Learning about learning in knowledge‐intense organizations

Purpose – This paper describes and analyses an attempt to engage in transformational learning, oriented to the development of a culture of innovation, at a medium‐size software development organization in Australia.Design/methodology/approach – An action research methodology was used whereby continuous cycles of strategic social learning were collectively theorized, implemented, evaluated and renewed.Findings – The most important finding of this study is that of the influence of power relations and communication practices upon learning‐for‐innovation in organizations, and the need for the mediation of this influence through the creation of an organizational role that we have entitled an “external critic”. The case also shows the central importance of the relational dimension of social capital generation to learning and the sensitivity of this dimension to power relations.Research limitations/implications – The research provides a rich analysis of one company's attempt to learn how to build and sustain a c...

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