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Draws on the results of recent Surveys which highlight the need for clear vision and sustained top management commitment in culture change. Suggests that in order to gain the necessary skills, management should adopt more of the attitudes, approaches, tools and techniques that have transformed management performance in benchmark companies. Uses the case of Rank Xerox to illustrate how a quality culture might be created.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/00400919210007502. When citing the article, please cite: Colin J. Coulson-Thomas, (1992), “Integrating Learning and Working”, Education + Training, Vol. 34 Iss: 1.

To assess the relevance of the growing interest in Knowledge Management, the author suggests the need to understand the contemporary context into which it is being introduced. For example, how does it relate to “process management” or the “learning organization”? The results of the author’s research indicates that many companies will pay a high and continuing price for an emphasis on short‐term improvements. In general, a more holistic and people‐centred approach to management that puts more emphasis on learning is required. This paper presents an overview of certain research findings that might be relevant to an assessment of Knowledge Management for the future organization.

An international investigation of corporate approaches to learning, renewal and transformation reveals that the emergence of network and virtual models of organisation has profound implications for career development, and for the approaches to corporate learning, and to change, relationship and knowledge management, that are adopted. Individuals and organisations need to be reconciled, and the distinction between knowledge and learning, and the potential contribution of shared learning, learning technologies and learning partners better understood. More reflective, thinking, holistic, sensitive and people centred approaches to management are advocated. People and organisations should be true to themselves. Boards need to understand the new realities and provide their organisations with a distinctive rationale and a renewed sense of purpose.

CEOs and quality practitioners are concerned about quality. Explores the reasons for this concern and examines what needs to be done. Presents and discusses the barriers to quality and quality priorities based upon the results of three questionnaire and interview surveys. Reveals that quality is but one of a number of changes that are occurring within large organizations. Quality begins in the boardroom, and the competence of directors and effectiveness of boards should not be assumed. The management of change requires top‐management commitment, and the articulation and communication of a clear vision and strategy. The focus of quality is shifting to attitudes, values, approaches and perspective, and the creation of quality networks embracing customers, suppliers and business partners.

Presents some of the findings from a five‐year international study into corporate renewal, learning and transformation programmes. Emerging network and virtual models of organization are making new demands on managers, and placing new issues such as network security, the protection of intellectual property, learning, and the development of more tailored approaches on to the senior management agenda. More holistic and people‐centred approaches to management are needed. Boards are having to become champions of learning, aware of the distinction between knowledge and learning and of who is contributing to the intellectual capital of the enterprise as opposed to consuming it. Leading edge and mature companies move beyond being consumers of management tools, techniques and approaches to become producers of them, in order to differentiate and achieve their distinctive visions.

Reports the key findings of a survey of major companies which reveal a diversity of individual and corporate learning requirements which are difficult to address through public programmes. As companies build differentiated corporate cultures they are finding it more difficult to absorb “general inputs” or “standard solutions” from outside. There are however opportunities for external partners to work with them in the identification and definition of workplace based projects that would be both intrinsically important and offer development opportunities.

Human resource is increasingly recognised as a critical success factor and limiting constraint. Chairmen and CEOs are seeking actively to build more flexible and responsive “network organisations”. They recognise increasingly the need for ongoing learning and change, and harnessing the potential of all employees. Yet too often personnel and other functional specialists are obstacles to, rather than facilitators of, change. Human resource practitioners must recognise the growing requirement for facilitating skills and processes, the diversity of preferred learning styles, and the importance of identifying learning potential. In particular they must understand how barriers to effective learning can be identified, overcome and facilitated by appropriate technology.

Examines the extent to which European BPR experience and practice are contributing towards the building of learning capability and facilitating progress towards the learning organization. Draws on the results of a European Commission‐funded programme of activities undertaken by the COBRA project team. Suggests that many applications of BPR are concerned with shorter term savings of time and cost and that little priority is being placed on enhancing the longer term learning which could be a sustainable source of competitive advantage.

Indicates that business process re‐engineering (BPR) is becoming more widely adopted within hospital and healthcare organizations. However, process management in a public sector and healthcare context raises particular problems. Shows that a European Commission supported project has examined the European application of re‐engineering approaches to healthcare processes. It has also undertaken detailed analyses in two pilot sites in order to develop an approach to process management, including a re‐engineering framework and methodology, adapted to the particular requirements of the healthcare context. Presents the findings of the European Commission supported HOCAPRIT project.