I work in the training and development field for a multi-national
resources company in New Zealand. I am in my fourteenth year with them,
only the last 5 in this field. In those 14 years our work force has
decreased from approx. 2800 to 1300. We have also been through TQM, 4
quadrant leadership and a number of other similar type programs, most run
by oversees training organisations. The cost of these programs has been
substantial.
The benefits for my organisation derived from these programs are wide open
to debate. While individuals, mainly salaried staff, have benefited
tremendously in terms of advancing up Maslow's hierarchy (my description)
many of our shop floor people tell me they are doing the same things the
same way that they have always done them.
Including in my search for knowledge and understanding of organisational
behaviour has a substantial amount of Stephen Covey's and Denis Waitley's
writings. I was particularly interested in the "dependent" -->
"independent"--> "interdependent" model, then came Mr de Lange's 7
essentialities. I am taking far more than the passing interest in the
evolving discussion.
The New Zealand Education System is at present going through a similar
transformation as the one described by Diane Rumley in LO20564. I have
been using our National System to eventually give our on job trainees
formal recognition by way of national qualification for their expertise in
our manufacturing techniques. Most of these techniques are common to all
manufacturing processes (my opinion).
Our senior training and development people are beginning to talk of
"learning organisations". I have been lurking here for some time and have
found the dialogue much deeper than that we indulge in at work. It has
also been extremely helpful to me in my role.
I have learnt much from you all since I surfed on in and I thank you, I
hope that I will be able to make meaningful contributions in the near fu
ture.
Regards,
Dennis Rolleston.
--Dennis Rolleston <Dennisr@ps.gen.nz>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>