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Formality and Informality: Learning in Relationships in an Organisation

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  • Karin Dessne

    (University of Borås, Borås, Sweden)

Abstract

An organisation and its work are formed by social structures in the form of relationships. The aim of this paper is to explore the nature of relationships and its impact on learning with a qualitative approach. A case study focusing on the Land Warfare Centre (LWC) of the Swedish Armed Forces (SwAF) was conducted. The main target of the study was learning from experiences in training and field action. The analysis shows that relationships are characterised by and contributing to 1) local and oral learning, 2) confusion in the formal design of concepts and processes and 3) issues of power, status and trust. The results of this research support and clarify the viewpoint that the nature of relationships – with various degrees of formality/informality – impacts on learning in an organisation. The relationships are formed and re-formed by their preconditions and may be altered through conscious and unconscious changes of the preconditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Karin Dessne, 2013. "Formality and Informality: Learning in Relationships in an Organisation," International Journal of Knowledge Management (IJKM), IGI Global, vol. 9(4), pages 17-32, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:igg:jkm000:v:9:y:2013:i:4:p:17-32
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    File URL: http://services.igi-global.com/resolvedoi/resolve.aspx?doi=10.4018/ijkm.2013100102
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    Cited by:

    1. Karin Dessne & Katriina Byström, 2015. "Imitating CoPs: Imposing formality on informality," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 66(11), pages 2277-2284, November.

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