A study of the relationship between the learning organization and organizational readiness for change.

摘要

The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine empirically the relationship between the learning organization and organizational readiness for change. Learning organization constructs were identified on the basis of seven indicators, or dimensions, from Watkins and Marsick (1993, 1996, 1999): create continuous learning opportunities, promote inquiry and dialogue, encourage collaboration and team learning, create systems to capture and share learning, empower people toward a collective vision, connect the organization to its environment, and provide strategic leadership for learning. Organizational readiness for change was identified on the basis of employees' perceptions of their organization's readiness for change by utilizing the Attitudes toward change concept by Dunham, Grube, Gardner, Cummings, and Pierce (1989).;The research site chosen for the study is a service-oriented, for-profit organization located in Southern California. A total of 93 participants agreed to participate in the study. The instruments adopted to collect data were a demographic questionnaire, the Dimension of Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ; Watkins & Marsick, 1993, 1996, 1999) instrument, and Attitudes Toward Change instrument (Dunham et al., 1989).;Descriptive statistics were used to describe the participants' perceptions of their organization as a learning organization. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, r, was used to indicate the bivariate intercorrelation between the participants' responses on the DLOQ and perceptions of organizational readiness for change. One-way ANOVA was to determine if there were significant differences in participants' perceptions of their organization and their readiness for change based on their demographic characteristics.;The results of the study suggested first that participants' highest perceived level of the action imperative for the learning organization was providing leadership, whereas system connection was the lowest. Second, participants' perceived level of each of the seven action imperatives of the learning organization were positively and significantly related to their perceptions of organizational readiness for change. Third, providing leadership and the overall DLOQ had the highest correlation with organizational readiness for change. Fourth, no statistically significant differences were found between participants' perceived effects of the learning organization and their demographic characteristics. Fifth, statistically significant differences were found among participants' perception of the organizational readiness for change and their age and employment level.