Management of a Learning Enterprise

The fourth chapter of the book Managing Learning Enterprises entitled “Management of a Learning Enterprise” from the first part entitled “Characteristics of a Learning Enterprise” begins by identifying the biggest challenge for learning organizations: their oscillation between two states—one in which the patterns of behavior are known and one in which they are not known, and again a state of order in which the patterns of behavior are known but may deviate significantly from the previously established patterns. For this reason, it is very difficult to organize a system that is developed as a learning organization, because it should establish some boundaries, elements, rules, and procedures while allowing dialog, connections, experimentation, freedom, and empowerment. In such a system, the span of control gives way to the span of communication as a fundamental organizing criterion. However, this chapter also raises the provocative question: are hierarchies really so bad? Later in the chapter, the learning culture is explained as the collective mind or psyche that is the result of the learning process and the leadership of learning organizations, especially transformational leadership. In this context, the issue of power is also discussed, stating that power in learning organizations lies in the strength of arguments and should be earned. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges of motivation in learning organizations.