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INTRODUCTION
Fromaveryearlyage,wearetaughttobreakapartproblems,tofragmenttheworld.Thisapparentlymakescomplextasksandsubjectsmoremanageable,butwepayahidden,enormousprice.Wecannolongerseetheconsequencesofouractions;weloseourintrinsicsenseofconnectiontoalargerwhole.Whenwethentryto"seethebigpicture",wetrytoreassemblethefragmentsinourminds,tolistandorganizeallthepieces.But,asphysicistDavidBohmsays,thetaskisfutile--similartotryingtoreassemblethefragmentsofabroken
mirrortoseeatruereflection.Thus,afterawhilewegiveuptryingtoseethewholealtogether.
Thetoolsandideaspresentedinthisbookarefordestroyingtheillusionthattheworldiscreatedofseparate,unrelatedforces.Whenwegiveupthisillusion--wecanthenbuild
"learningorganizations",organizationswherepeoplecontinuallyexpandtheircapacitytocreatetheresultstheytrulydesire,wherenewandexpansivepatternsofthinkingarenurtured,wherecollectiveaspirationissetfree,andwherepeoplearecontinuallylearninghowtolearntogether.
AsFortunemagazinerecentlysaid,"forgetyourtiredoldideasaboutleadership.Themostsuccessfulcorporationofthe1990swillbesomethingcalledaLearningOrganization."
"Theabilitytolearnfasterthanyourcompetitors,"saidArieDeGeus,headofplanningforRoyalDutch/Shell,"maybetheonlysustainablecompetitiveadvantage."
Astheworldbecomesmoreinterconnectedandbusinessbecomesmorecomplexanddynamic,workmustbecomemore"learningful."Itisnolongersufficienttohaveonepersonlearningfortheorganization.It''''sjustnotpossibleanylongerto"figureitout"fromthetop,andhaveeveryoneelsefollowingtheordersofthe"grandstrategist."Theorganizationsthatwilltrulyexcelinthefuturewillbetheorganizationsthatdiscoverhowtotappeople''''scommitmentandcapacitytolearnatalllevelsinanorganization.
(收到時間-1998年十一月10日星期二18:14:8)
PeterSenge對DISCIPLINE的說明
Ifalearningorganizationwasanengineeringinnovation,suchastheairplaneorthepersonalcomputer,thecomponentswouldbecalled"technologies".Foraninnovationinhumanbehavior,thecomponentsneedtobeseenasDISCIPLINES.By"discipline",Idonotmeanan"enforcedorder"or"meansofpunishment",butABODYOFTHEORYANDTECHNIQUETHATMUSTBESTUDIEDANDMASTEREDTOBEPUTINTOPRACTICE.Adisciplineisadevelopmentalpathforacquiringcertainskillsorcompetencies.Aswithanydiscipline,fromplayingpianotoelectricalengineering,somepeoplehaveaninnategift,butanyonecandevelopproficiencythroughpractice.
評注:discipline在這里的用法,大概最接近的是“學問”或“學科”。上面說道:“一門學問是一個拓展的途徑,從中獲得實在的技巧與資歷”,這是從一種“動態”的角度去看待它,非常具啟發性。
(ty,98-11-24)
不論古今中外,很多人都發出過如PETERSENGE一般的呼喚:
“你認識越多,便越醒覺自己的無知!”
Topracticeadisciplineistobealifelonglearner.You"neverarrive";youspendyourlifemasteringdisciplines.Youcanneversay,"wearealearningorganization,"anymorethanyoucansay"Iananenlightenedperson."Themoreyoulearn,themoreacutelyawareyoubecomeofyourignoranc.Thus,acorporationcannotbe"excellent"inthesenseofhavingarrivedatapermanentexcellence;itisalwaysinthestateofpracticingthedisciplinesoflearningofbecomingbetterorworse.
