies and mission. The questioning of these assumptions enables organizations to realize the genuine power of unlearning and learning. In the last decade, numerous organizational or business leaders have been putting much focus on learning organization since they view it as the ultimate solution to the problems resulting from bureaucracy and hierarch in organizations.

Dierkes et al (2001) points out that learning organization and organization learning concepts integrate numerous significant characteristics and dimensions including the fact that learning is an incessant, strategically utilized process, incorporated with and running parallel to work, learning is realized by organizational systems as a single entity, nearly as though the organization was a single brain, there is generative learning and great focus on creativity, members of organizational identify the crucial significance of fragmentary organization-wide learning for both current and future organizational success and system thinking is elemental.

Some of the primary characteristics of learning organization and organization learning concepts include the facts that they both view employ learning to realizing goals, relate organizational performance with personal or individual performance, promote dialogue and inquiry, provide an enabling environment for its members to take risks and share openly, provide constant learning chances, are incessantly aware of and interrelate with the surrounding, and cuddle creative tension as their primary source for renewal and energy (Huysman & DeWit, 2002). These characteristics enable learning organizations to have a competitive advantage against competitors as these characteristics confer learning organizations with the capacity of reconstructing themselves as opposed to dependence on pressure from the outside, since they have the ability of controlling their environment and not the other way round. Any learning organization knows that individuals have different learning ways, gives opportunities for the individual development of those individuals, recognizes that its success in the future is dependent on the capabilities of its members and promotes a learning, innovative and contribution culture among its members.

From Dierkes et al (2001) perspective, organizational learning takes place when employees of the organization function as the learning agents for that given organization, reacting to changes in the external and internal environments of the firm or organization by identifying and rectifying errors in current theory employed by the organization and embedding the finding of the study in the shared and private maps of the organization. For Chawla and Renesch (1995) organizational learning refers to the process of advancing actions via understanding and better knowledge, organizational learning should be looked at as the process through which a firm or organization obtains, retains and utilizes inputs for improvement , leading to improved capability for sustained self-renewal and self-learning.

From their basic definitions, both organizational learning and learning organizations consider the fundamental human need to learn, develop and realize individual mastery that stimulates and gives substance to all organizations. Both recognize that for an organization to succeed it must create a climate whereby its employees are free to learn. From the perspectives of both concepts, all employees of an organization, in spite of their positions should not only be invited but also provided with opportunities to generate, test, communicate and uphold the organization’s mission. Members are provided with the opportunity to take part in the establishment of the quality standards and goals that will in convert their organization’s shared vision into reality. Employees are also given assistance in aligning and determining their own goals and visions with those of their firm and encouraged. Members are encouraged, taught and given permission to be creative architects of individual work lives (Veltman 2006).

The central theme for these two concepts is knowledge, both acquisition and sharing among organizational members and its fundamental role in transforming these organizations in order to survive in very competitive global markets. For both concepts, individuals think and learn more things jointly relative to individually. This based on the well fact that individuals learn from each other. They also recognize the vital role played by individual learning for organizational development. That is they both view each individual member as the vital source a researcher and hence source of vital information significant for the success of their organization (Hull, 2006).

Both learning organizations and organizational learning concepts recognize the need for organizations to unburden the burdens of past inherent the company history. For these concepts, an organization’s history and past experience acts as barriers in the reception and processing of knowledge since individuals will keep on referring to the past events and precedence in defence of the current practices and eradicates the need for new knowledge.

One of central feature common to these two concepts is that they are both aiming to improve both individual organization members and the organization itself. It is also worth noting that these concepts seem to have been necessitated by events after the Second World War such economic globalization which led to the need for competitiveness, impact of information society on organizations and work, impact of technological and scientific knowledge industry. These led to new work methods, growing competition, reorganizations, technological changes, financial constraints, mergers etc forced organizations to not only learn but also adapt more rapidly to revolutionizing circumstances.

