Defining Relational Learning Beyond Individual Learning Within Organizations

This chapter aims to lay the foundations for a conceptualization of organizational learning by the organizational entity, thereby moving beyond organizational learning as individual learning within organizations. This chapter argues that the conceptual roots for the existing conceptualization of organizational learning as individual learning within the organization are dependent on: (1) The influence of theories of individual learning on organizational learning; (2) the nature of the organization behind theories of organizational learning (mainly a neoclassical view); (3) the view of relational learning as interpersonal relationships; and (4) the environment as exogenous. Organizational learning as relational governance, on the other hand, implies: (1) Learning as a process by the organizational entity; (2) the nature of the organization as a nexus of stakeholder resources and interests, which implies an open system view related to a new stream of organizational studies (beyond neoclassic); (3) relational concept as relationalization of multiple rationalities; (4) endogenized environment (nexus as environment of organizational learning).