Are learning organizations pragmatic?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the future prospects of the popular concept known as the learning organization; to trace the influence of philosophical pragmatism on the learning organization and to consider its potential impact on the future; and to emphasize how pragmatic theories have shaped the development of Deming's total quality management approach and Toyota's lean manufacturing system.

Design/methodology/approach

The concepts presented are mainly built on a historical analysis of various theories of philosophical pragmatism and organizational management. These theories are contrasted with state‐of‐the‐art practices used in business.

Findings

Many organizational learning theories are rooted in philosophical pragmatism, yet these models often only borrow small pieces from a larger, more systemic framework. It is argued here that this truncated use of such principles causes unintended consequences and general ineffectiveness.

Originality/value

The value is to see the evolution of theories of learning organizations in terms of many of the unstated assumptions that serve as a foundation.

Citation

Cavaleri, S.A. (2008), "Are learning organizations pragmatic?", The Learning Organization, Vol. 15 No. 6, pp. 474-485. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696470810907383