In additional to the above features common to both concepts, there are some key differences including the fact that learning organization puts emphasis on the organization as an entity as opposed to organizational learning which puts emphasis on the learning process itself i.e. the proponents of the learning organization concept are of the view that for any organization to be become a learning organization, the learning process must be embedded in the organization’s vision and mission statement unlike in the organization learning whereby employees are free to learn at their own pleasure.

Both learning organization and organizational learning concepts are of the perspective that organization employees’ acquisition of knowledge either officially or unofficially and sharing it with colleagues is central to organization success. That is, all organizations intending to be competitive in the current global market should view its employees, regardless of their positions, as their learning or research agents that contribute vital knowledge for organizations’ success. To realize these goals, organizations must create an enabling environment promoting free communication; embrace a flat structure, relationships that are inquisitive and collaborative, customer-oriented and innovative culture. There is also need for organizations to realize the importance of individual of individual learning to organizational learning.

Chawla, S., and Renesch, J., 1995. Learning organizations: Developing cultures for tomorrow’s Workplace. New York, NY: Productivity press.

Dierkes, M.et al., 2001. Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Hull, G., 2006. Generalized Practices with Organization and communities. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Huysman, M., and DeWit, D.,2002. Knowledge Sharing in Practice. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Lyles, M., 2003. The Blackwell handbook of organizational learning and knowledge management. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Richard L. D., 2009. Organisational Theory and Design . 10th ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Veltman, K. H., 2006. Understanding new media: augmented knowledge & culture . Alberta: University of Calgary Press.

Wilson, P., 1999. Human resource development: learning and training for individuals & organizations . London: Kogan Page.

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6.14: Essay Organization

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Learning Objectives

Examine the basic organization of traditional essays

Although college essays can offer ideas in many ways, one standard structure for expository essays is to offer the main idea or assertion early in the essay, and then offer categories of support.

One way to think about this standard structure is to compare it to a courtroom argument in a television drama. The lawyer asserts, “My client is not guilty.” Then the lawyer provides different reasons for lack of guilt: no physical evidence placing the client at the crime scene, client had no motive for the crime, and more.

In writing terms, the assertion is the thesis sentence , and the different reasons are the topic sentences . Consider this following example:

Topic Sentence (reason) #1: Workers need to learn how to deal with change.
Topic Sentence (reason) #2: Because of dealing with such a rapidly changing work environment, 21st-century workers need to learn how to learn.
Topic Sentence (reason) #3: Most of all, in order to negotiate rapid change and learning, workers in the 21st century need good communication skills.

As you can see, the supporting ideas in an essay develop out of the main assertion or argument in the thesis sentence.

Essay Organization

The structural organization of an essay will vary, depending on the type of writing task you’ve been assigned, but they generally follow this basic structure:

Introduction

The introduction introduces the reader to the topic. We’ve all heard that first impressions are important. This is very true in writing as well. The goal is to engage the readers, hook them so they want to read on. Sometimes this involves giving an example, telling a story or narrative, asking a question, or building up the situation. The introduction should almost always include the thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs

The body of the essay is separated into paragraphs. Each paragraph usually covers a single claim or argues a single point, expanding on what was introduced in the thesis statement. For example, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, the two main causes of schizophrenia are genetic and environmental. Thus, if you were writing about the causes of schizophrenia, then you would have a body paragraph on genetic causes of schizophrenia and a body paragraph on the environmental causes.

A body paragraph usually includes the following:

Topic sentence that identifies the topic for the paragraph
Several sentences that describe and support the topic sentence

Remember that information from outside sources should be placed in the middle of the paragraph and not at the beginning or the end of the paragraph so that you have time to introduce and explain the outside content
Quotation marks placed around any information taken verbatim (word for word) from the source
Summary sentence(s) that draws conclusions from the evidence
Transitions or bridge sentences between paragraphs.
Draw final conclusions from the key points and evidence provided in the paper;
For example, if you began with a story, draw final conclusions from that story; If you began with a question(s), refer back to the question(s) and be sure to provide the answer(s).

