Tdell1 wrote:
> If so, does an organization composed of "temps" with minimal (if any)
> loyalty have the ability to learn that's needed in a constantly changing
> environment? Can and should it develop systems to insure that the
> organization as well as its "Me, Inc." workforce learns, grows and adapts?
Tom, I'm thinking how synchronous of you--this is a great opportunity to
tie the knowledge worker thread into this thread. It occurs to me that
when you hire knowledge workers (the most marketable, dynamic workforce in
recent times), you have people who's primary loyalty is to their
profession/truth/knowledge/continued learning/etc, AND they consider
themselves as temporary (often leaving BEFORE the boat sinks).
The knowledge worker can be among the most sublime of the "self-employed,"
as she moves from organization to organization, searching for the
tangibles and intangibles that are most important to her. This particular
worker has become the great challenge to (dare I say it) human resource
managers--designing compensation, benefit and et cetera packages for (to
entice them to come--and to stay!).
So, what learning abilities do these organizations have or demonstrate?
(one that outsources much of its' needs--and uses the "temp" knowledge
worker for core competency production/efforts)? Adaptation, flexibility,
sustainability--these are characteristics of a learning (living)
organization. Continuing to demonstrate these characteristics is quite
within such an organization's capabilities, as the cadre or core members
of such an organization focus on thriving by searching for new energy
sources, new structures, new ways to bring people together to create
wealth, products, tangibles and intangibles for the common weal.
Or so I say--how say the rest of you!
Doc
-- "Newton, forgive me. You found the only way that, in your day, was at all possible for a man of the highest powers of intellect and creativity. The concepts that you created still dominate the way we think in physics, although we now know that they must be replaced by others further removed from the sphere of immediate experience if we want to try for a more profound understanding of the way things are interrelated." -Albert Einstein.Richard C. "Doc" Holloway Your partner for workforce development Visit me at http://www.thresholds.com/community/learnshops/index.html Or e-mail me at <mailto:learnshops@thresholds.com> Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2361 Phone: 01 360 786 0925 Olympia, WA 98507 USA Fax: 01 360 709 4361
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