Learning Organisation and Learning Environment

Question: Discuss about the Learning Organisation and Learning Environment. Answer: Introduction Learning Organisation is a term, which describes the ideal learning environment undertaken by the organisation to accomplish the business objectives. In such organisation, the associated people continuously expand their capacity and ideas for extracting the desirable outcome (Tait Blinco, 2014). The new pattern of thinking is nurtured by setting the aspirations free and determining the frequent learning process. The essay will specifically focus on the case scenario of Toyota, which is deemed to be a learning organisation. The necessity of undertaking such initiative will be analysed in this essay discussion section. The information derived from the underlying literature will also be much helpful for this study. Discussion In this current world, many of the organisations adopt the innovative learning process to enhance their productivity in a competitive scenario. Toyota Motors has faced the crisis situations due to which the sales production was required to split. In order to improve the operational process, each of the organisations keeps the major focus on resource allocation process (Pomsmeetings.org, 2016). Concentrating on such competitive scenario, Toyota decided to re-structure the functionalities to maintain the sustainable position in this current business world. In order to accomplish such business goals, the company has been concentrating on evaluating new strategies. The learning organisation is the staircase of achieving such motives and it occupies numerous innovative features that help in facilitating the growth opportunities (Khan et al. 2013). The learning organisations have to keep their focus on several dimensions, which have direct impacts on the organisational functionalities. Pet er Senge explained these included dimensions, such as System Thinking, Personal Mastery, Metal Models, Building Shared Vision, and Team Learning (Senge, 2014). Toyota Motors has adopted such technicalities to improve the operational functionalities as well strengthen the competitive position. It is necessary to analyse each of the dimension to understand the procedure of utilising different techniques to remain competitive. The first dimension of this learning process is System Thinking, which determines the elimination of the complexities associated with the functional systems. The purpose of system thinking is to be focused on the macro looks of the organisation instead of focusing on the individual units or events (Clark, Silvester Knowles, 2013). The close looks to this broad perspectives helps in identifying the cycles and patterns of the organisation more specifically. In fact, the interconnection between the organisation and associated members is also clarified through such closer analysis instead of viewing the isolated occurrences. In order to find such interconnections, there is the requirement of a proper system thinking approach. The associated system perspectives help in comprehending the shape of the organisational future (Clark, Silvester Knowles, 2013). It is even specifying the channels of the collective events for leading towards the shared vision determined by the organisation. It is noted that the system thinking approaches of Toyota Motors is one of the successful examples that can be applied to improve the business functionalities. It is noticed that in the year of 2006, Toyota Motors earned the net profit of almost $12bn and majority $8.4bn was invested for research and development process (Hubpages.com, 2016). It was a greater step that Toyota undertook whereas Ford and General Motors was threatened with bankruptcy. The system thinking approaches undertaken by Toyota Motors soon reached to the position of the largest motor manufacturer after defeating General Motors in US. Such learning procedure undertaken by Toyota was started in the year of 1950. Moreover, it was noticed that the company started offering lower cost and higher quality vehicles that was the most significant step (Senge, Hamilton Kania, 2015). The production system of the company is generally describing the lean thinking nature. Toyota Motors was then entitled as the system thinking c ompany. The first challenge faced by Toyota was with the control and command process. The focus on the customer demands, value sharing aspects, and managing flows are the major measurements that the company needed to look after while undertaking the system thinking approach. The next dimension is Personal Mastery, which describes the process of enhancing the focus or vision of the organisation by considering the frequent process of learning. Personal mastery clarifies the motivations of learning for the betterment of the future of an individual. Following principles for achieving the determined objectives is personified in exploration of this concept (Caldwell, 2012). The success of an organisation depends on the willingness of the individuals to learn more innovative techniques. The commitments of the individuals towards the organisation are thus necessarily needed to be identified. Similarly, Toyota has been concentrating on the individual learning process by adopting the proper training sessions. It helps in developing the professional and personal attributes that is necessary for driving the organisational functionalities. The next dimension is Mental Model, which is describing the procedure of taking an actions based on the assumptions, pictures, images, and generalisations. The recognition of these aspects helps in understanding the proper way of undertaking the relevant actions for achieving the determined purposes (Woodside, 2016). In such regards, the identification of the underlying challenges is essential. Apparently, it can be stated that the mind models are the set of assumptions and beliefs, which has the impacts on human behaviour. Toyota has undertaken such system analysis process for the betterment of the organisational functionalities. The competition in the automotive industry, especially with General Motors of US, has been pushing the company to undertake the innovative business functions. It is even helpful enough in improving the self-potentiality in a significant manner. Another dimension is focusing on Building Shared Vision. It is to be indicated that the shared vision is essential for ensuring the organisational success (Hitt, 2013). Establishment of the mission or values is needed to be shared with the other associates. Sharing the vision is motivating the people to drive them to outshine more significantly. It is to be noted that many of the leaders perceive a particular vision statement that remains unrevealed to the organisation (Senge, Hamilton Kania, 2015). These types of leaders maintain their charismatic appearance and value based approaches for motivating the associated individuals. However, it is important to note that the leaders create the positive impacts on the employees. When the leader leaves the organisation, the motivational factors become invisible accordingly. Similarly, Toyota Motors has been concentrating on sharing the organisational visions with the employees. The employees are the major priorities for the company. In fact , the management of Toyota has been focusing on motivational process that can bring more performance efficiency. Communicating or sharing the major motto of the company is thus helpful in guiding them towards accomplishing the organisational goals. The final dimension is Team Learning, which determines the contributions derived from the team members. Team learning is considered as the state when the team members gather together and perform the business functionalities to achieve the similar goals (Clark, Silvester Knowles, 2013). In this current era of business, it is noticed that business companies implement different types of strategies. The associated employees are strategically divided into fewer groups and share the proper vision to accomplish their objectives (Caldwell, 2012). The management teams are staffed with high performing group of employees who are leading the organisation towards success. The management needs to take the initiative for providing proper learning sessions to the employees to make them aware of the determined goals. Accordingly, structuring the functionalities that are influencing the work performance of these team members is necessary for the organisational progress. Similarly, Toyota has also bee n concentrating on the team performance. The different development and training programmes are effective enough for the associated employees to make them more efficient (Tait Blinco, 2014). They even receive the chance to develop their professional skills that are essential for the future prospects. Hence, the team learning is one of the most preferable and necessary dimensions associated with the organisational learning process. The above discussion is highlighting the diversified dimensions of learning process that helps in achieving the determined goals. Apparently, it is noticed that development of these dimensions will be beneficial for the organisation to achieve the determined excellence. However, it is not an easy process to adopt the entire dimensions all at once. The resource planning and development process is required. Hence Toyota requires identifying the necessary technicalities for establishing the learning process. Conclusion The essay is identifying the underlying concept of learning organisation with special reference to the initiatives undertaken by Toyota Motors. The diversified dimensions of learning process provide the insightful ideas about the diversified functions that each of the managements needs to adopt. Toyota has been following the innovative system thinking process that is much effective for achieving the pre-determined goals. The sharing vision and team learning process is interconnected. When the organisation sets the goal and structures the management functionalities to achieve such goal, it is necessary to share such determinations with the employees. The group work and learning process help in achieving such motto. Automatically, it helps in developing the personal and professional skills of the students. References Caldwell, R. (2012). Leadership and learning: A critical reexamination of Senges learning organization.Systemic Practice and Action Research,25(1), 39-55. 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