Practicingadisciplineisdifferentfromemulating"amodel".Alltoooften,newmanagementinnovationsaredescribedintermsofthe"bestpractices"ofso-calledleadingfirms.Whileinteresting,Ibelievesuchdescriptionscanoftendomoreharmthangood,leadingtopiecemealcopyingandplaying
catch-up.Idonotbelievegreatorganizationshaveeverbeenbuiltbytryingtoemulateanother,anymorethanindividualgreatnessisachievedbytryingtocopyanother"greatperson".
(收到時間-1998年十一月17日星期二8:8:10)
5disciplinesoftheLEARNINGORGANISATION
DISCIPLINESOFALEARNINGORGANIZATION
Thereare5disciplinesoftheLEARNINGORGANISATION
PersonalMastery自我超越
MentalModels改善心智模式
BuildingSharedVision建立共同愿景
TeamLearning團隊學習
SystemsThinking系統性思考
PERSONALMASTERY
Masterymightsuggestgainingdominanceoverpeopleorthings.Butmasterycanalsomeanaspeciallevelofproficiency.Amastercraftsmandoesn''''tdominatepotteryorweaving.Peoplewithahighlevelofpersonalmasteryareabletoconsistentlyrealizetheresultsthatmattermostdeeplytothem-ineffect,theyapproachtheirlifeasanartistwouldapproachaworkofart.Theydothatbybecomingcommittedtotheirownlifelonglearning.
Personalmasteryisthedisciplineofcontinuallyclarifyinganddeepeningourpersonalvision,offocusingourenergies,ofdevelopingpatience,andofseeingrealityobjectively.
Assuch,itisanessentialcornerstoneofthelearningorganisation-thelearningorganisation''''sspiritualfoundation.Anorganisation''''scommitmenttoandcapacityfor
learningcanbenogreaterthanthatofitsmembers.TherootsofthisdisciplinelieinbothEasternandWesternspiritualtraditions,andinseculartraditionsaswell.
Butsurprisinglyfeworganisationsencouragethegrowthoftheirpeopleinthismanner.Thisresultsinvastuntappedresources:"Peopleenterbusinessasbright,well-educated,
high-energypeople,fullofenergyanddesiretomakeadifference,"saysHanover''''sO''''Brien."Bythetimetheyare30,afewareonthe''''fasttrack''''andtherest''''putintheirtime''''todowhatmatterstothemontheweekend.Theylossthecommitment,thesenseofmission,andtheexcitementwithwhichtheystartedtheircareers.Wegetdamnlittleoftheirenergyandalmostnoneoftheirspirit."
Andsurprisinglyfewadultsworktorigorouslydeveloptheirownpersonalmastery.Whenyouaskmostadultswhattheywantfromtheirlives,theyoftentalkfirstaboutwhatthey''''dlike
togetridof:"I''''dlikemymother-in-lawtomoveout,"theysay,or"I''''dlikemybackproblemstoclearup."Thedisciplineofpersonalmastery,bycontrast,startswithclarifyingthethingsthatreallymattertous,oflivingourlivesintheserviceofourhighestaspirations.
Here,Iammostinterestedintheconnectionsbetweenpersonallearningandorganisationallearning,inthereciprocalcommitmentsbetweenindividualandorganisation,andinthespecialspiritofanenterprisemadeupoflearners.
MENTALMODELS
"Mentalmodels"aredeeplyingrainedassumptions,generalisations,orevenpicturesorimagesthatinfluencehowweunderstandtheworldandhowwetakeaction.Veryoften,wearenotconsciouslyawareofourmentalmodelsortheeffectstheyhaveonourbehaviour.Forexample,wemaynoticethataco-workerdresseselegantly,andsaytoourselves,"she''''sacountryclubperson."Aboutsomeonewhodressesshabbily,wemayfeel,"hedoesn''''tcareaboutwhatothersthink."Mentalmodelsofwhatcanorcannotbedoneindifferentmanagementsettingsarenolessdeeplyentrenched.Manyinsightsintonewmarketsoroutmodedorganisationalpracticesfailtogetputintopracticebecausetheyconflictwithpowerful,tacitmentalmodels.
