Social Learning and Knowledge Management - A Journey through the Australian Defence Organisation: The Final Report of the Enterprise Social Learning Architectures Task

摘要

The research methods, research findings and outcomes of the Enterprise Social Learning Architectures (ESLA) task (JWF 98/004) are reported on in this document. Social learning is defined as learning occurring within or by a group, an organization, or any cultural cluster and includes the procedures by which knowledge and practice are transmitted across posting cycles, across different work situations and across time. The term social' learning reflects that organizations, organizational units, and work groups are social clusters and that learning occurs in a social context. Knowledge management is tightly coupled to social learning. Study results from three ADO settings are discussed: 82Wing Headquarters at the Strike Reconnaissance Group (SRG) at Amberley Air Base in Queenland; the then C4ISREW Division at ADHQ; and finally, Navy Headquarters (NHQ) in Canberra. Organizational and cultural factors that positively contribute to social learning and to the retention of corporate knowledge within the organizations studied are identified with a focus on the elements of workplace culture that foster human interactions conducive to generative learning. The research findings discussed lead to the development of social learning architectures. Architectural depictions of social learning and knowledge management are presented as a representation of factors impacting on social learning and also in terms of a Toolset of actions, processes and strategies. The prime methodology used was ethnographic (observational fieldwork). Extensive semi-structured interviews were also undertaken with a sample of staff, and a quantitative survey questionnaire was used to support and validate qualitative data, and to facilitate comparison across the three settings.