Replying to LO26046 --
Dear Organlearners,
Lawrence Philbrook <icalarry@ficnet.net> writes:
>Learning is only learning when it is manifest in
>a change in behavior. Change can go in 4 directions:
>holding on to the same, more of the same, less of the
>same, and different.
>
>If I say that an organization is an entity, then they
>also are constantly learning and changing in one of
>the 3 ways.
Greetings Larry,
At first I thought to question you on the "holding on to the same", but
then realised that some fellow learners might few it as an attack because
it almost appear as an illogical change which it is not.
In fact, "holding on to the same" is the change necessary in mathematics
to extend the logic in it. Here are two simple examples:
. 7 + 0 = 7
. 7 x 1 = 7
Addition, for example, brings changes about for all uncountably many
possible cases (like 7 + 8 = 15 and 7 + 100000 = 100007) except one unique
case, 7 + 0 = 7 This unique change is necessary to fix indentity. Thus the
"+ 0" part is known as the identity operator.
I think it is a serious Mental Model to focus too much or even exclusively
on either the "idenitity change" or the "other changes" of which you have
dscribed three.
Allow me to tell the following from the view point of LEC (Law of Energy
Conservation) and LEP (Law of Entropy Production) as I understand it.
LEC allows only one change, namely the identity change.
LEP allows inumerous changes. They fall in two major classes -- the
extensive-quantitative changes and the intensive-qualitative changes. Your
"more of the same" and "less of the same" belongs to the class
extensive-quantitative changes. They represent two very important minor
classes in this major class. They are the outcomes of what I call
digestive action -- eat or be eaten. Your "different" belongs to the class
intensive-qualitative changes. This major class also has two very
important minor classes which we might name "more in qualities" and "less
in qualities". They are the outcomes of what is know also known as
bifurcative action -- emerge or immerge.
>Whenever I start to work with an organization
>I try to ask questions that will tell me what the
>situation is, what is right, what is wrong, where
>there are signs of hope in the future and what
>assumptions are being operated out of that form
>their world view. This helps me see where they
>are learning right now ....
Wise advice!
>Knowing where the energy to learn is being
>currently channeled does not guarantee it can
>be shifted to the areas you want people to
>focus on but at least you are thinking of an
>intervention based on the current learning
>reality.
Again wise advice! The more we learn of the dance of LEP on LEC, the more
we will know how to "intervene" (guide) wisely.
The dance of LEP on LEC in a Learning Organisation (LO) differs widely
from the dance in an Ordinary Organisation (OO). These dances of LEP on
LEC are telling, not the identity claims in the most loftiest wording.
With care and best wishes
--At de Lange <amdelange@gold.up.ac.za> Snailmail: A M de Lange Gold Fields Computer Centre Faculty of Science - University of Pretoria Pretoria 0001 - Rep of South Africa
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