RoyalDutch/Shell,oneofthefirstlargeorganisationstounderstandtheadvantagesofacceleratingorganisationallearningcametothisrealisationwhentheydiscoveredhow
pervasivewastheinfluenceofhiddenmentalmodels,especiallythosethatbecomewidelyshared.Shell''''sextraordinarysuccessinmanagingthroughthedramaticchangesandunpredictabilityoftheworldoilbusinessinthe1970sand1980scameinlargemeasurefromlearninghowtosurfaceandchallengemanager''''smentalmodels.(Intheearly1970s
Shellwastheweakestofthebig7oilcompanies;bythelate1980sitwasthestrongest.)AriedeGeus,Shell''''srecentlyretiredCoordinatorofGroupPlanning,saysthatcontinuous
adaptationandgrowthinachangingbusinessenvironmentdependson"institutionallearning,whichistheprocesswherebymanagementteamschangetheirsharedmentalmodelsofthecompany,theirmarkets,andtheircompetitors.forthisreason,wethinkofplanningaslearningandofcorporateplanningasinstitutionallearning.
Thedisciplineofworkingwithmentalmodelsstartswithturningthemirrorinward;learningtounearthourinternalpicturesoftheworld,tobringthemtothesurfaceandholdthemrigorouslytoscrutiny.Italsoincludestheabilitytocarryon"learningful"conversationsthatbalanceinquiryandadvocacy,wherepeopleexposetheirownthinkingeffectivelyandmakethatthinkingopentotheinfluenceofothers.
(收到時間-1998年十一月20日星期五18:45:29)
BUILDINGSHAREDVISION
Ifanyoneideaaboutleadershiphasinspiredorganisationsforthousandsofyears,it''''sthecapacitytoholdasharedpictureofthefutureweseektocreate.Oneishardpressedtothinkofanyorganisationthathassustainedsomemeasureofgreatnessintheabsenceofgoals,values,andmissionsthatbecomedeeplysharedthroughouttheorganisation.IBMhad
"service";Polaroidhadinstantphotography;FordhadpublictransportationforthemassesandApplehadcomputingpowerforthemasses.Thoughradicallydifferentincontentandkind,alltheseorganisationsmanagedtobindpeopletogetheraroundacommonidentityandsenseofdestiny.
Whenthereisagenuinevision(asopposedtotheall-too-familiar"visionstatement"),peopleexcelandlearn,notbecausetheyaretoldto,butbecausetheywantto.Butmanyleadershavepersonalvisionsthatnevergettranslatedintosharedvisionsthatgalvanizeanorganisation.Alltoooften,acompany''''ssharedvisionhasrevolvedaroundthecharismsofaleader,oraroundacrisisthatgalvanizeseveryonetemporarily.But,givenachoice,mostpeopleoptfor
pursuingaloftygoal,notonlyintimesofcrisisbutatalltimes.Whathasbeenlackingisadisciplinefortranslatingindividualvisionintosharedvision--nota"cook-book"butasetofprinciplesandguidingpractices.
Thepracticeofsharedvisioninvolvestheskillsofunearthingshared"picturesofthefuture"thatfostergenuinecommitmentandenrollmentratherthancompliance.Inmasteringthisdiscipline,leaderslearnthecounterproductivenessoftryingtodictateavision,nomatterhowheartfelt.
TEAMLEARNING
HowcanateamofcommittedmanagerswithindividualIQsabove120haveacollectiveIQof63?Thedisciplineofteamlearningconfrontsthisparadox.Weknowthatteamscanlearn;insports,intheperformingarts,inscience,andevenoccasionally,inbusiness,therearestrikingexampleswheretheintelligenceoftheteamexceedstheintelligenceoftheindividualsintheteam,andwhereteamsdevelopextraordinarycapacitiesforcoordinatedaction.Whenteamsaretrulylearning,notonlyaretheyproducingextraordinaryresultsbuttheindividualmembersaregrowingmorerapidlythancouldhaveoccurredotherwise.
