Intro -- Elizabeth Cartwright Fiddler LO17729

Peter A. Fiddler (fiddler@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 10 Apr 1998 12:55:39 -0700

Hello: I am a graduate student at the U. of Washington, in the
Nutritional Sciences and Public Health departments. This quarter I am
working with a group of public health grad. students on a project in our
management class that will present a case study on a particular management
philosophy. Ours is the "learning" organization/environment.

I have read the various links on this Learning Organization web
site, and some of the discussions, and I am thrilled to see that an active
learning approach is a passion for so many people.
I am hoping (and grateful in advance) for information and feedback
from you all related to this topic. I should note that we have not
decided yet if our case study will discuss an existing organization, or a
fictional one, and if we will concentrate on how a learning organization
is run, or how to start one up.
The kind of information I seek is:
a. How would you personally define a "learning organization"?
b. How much "learning" (open communication, flexibility,
training, etc.) has to be allowed for (and actually occur) for you to
consider an organization to have learning as a priority?
c. What books (other than Senge) and other resources are out
there on the "learning" organization model? Any journal articles you
recommend? Or perhaps authored?
d. What companies (ideally related to health) do you know of that
actively maintain a learning environment? Any in the Seattle area?
e. I have found many references to consulting firms that claim to
help organizations improve their learning/creativity structure. Are these
firms effective? Which ones?
f. What are your experiences with the barriers to starting or
maintaining a learning environment?
g. Any other elements that you recommend, or are expert in?

Sorry to be so general! We have just started this project. I can
talk in more specifics if anyone would like that.

Sincerely, Elizabeth Cartwright Fiddler
fiddler@ix.netcom.com

-- 

"Peter A. Fiddler" <fiddler@ix.netcom.com>

Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>