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1 – 10 of 163
Article
Publication date: 9 April 2018

Yusuf Sidani and Simon Reese

This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of learning organization concepts from the perspectives of Dr Victoria Marsick and Dr Karen Watkins and presents an…

1806

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an overview of the development of learning organization concepts from the perspectives of Dr Victoria Marsick and Dr Karen Watkins and presents an interesting evolution of their work together spanning over three decades.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a conversation with thought-leading scholars Dr Victoria Marsick and Dr Karen Watkins, this paper discussed serval topics pertaining to the evolution of the learning organization debate and provides their unique perspective on the development of their theories.

Findings

The learning organization debate has many foundations that today have led to differing perspectives, which Dr Marsick and Dr Watkins advocate. They developed their learning organization concepts from their particular background, which varies from others. To these thought leaders, cultural aspects are the critical focus of the learning organization.

Originality/value

The discussion with Victoria Marsick and Karen Watkins reveals their understanding of the evolution of the contested discussion around learning organization definition and implications. The understanding of this evolution, in their words, provides context for researchers and practitioners.

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. 25 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 February 2017

Kyoungshin Kim, Karen E. Watkins and Zhenqiu (Laura) Lu

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among a learning organization, knowledge and financial performance using the Dimensions of the Learning Organization…

4544

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among a learning organization, knowledge and financial performance using the Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire and its abbreviated version.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a secondary data set and performed second-order factor analysis and structural equation modeling for testing the proposed relationships.

Findings

The study found that a learning organization has a positive effect on knowledge performance; knowledge performance has a positive effect on financial performance; and knowledge performance fully mediates the relationship between a learning organization and financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to validating the current dimensionality of the theoretical framework of a learning organization proposed by Watkins and Marsick (1993, 1996) and offers a valid conceptual framework of the relationship among the learning culture and organizational performance dimensions.

Practical implications

This study re-stresses the significance of the learning and knowledge generated by the human resources of an organization and developed by human resource development practitioners.

Originality/value

This study is valuable to human resource development scholars and practitioners interested in improving and measuring organizational performance.

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2021

Karen E. Watkins, Victoria J. Marsick and Beixi Li

Abstract

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Article
Publication date: 1 January 1995

Karen E. Watkins and Robert T. Golembiewski

This article offers a conception of the learning organization. From this model, we discuss ways in which organizational development can now be used to create learning…

Abstract

This article offers a conception of the learning organization. From this model, we discuss ways in which organizational development can now be used to create learning organizations and ways in which organizational development theory and practice might change to create learning organizations. We consider three ways OD may contribute to the learning organization: supportive systems of interaction, guiding values, and a sense of structural alternatives. We look at contributions learning organizations make to OD, in terms of changing conceptions of dialogue, system diagnosis focused on learning, intervention focused on long term empowerment, and measurement at the macro system level.

Details

The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1055-3185

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2024

Henriette Lundgren, Dimitrios Papanagnou, Casey Morrone, Urvashi Vaid, Ridhima Ghei, Abagayle Bierowski, Karen E. Watkins and Victoria J. Marsick

This study aimed at rethinking ways in which educators from different fields can collaborate to respond to the rapidly evolving demands of health professions education (HPE). The…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed at rethinking ways in which educators from different fields can collaborate to respond to the rapidly evolving demands of health professions education (HPE). The goal was to investigate how a research-to-resources approach can be applied to engage in knowledge translation (KT) of research findings for the benefit of introducing medical students to uncertainty in the clinical learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

An interdisciplinary team of medical educators, human resource development (HRD) scholars and emergency medicine fellows engaged in iterative cycles of action research (AR) to develop, pilot and refine case-based learning resources on clinical uncertainty. The team leveraged prior research on physicians’ decision-making during COVID-19, experimented with generative AI tools, and collected feedback from medical students to guide resource development.

Findings

The findings of this study are twofold. On the one hand, the authors reflect on the lessons learned of developing case-based learning with the help of generative AI. While student feedback indicated that the case helped normalize and process experiences with uncertainty, key challenges included adapting research data to create relevant, sustainable learning resources and designing effective discussion prompts. On the other hand, the authors provide insights into the opportunities and challenges of our interdisciplinary collaboration. The authors show that knowledge utilization is not simple, but complex, and that more work needs to be done to effectively disseminate resources as part of the desired uncertainty curriculum.

Practical implications

This study attempts to apply a KT framework for bridging the research-practice gap in HPE through interdisciplinary collaboration and AR. It provides lessons learned for developing case-based curricula on complex topics like uncertainty. The findings highlight the need for adaptive KT processes when dealing with rapidly evolving healthcare contexts.

Originality/value

This paper offers a novel example of research-to-resource KT in medical education, integrating perspectives from HRD and leveraging emerging technologies. It contributes to understanding how interdisciplinary teams can collaborate to create timely, evidence-based educational resources for navigating uncertainty in professional practice. The study also provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of translating complex research findings into practical learning tools to tackle real-world challenges in HPE.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2000

Karen E. Watkins and Ronald M. Cervero

The purpose of this study was to determine whether two different organizational settings of certified public accountancy (CPA) practice produced substantially different or…

1205

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether two different organizational settings of certified public accountancy (CPA) practice produced substantially different or equivalent learning opportunities for a practising CPA. Three sources of data in this research project were examined, including a work history from both firms, interviews, and surveys from the three principal parties. In this study, 31 learning opportunities were identified across three domains of learning in order to compare the learning provided in two organizational contexts. It was found that, indeed, learning occurred in all three domains and at consistently high levels across both organizations. It was concluded that there were no material differences in the learning opportunities available in each firm.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 12 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2022

Karen E. Watkins, Andrea D. Ellinger, Boyung Suh, Joseph C. Brenes-Dawsey and Lisa C. Oliver

The critical incident technique (CIT) is widely used in many disciplines; however, scholars have acknowledged challenges associated with analyzing qualitative data when using this…

Abstract

Purpose

The critical incident technique (CIT) is widely used in many disciplines; however, scholars have acknowledged challenges associated with analyzing qualitative data when using this technique. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to address the data analysis issues that have been raised by introducing some different contemporary ways of analyzing qualitative critical incident data drawn from recent dissertations conducted in the human resource development (HRD) field.