Thedisciplineofteamlearningstartswith"dialogue",thecapacityofmembersofateamtosuspendassumptionsandenterintoagenuine"thinkingtogether".TotheGreeksdia-logos
meantafree-flowingofmeaningthroughagroup,allowingthegrouptodiscoverinsightsnotattainableindividually.Interestingly,thepracticeofdialoguehasbeenpreservedinmany"primitive"cultures,suchasthatoftheAmericanIndian,butithasbeenalmostcompletelylosttomodernsociety.Today,theprinciplesandpracticesofdialoguearebeingrediscoveredandputintoacontemporarycontext.(Dialoguediffersfromthemorecommon"discussion",whichhasitsrootswith"percussion"and"concussion",literallyaheavingofideasbackandforthinawinner-takes-allcompetition.)
Thedisciplineofdialoguealsoinvolveslearninghowtorecognizethepatternsofinteractioninteamsthatunderminelearning.Thepatternsofdefensivenessareoftendeeplyengrainedinhowateamoperates.Ifunrecognized,theyunderminelearning.Ifrecognizedandsurfacedcreatively,theycanactuallyacceleratelearning.
Teamlearningisvitalbecauseteams,notindividuals,arethefundamentallearningunitinmodernorganisations.Thiswhere"therubbermeetstheroad";unlessteamscanlearn,the
organisationcannotlearn.
SYSTEMSTHINKING
Acloudmasses,theskydarkens,leavestwistupward,andweknowthatitwillrain.Wealsoknowthatafterthestorm,therunoffwillfeedintogroundwatermilesaway,andtheskywill
growclearbytomorrow.Alltheseeventsaredistantintimeandspace,andyettheyareallconnectedwithinthesamepattern.Eachhasaninfluenceontherest,aninfluencethatisusuallyhiddenfromview.Youcanonlyunderstandthesystemofarainstormbycontemplatingthewhole,notanyindividualpartofthepattern.
Businessandotherhumanendeavorsarealsosystems.They,too,areboundbyinvisiblefabricsofinterrelatedactions,whichoftentakeyearstofullyplayouttheireffectsoneach
other.Sincewearepartofthatlaceworkourselves,it''''sdoublyhardtoseethewholepatternofchange.Instead,wetendtofocusonsnapshotsofisolatedpartsofthesystem,andwonderwhyourdeepestproblemsneverseemtogetsolved.Systemsthinkingisaconceptualframework,abodyofknowledgeandtoolsthathasbeendevelopedoverthepastfiftyyears,tomakethefullpatternsclearer,andtohelpusseehowtochangethemeffectively.
Thoughthetoolsarenew,theunderlyingworldviewisextremelyintuitive;experimentswithyoungchildrenshowthattheylearnsystemsthinkingveryquickly.
Itisvitalthatthefivedisciplinesdevelopasanensemble.Thisischallengingbecauseitismuchhardertointegratenewtoolsthansimplyapplythemseparately.Butthepayoffsare
immense.
ThisiswhySYSTEMSTHINKINGisthefifthdiscipline.Itisthedisciplinethatintegratesthedisciplines,fusingthemintoacoherentbodyoftheoryandpractice.Itkeepsthemfrombeingseparategimmicksorthelatestorganisationchangefads.Withoutasystemicorientation,thereisnomotivationtolookathowthedisciplinesinterrelate.Byenhancingeachoftheotherdisciplines,itcontinuallyremindsusthatthewholecanexceedthesumofitsparts.
下一次,我們看看甚麼是組織學習智障(OrganisationsLearningDisability)
(收到時間:1998-11-26,byMC&XM)
LEARNINGDISABILITY
Chapter2
DOESYOURORGANISATIONHAVEALEARNINGDISABILITY?
(TY在這兒介紹了企業的生命周期,PeterSenge在第二章的開頭,提及了企業的壽命。)
大企業的壽命很少超過人類壽命的一半。1983年RoyalDutch/Shell的調查發現,1970年列名"Fortune500"排行榜的公司,有三分之一已經消聲匿跡。依RoyalDutch/Shell的估計,大型企業的平均壽命不及四十年,約為人類壽命的一半!
