The New Learning Organisation PART I – Institutional Reflexivity, High Agility Organising and Learning Leadership

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to revive the old idea of the Learning Organisation by providing a fresh conceptualisation and illustration. The New Learning Organisation is conceptualised, focussing on the common good through responsible action. It is positioned as responding to the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity, Bennett and Lemoine, 2014) conditions with a VUCA approach to Learning Leadership fostering Institutional Reflexivity and High Agility Organising .

Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a new organisational learning framework – the 8As – Sensuous Organisational Learning framework. It illustrates the operationalisation of this framework in PART II through the educational practices and learning culture of the Norwegian Defence University College, Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy’s (RNoAFA) approach to growing (Military) leaders.

Findings The Sensuous Organisational Learning – 8As – framework illustrates how attentiveness, alertness, awareness, appreciation, anticipation, alignment, activation and agility form an integral part of the New Learning Organisation. Their unique contribution as aspect of a Sensuous Organisational Learning framework is that they explicate how the three principles of Institutional Reflexivity, High Agility Organising and Learning Leadership can be operationalised to serve the common good.

Research limitations/implications The paper presents a novel way of reviving the Learning Organisation beyond an ideology as a practical approach to responding to VUCA conditions. It introduces a new learning theory and injects a fresh perspective in our understanding of the role and impact of learning in the workplace.

Practical implications By focussing on Learning Leadership practices that extend previous Organisational Learning frameworks, The New Learning Organisation promoted here focuses on responsible action to serve the common good through Institutional Reflexivity and High Agility Organising.

Social implications By focussing on how the common good can be better served, the New Learning Organisation becomes a mantra for social change to identify the higher purpose that social actions must serve.

Originality/value The need for fresh contributions in the Organisational Learning debate is long overdue. This paper marks a new chapter in Organisational Learning research and practice by demonstrating the value of sensousness as a foundation for improving the practical judgements across professional practices.