Design/methodology/approach

This article describes and illustrates different contemporary qualitative re-storying and cross-incident analysis approaches with examples drawn from previously and recently conducted qualitative HRD dissertations that have used the CIT.

Findings

Qualitative CIT analysis comprises two processes: re-storying and cross-incident analysis. The narrative inquiry–based re-storying approaches the authors illustrate include poetic narrative and dramatic emplotting. The analytical approaches we illustrate for cross-incident analysis include thematic assertion, grounded theory, and post-structural analysis/assemblages. The use of the aforementioned approaches offers researchers contemporary tools that can deepen meaning and understanding of qualitative CIT data, which address challenges that have been acknowledged regarding the difficulty of analyzing CIT data.

Research limitations/implications

The different contemporary qualitative approaches that we have introduced and illustrated in this study provide researchers using the CIT with additional tools to address the challenges of analyzing qualitative CIT data, specifically with regard to data reduction of lengthy narrative transcripts through re-storying as well as cross-incident analyses that can substantially deepen meaning, as well as build new theory and problematize the data through existing theory.

Practical implications

A strength of the CIT is its focus on actual events that have occurred from which reasoning, behaviors, and decision-making can be examined to develop more informed practices.

Originality/value

The CIT is a very popular and flexible method for collecting data that is widely used in many disciplines. However, data analysis can be especially difficult given the volume of narrative qualitative data that can result from data collection. This paper describes and illustrates different contemporary approaches analyzing qualitative CIT data, specifically the processes of re-storying and cross-incident analysis, to address these concerns in the literature as well as to enhance and further evolve the use of the CIT method.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 46 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 1999

Victoria J. Marsick and Karen E. Watkins

The authors describe learning strategies that are being used successfully to benefit both individuals and organizations. They also speak about the shadow side: a culture of fear…

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Abstract

The authors describe learning strategies that are being used successfully to benefit both individuals and organizations. They also speak about the shadow side: a culture of fear, the negative impact of constant change, and inappropriate exploitation of employee knowledge. They elaborate on what can happen when an idea as powerful as the learning organization ends up being used for purposes that were not originally intended.

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. 6 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 February 2013

Michael Grant Wofford, Andrea D. Ellinger and Karen E. Watkins

This study aims to examine the process of informal learning of aviation instructors.

3449

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the process of informal learning of aviation instructors.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative instrumental case study design was used for this study. In‐depth, multiple semi‐structured interviews and document review were the primary approaches to data collection and the data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. The Marsick, Watkins, Callahan, and Volpe reconceptualized model of informal and incidental learning underpinned this study.

Findings

Findings support prior research on the catalysts, strategies, and lessons learned that are associated with informal learning. However, a key finding of this study was capturing the complexity of the informal learning process for aviation instructors as they faced the daily challenges associated with facilitating their students' learning which served as the catalyst for their learning.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are not intended to be generalizable to populations beyond this specific study due to limitations associated with the site selection, purposeful sample selection criteria, and sample size. Additionally, the unique nature of the aviation field and temporal considerations prevent the generalizability of the results of this study.

Originality/value

Despite the growing base of research on informal learning, calls for research that continues to examine how certain characteristics of workers and their work environment influence informal learning, and research that provides more holistic understandings of this type of learning have been requested. This research responds to these calls by exploring the process of informal learning among aviation instructors. The catalysts for informal learning, the strategies used, and lessons learned are identified. More importantly, unlike previous research, the complexity of the process of informal learning is captured and illustrated as a cyclical, non‐linear, non‐sequential process that is highly intertwined with teaching in this aviation context. The careful documentation of the actual learning process provides thick, rich data to deepen our understanding of what this kind of learning actually looks like.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2024

Brandon A. Smith and Karen E. Watkins

The purpose of this review is to evaluate existing learning agility measures and offer recommendations for their use in organizational and scholarly contexts.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this review is to evaluate existing learning agility measures and offer recommendations for their use in organizational and scholarly contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a general review paper assessing the psychometric qualities of prevalent learning agility measures. Measures were selected based on their predominance and use in the learning agility literature and organizational settings.

Findings

Learning agility measurement is an area requiring further research. Multiple conceptualizations of learning agility exist, making the true structure of learning agility unclear. The learning agility measures in the academic literature deviate from learning agility’s traditional conceptualization and require further validation and convergent validity studies. Commercial measures of learning agility exist, but their development procedures are not subjected to peer review and are not widely used in academic research, given the cost associated with their use.

Practical implications

Learning agility is prevalently used in organizational settings and is receiving increased scholarly attention. Various conceptualizations and measurement tools exist, and it is unclear how these theories and measures relate and differ. This paper contributes to practice by providing practical guidelines and limitations for measuring learning agility.

Originality/value

Learning agility was initially conceived as a multidimensional construct comprising people agility, results agility, change agility and mental agility. As the construct has evolved, the dimension structure of the measure has evolved as well. This study addresses a gap in our current understanding of how to conceptualize and measure learning agility.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 53 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

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