大部份失敗的企業,事先都會有許多的徵兆顯示它們已出了問題,然而即使有少數管理者已微略察覺這些現象,也不會太留意。整體而言,組織往往無法辨清逼近的危機,無法體認這些危機的后果,或提出正確的對策。
也許在適者生存的法則下,如此汰舊換新對社會是好的,可把經濟土壤重新翻過,重新把生產資源分配給新的企業和新的文化。然而對於員工及企業主,這是很痛苦的事。但如果高死亡率并非那些問題企業才會面臨的威脅,而是所有企業都會面臨的問題時,要怎辦?如果即使是目前最成功的企業,其實還是很差勁的學習者,那怎辦?
Learningdisabilitiesaretragicinchildren,especiallywhentheygoundetected.Theyarenolesstragicinorganisations,wheretheyalsogolargelyundetected.Thefirststepincuringthemistobegintoidentifythesevenlearningdisabilities:
1.IAMMYPOSITION(思考局限)
Wearetrainedtobeloyaltoourjobs--somuchsothatweconfusethemwithourownidentities.WhenalargeAmericansteelcompanybeganclosingplantsintheearly1980s,itofferedtotrainthedisplacedsteelworkersfornewjobs.Butthetrainingnever"took";theworkersdriftedintounemploymentandoddjobsinstead.Psychologistscameintofindoutwhy,andfoundthesteelworkerssufferingfromacuteidentitycrises."HowcouldIdoanythingelse?"askedtheworkers."Iamalatheoperator."
Whenaskedwhattheydoforaliving,mostpeopledescribethetaskstheyperformeveryday,notthepurposeofthegreaterenterpriseinwhichtheytakepart.Mostseethemselveswithina"system"overwhichtheyhavelittleornoinfluence.They"dotheirjob",putintheirtime,andtrytocopewiththeforcesoutsideoftheircontrol.Consequently,theytendtoseetheirresponsibilitiesaslimitedtotheboundariesoftheirposition.
Recently,managersfromaDetroitautomakertoldmeofstrippingdownaJapaneseimporttounderstandwhytheJapanesewereabletoachieveextraordinaryprecisionandreliabilityatlowercostonaparticularassemblyprocess.Theyfoundthesamestandardtypeofboltusedthreetimesontheengineblock.Eachtimeitmountedadifferenttypeofcomponent.OntheAmerciancar,thesameassemblyrequiredthreedifferentbolts,whichrequiredthreedifferentwrenchesandthreedifferentinventoriesofbolts--makingthecarmuchslowerandmorecostlytoassemble.WhydidtheAmericansusethreeseparatebolts?BecausethedesignorganisationinDetroithadthreegroupsofengineers,eachresponsiblefor"theircomponentonly".TheJapanesehadonedesignerresponsiblefortheentireenginemounting,andprobablymuchmore.TheironyisthateachofthethreegroupsofAmericanengineersconsideredtheirworksuccessfulbecausetheirboltandassemblyworkedjustfine.
Whenpeopleinorganisationsfocusonlyontheirposition,theyhavelittlesenseofresponsibilityfortheresultsproducedwhenallpositionsinteract.Moreover,whenresultsaredisappointing,itcanbeverydifficulttoknowwhy.Allyoucandoisassumethat"someonescrewedup."
2.THEENEMYISOUTTHERE(歸罪於外)
AfriendoncetoldthestoryofaboyhecoachedinLittleleague,whoafterdroppingthreeflyballsintherightfield,threwdownhisgloveandmarchedintothedugout."Noonecancatchaballinthatdarnfield,"hesaid.
Thereisineachofusapropensitytofindsomeoneorsomethingoutsideourselvestoblamewhenthingsgowrong.Someorganisationselevatethispropensitytoacommandment:"Thoushaltalwaysfindanexternalagenttoblame."Marketingblamesmanufacturing:"Thereasonwekeepmissingsalestargetsisthatourqualityisnotcompetitive."Manufacturingblamesengineering.Engineeringblamesmarketing:"Ifthey''''donlyquitscrewingupourdesignsandletusdesigntheproductswearecapableof,we''''dbeanindustryleader."
