Yes, but does LO work? LO19032

Eugene Taurman (ilx@execpc.com)
Sat, 29 Aug 1998 09:10:01 -0500

Replying to LO18960 --

Ed Breneger asked

>One question: I would like to know how those who are practitioners of
>"quality" and Deming's System of Profound Knowledge view learning
>organization concepts. And how can they be utilized within that system?
>This has been a discussion on the Deming list. I'm curious about LO folks
>take.

When I read the comments about Learning Organization on the group I get
the feeling LO have it backwards. Deming wanted an organization that
learned not a learning organization. Sometimes I feel as if LO takes
learning as the end all purpose rather than part of the route to meet the
organizations's purpose.

Companies using Deming concepts develop an organizations that

measure to learn how well changes worked
communicates with facts
minimizes emotions by focus on the process
considers people factors
constantly experiments with new ideas
khows how things ae done -- what process were used
knows what process yield which results
places emphasis on education and training
recognizes individual differences and brings these talents together
sets well understood and communicated priorities
considers the entire system and it's interconnectedness
demands understanding of one another

Senge properly pointed out that companies that learn survive better than
those that do not put emphasis on usig expereince to drive change.

Senge also has added a couple of valuable new tools for study of systems. He
also has created a following that seems talk as if the purpose of the
organization were learning.
Senge simply observed that the best organizations continually learned and
gave new methods to study our environment. Deming set the new direction and
is still applicable.

Gene

-- 

"Eugene Taurman" <ilx@execpc.com>

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