Review by: Schönwald, Ingrid (2004-06-23)

This publication deals with the impact of organisational structures on workplace learning.

Based on the studies of Koike and Darrah, the author develops a model of the ways in which organisational structures impact on the process of learning and skill formation in the workplace. The model assumes that the individual’s motivation to learning is not only influenced by prior experience but interacts with four areas of organisational constraints: the extent to which the organisation facilitates access to knowledge and information, the opportunity it provides to practice and develop new skills, the provision of effective support for the learning process and the extent to which it rewards learning. The central hypothesis of the model is that decisions taken about the organisational structure and processes and the design of work within it influence the individual process of learning.

A qualitative empirical study was carried out to explore the relevance of this model for an understanding of the impact of organisational structures on learning. The methodology comprised face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with a sample of 195 employees of a mayor multinational corporation in South-East Asia. At the time of the research there was an attempt to move away from the rigid hierarchy of the past toward a more flexible structure.The findings of this qualitative case study indicate major differences in the organisational restriction between staff on top and on the bottom of the hierarchy. The access to information and knowledge is influence by the attitude and behaviour of management, supervisors and co-workers as they were all in a position to act as “gatekeepers” to knowledge. Informal knowledge sharing was limited as knowledge was perceived as a personal competitive advantage.There was a high variability of the perceived quality regarding the support for learning. This was attributed to the current shift in the responsibility for training from the training department to the line managers within the company. Many supervisors were not aware of the importance of supporting the learning process of their colleagues and also missed the skills and knowledge about how to support learning.Ashton closes his article with the suggestion on measures to improve learning and skill development, such as the training of staff in how to support learning, the introduction of self-managed teams and performance related pay.

This article gives some interesting impressions on the organisational restrictions and fields of action for working-based learning. It provides a theoretical concept and gives recommendations about the design of organisational structures to advance learning processes within an organisation. The findings of the case-study support the hypotheses and provide starting-points for further investigations to broaden the empirical base for the model.