The"enemyisoutthere"syndromeisactuallyaby-productof"Iaminmyposition",andthenon-systemicwaysoflookingattheworldthatitfosters.Whenwefocusonlyonourposition,wedonotseehowourownactionsextendbeyondtheboundaryofthatposition.Whenthoseactionshaveconsequencesthatcomebacktohurtus,wemisperceivethesenewproblemsasexternallycaused.Likethepersonbeingchasedbyhisownshadow,wecannotseemtoshakethem.
The"enemyisoutthere"syndromeisnotlimitedtoassigningblamewithintheorganisation.Duringitslastyearsofoperation,theoncehighlysuccessfulPeopleExpressAirlinesslashedprices,boostedmarketing,andboughtFrontierAirlines--allinafranticattempttofightbackagainsttheperceivedcauseofitsdemise:increasinglyaggressivecompetitors.Yet,noneofthesemovesarrestedthecompany''''smountingglossesorcorrecteditscoreproblem,servicequalitythathaddeclinedsofarthatlowfareswereitsonlyremainingpulloncustomers.
FormanyAmericancompanies,"theenemy"hasbecomeJapanesecompetition,labourunions,governmentregulators,orcustomerswho"betrayedus"bybuyingproductsfromsomeoneelse."Theenemyisoutthere,"however,isalmostalwaysanincompletestory."Outthere"and"inthere"areusuallypartofasinglesystem.Thislearningdisabilitymakesitalmostimpossibleto
detecttheleveragewhichwecanuse"inthere"onproblemsthatstraddletheboundarybetweenusand"outthere".
3.THEILLUSIONOFTAKINGCHARGE
(缺乏整體思考的主動積極)
Being"proactive"isinvogue.Managersfrequentlyproclaimtheneedfortakingchargeinfacingdifficultproblems.Whatistypicallymeantbythisisthatweshouldfaceuptodifficultissues,stopwaitingforsomeoneelsetodosomething,andsolveproblemsbeforetheygrowintocrises.In
particular,beingproactiveisfrequentlyseenasanantidotetobeing"reactive"--waitinguntilasituationgetsoutofhandbeforetakingastep.Butistakingaggressiveactionagainstanexternalenemyreallysynonymouswithbeingproactive?
Nottoolongago,amanagementteaminaleadingpropertyandliabilityinsurancecompanywithwhomwewereworkinggotbittenbytheproactivenessbug.Theheadoftheteam,atalentedvicepresidentforclaims,wasabouttogiveaspeechproclaimingthatthecompanywasn''''tgoingtogetpushed[本文來源于大秘書-www,,找范文請到大秘書網]aroundanymorebylawyerslitigatingmoreandmoreclaimssettlements.Thefirmwouldbeefupitsownlegalstaffsothatitcouldtakemorecasesthroughtotrialbyverdict,insteadofsettlingthemoutofcourt.
Thenweandsomemembersoftheteambegantolookmoresystemicallyattheprobableeffectsoftheidea:thelikelyfractionofcasesthatmightbewonincourt,thelikelysizeofcaseslost,themonthlydirectandoverheadcostsregardlessofwhowonorlost,andhowlongcaseswouldprobablystayinlitigation.(Thetoolweusedis"microworlds")Interestingly,theteam''''sscenariospointedtoincreasingtotalcostsbecause,giventhequalityofinvestigationdoneinitiallyonmostclaims,thefirmsimplycouldnotwinenoughofitscasestooffsetthecostsofincreasedlitigation.Thevicepresidenttoreuphisspeech.
Alltoooften,"proactiveness"isreactivenessindisguise.Ifwesimplybecomemoreaggressivefightingthe"enemyoutthem",wearereacting--regardlessofwhatwecallit.Trueproactivenesscomesfromseeinghowwecontributetoourownproblems.Itisaproductofourwayofthinking,notouremotionalstate.