Step through this presentation to review the main components of an essay, then see if you can correctly organize the essay below.

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Revision and Adaptation. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Writing an Essay. Provided by : QUT Cite Write. Located at : http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/essay.jsp . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Image of Choosing Paragraph Patterns. Authored by : GrinnPidgeon. Located at : flic.kr/p/a9oiLS. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
Essay Structure. Authored by : Marianne Botos, Lynn McClelland, Stephanie Polliard, Pamela Osback . Located at : https://pvccenglish.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/eng-101-inside-pages-proof2-no-pro.pdf . Project : Horse of a Different Color: English Composition and Rhetoric . License : CC BY: Attribution
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Organizational Learning and Strategy Differences Analytical Essay

Introduction, review of literature, characteristics of chinese based firms, learning strategies and processes, government support, barriers to organizational learning, reference list.

The purpose of this study is to critically analyze organizational learning and strategy differences in the Chinese Based firms in Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Many writers have provided information focusing on the Asian Policy Makers. Focus is given to the new strategic developmental strategies resulting from the economic Downturn that was been prevalent in the Asian countries for the last three decades.

Economic success of the Chinese based Firms is used as a Benchmark of these developmental strategies due to their Economic success despite economic downturn in the region. Unlike their regional competitors such as Japan and South Korea, with big Firms operating on a large scale, the Chinese firms have resilience (Dierkes et al, 2003, p 716).

There is a new focus shift from the Large Firms to small and medium sized ones on Market.

At present, the firms are mainly found in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the first place, these firms are small and medium in sizes. (Yeung, et al, 2011, p. 34.). Additionally, they are viewed as late comers to technology, thus they lack access to modern and advanced technology of large Western based firms. The firms have a high tendency of integration into global and local production networks.

Despite the economic down turn in the region, the firms remained a success. They have become a central focus due to their, economic progress. Chinese Firms uses adoptive and imitational forms of knowledge transfer (Yu, 2007, p.18). Imitations resulted to drastic growth, instead of using an innovative process despising the western concept of product life cycle. This is coupled with creation of learning in networks

Learning in networks

The firms are incorporated into regional as well as the global corporations networks based in the western enterprises of Japan Europe and the USA. The Chinese based firms have a characteristic of incorporating other highly developed western based firms in their technology and management systems unlike Japanese and other western based enterprises whose allied enterprises are centrally attached only to their mother companies/firms. Interfirm cooperation thus takes their center in learning.

Interfirm cooperation

The firms in this region of the world being late comers to the technological world of production strive to make their products better through knowledge accumulation and internalization leading to knowledge of producing goods already on market (Dierkes et al. 2003, p.721). There exist also strategic alliances.

Strategic alliances

Forming strategic alliances is also another learning strategy employed by Chinese firms as their Learning process. They target brand name leaders of through formation of joint ventures with these innovative Firms. Their governments also give them some support.

It is also characteristic of the Governments in these regions to provide and create favorable organizational learning conditions through provision of basic human resource training, provision and spreading required production and marketing knowledge and giving subsides to research and development targeting majorly, strategic industries and Firms for knowledge transfer. Despite this, these firms still face some barriers to organizational learning

These firms have are vulnerable to under financing due to lack of technological underdevelopment thus they are exposed market fluctuations as compared to large enterprises found in Japan and South Korea.

On the overseas perspective, Chinese firms In Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore lack access to advanced technology used by large western enterprises, as well as large advanced markets of enjoyed by the western based models of organizational learning. The conclusion is therefore made at last as:

Chinese based firms are small and medium sized enterprises. Organizational learning characteristic to the through imitation of already existing technology in production and market conquest

Dierkes, et al., 2003. Handbook of Organizational Learning & Knowledge. NY: Oxford Publishers.

Yeung, et al., 2011. The Globalization of Chinese Companies: Strategies for Conquering International Markets. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons.

Yu, F.T., 2007. Taiwan’s economic transformation in evolutionary perspective: Entrepreneurship, innovation systems and government. NY: Nova Publishers.

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