[Host's Note: Jo, no problem. Intro's are welcome but not a requirement
before posting. ...Rick]
Well you already know my name and my primary area of interest - why do we
create organisations. I came to the concept of Learning organisations
through reading Agyris and Schon. My interest at the time was the
introduction of change into the public sector, a topic I have only managed
to scratch at the surface of.
Whilst I was an undergrad, studying sociology amongst other things, I
became intrigued at the way in which our lives are a series of moves from
one organisation to the next. That's when I asked why do we create these
organisations - a question that's akin to what's the meaning of life!
A couple of days ago I was discussing my next career step with my mentor -
PhD or not - when she made a quip about me not really being an
"organisation person", which started the old thought processes off and
running again. On reflection I think what she meant is that I'm not a
paper pusher, and she was viewing me in terms of her perception of herself
within the organisation/university.
The idea of a learning organisation intrigues me greatly, now we are not
only creating organisations, but we are taking it a step further,
artificial intelligence et al. How do we as human beings, individuals,
benefit from the successful creation of learning organisations? And I
don't mean just employment, or money in our economy/pockets.
I apologise that my thoughts are still somewhat incoherent, I am still
trying to pin down that elusive question. Karl Marx wrote
"nature does not produce on the one side owners of money or commodities,
and on the other men possessing nothing but their own labor power."
Man does, and he uses organisations as the tool to perpetuate the cycle.
(getting off my soap box)
Well, that's me!!
--Jo Hamill <Jo.Hamill@ed.ac.uk>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>