Assessment on the preparedness of a software provider company to initiate and develop organizational learning

Date of Publication

2005

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychology Major in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Psychology

Thesis Adviser

Elena Morada

Abstract/Summary

This study focused on assessing the structural, policy, psychological and cultural conditions of a Business Solution Provider and determines its preparedness in initiating its own organizational learning to maintain its competitive advantage and continually serve the needs of its clients. A descriptive research design was used in the study and the company was evaluated employing a survey – Organizational Learning Assessment (OLA) - that was developed by the researcher.

Participants of the study were the total population of the company, most of which are in the accounting and information technology professions. With thirty nine (39) respondents included in the study, the result showed that the structural condition of the company only got a mean of 3.0. The result indicated that most of the members of the organization perceived that the company is not yet applying most of the organizational learning mechanisms needed in enhancing organizational learning in its present structure. With regards to its policy facet, the result showed a mean of 2.93 which implies that the company does not have sufficient and concrete policies, procedures and financial support to promote organizational learning. In the aspects of the cultural and psychological the company got mean values of 3.25 and 3.06 respectively. These results indicated that most of the employees felt that the organizational climate is not yet safe to honestly discuss what they feel and think as well as disclose their mistakes for the sake of learning. Most of them were also afraid to the outcomes of transparency, integrity and issue-orientation.

Outcome of the study also indicated that there were no significant differences among the means of the different departments in relation to the structural, policy, cultural, and psychological facets of the company except for the tolerance for error subscale under policy facet and inquiry subscale under the cultural facet where both subscales have significant level of 0.04. Generally, the result implied that members of the organization do not differ in their perceptions or observations with regards to these four facets. However, the comparison made on the facets belonging to the organizational-focus and individual focus yield different results which showed that there were significant differences between these two dimensions except for the comparison made between policy facet and psychological facets. This result implied that facets under organizational-focus require more effort and attention for development by the management since the mean results under these facets have lower values as compared with the facets under the individual-focus.

In summary, results of the study showed that the structural, policy, psychological and cultural conditions of the company do not create or promote organizational learning in its present setup. Given these results, it is important that the company should increase its awareness of the need to change its present conditions with regards to these four facets in order to cope successfully with the rapidly changing and highly competitive environment that they are in.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Accession Number

CDTG004069

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in.

Keywords

Organizational learning; Organizational change; Information services

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