Organisational learning knowledge management and complexity fusion - exploring the 'Flavour of the Month'

Monica Kennedy

    Research output: Contribution to conference (non-published works)Abstract

    Abstract

    ABSTRACT The fusion of organisational learning and knowledge management ,theory in recent ,years has prompted,some important insights into learning and knowledge,in organisations which are yet to be reflected in integrated practice. The meeting of the traditional perspectives in each of the fields has triggered sophisticated ,discussion about the the unit of analysis for learning (Stacey 2003a; Field 2004), nature of knowledge (Blackman and Henderson 2005; Spender 2006), and the process of learning and how it contributes to organisational knowledge (Spender 1996). Quite recently, the discussion has been further enhanced by authors who ,have become ,preoccupied ,with complexity theories in their application to organisations (Stacey 2003a; 2003b; Firestone and McElroy 2004). The findings of the ,study described here provide insight into the relationship between learning and ,knowledge ,in organisations through ,the lens of complexity ,as well ,as providing some input into developing theories of complexity as they apply to organisations. The fusion of perspectives in organisational learning, knowledge management and complexity contributes to integrative discussion and informs more holistic representations oforganisational experience. The study described in this paper provides empirical support for the blending ,of themes ,apparent in the ‘flavour ,of the ,month’. It supports the consideration of organisational learning ,and ,knowledge ,management ,within a single theoretical frame and points to organisational practice which accommodates,the blending of learning and knowledge functions in organisations. It does also, however, draw attention to the difficulties in merging,the theories unproblematically and highlights the relevance and importance of maintaining some traditional individual flavours of the informing theories in their mix. That learning and knowledge ,management ,in organisations should remain ,discrete in practice is at odds with contemporary,theory and the findings of this study.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages1-18
    Number of pages18
    Publication statusPublished - 2007
    EventOLKC 2007 Conference - Ontario, Canada
    Duration: 14 Jun 200717 Jun 2007

    Conference

    ConferenceOLKC 2007 Conference
    Country/TerritoryCanada
    CityOntario
    Period14/06/0717/06/07

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