A Modern Enterprise as a Learning Organization

The second chapter of the book Managing Learning Enterprises entitled “A Modern Enterprise as a Learning Organization” from the first part entitled “Characteristics of a Learning Enterprise” begins with a provocative question: Do organizations really exist? This chapter points to the nature of organizations as a collection of cognitive constructs about reality that are shared by the members of the organization. The chapter problematizes the question of the existence of organizations as mechanistic systems and money-making machines that need to be regulated, or as communities of people that need to be led to fulfill their own purpose and thus solve social problems and promote social development. This chapter also presents the history of the development of the concept of the learning organization, highlighting in particular the contribution of Mary Parker Follett, who first described organizations as communities. Definitions of learning organizations follow, beginning with Peter Senge’s conceptualization and ending with the descriptions of various authors, pointing to the lack of consensus in this area. The author continues by presenting her own conceptualizations of learning organizations, also pointing out that some descriptions may be accurate but inadequate or incomplete, and also pointing out what learning organizations are not. The chapter ends with an account of learning organizations as environments that foster openness and dialog that simulate the innate human condition of healthy curiosity and humility, and collective or organizational adaptability and agility.