The learning entities in organisational learning – an empirical study

The idea that an organisation could learn in ways that were independent of the individuals was a key breakthrough. This paper explores the important question 'how are the learning entities – individual, group or organisation – related'? The answer is important for promoting learning by an organisation. This empirical study found that there is a relation between all the levels of learning – individual, group and organisational – with each other. However, a direct relation between organisational level learning and individual level learning is not sufficiently strong. That means group level learning mediates between individual level learning and organisational level learning. Thus, groups are also important learning entities. But more importantly, there is a need for special emphasis by organisations on roles and rules, routines, practices and standing operating procedures, culture, information systems, the physical structure of the workplace and sources outside the organisation.