Organisational Learning Discussion Paper - Are you looking for one ...

Table 3: Creating the space for learning
Individual Collective
courses, workshops, conferences and meetings.
• Create opportunities for individuals to represent
the organisation in networks.
• Encourage individuals to write articles for
publication.
Informal Individuals can:
• Build in time for reflection at the end of each day
and at significant stages of pieces of work.
• Engage in informal networking.
• Join and use on-line discussion forums.
• Develop ‘habits’ that support reflective practice
(eg keep a learning journal).
• Commission learning reviews to examine
themes of work.
• Create cross-functional teams to develop
guidelines, procedures or policies.
• Include an explicit ‘lessons learnt’ section in
all regular reporting formats.
Organisations can:
• Provide physical space that encourages
informal networking.
• Set up intranets, newsletters or other ways
of keeping people informed about each
other’s work.
While these mechanisms provide useful ideas there is also a question of whether it is
possible to identify an organisational learning life-cycle model – similar to the models
that are used in organisational development – that can guide the development of
organisational learning in NGOs? Unfortunately, the answer seems to be ‘No’ because
the paths taken by different organisations are very different and don’t seem to follow
an identifiable pattern. However, there is value in identifying a series of
characteristics/factors which, when combined in different ways, can contribute
towards providing the opportunities for organisational learning – rather like the
sliding controls on a recording studio mixer desk which can be moved to different
levels 30 . These might include:
1) Raising the profile of organisational learning by making it a strategic goal;
2) Integrating learning into the planning and evaluation cycle;
3) Investing in knowledge management infrastructure;
4) Building relationships of trust.
In the following sections we will examine these factors/characteristics and how some
NGOs are addressing them.
4.4.1 Raising the profile: organisational learning as a strategic goal
By including organisational learning in their strategic goals, NGOs can signal to staff,
partners and other stakeholders that they take learning seriously. The following
examples illustrate how some organisations have achieved this:
30 Thanks to Raja Jarrah from CARE UK for this analogy.
Praxis Paper 3: Organisational Learning in NGOs by Bruce Britton
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